The Ottawa REDBLACKS offence, defence, and special teams all dazzled at points on Saturday night, leading to a massive 34-27 victory over the BC Lions.
In recent times, the REDBLACKS’ defence has been fast starters, only allowing touchdowns to come later in games – if at all – but Saturday night was a little different. The Lions were the ones starting on the front foot, taking the opening possession down the field in short order, finishing it off with a quarterback – or rather, fullback – sneak by David Mackie.
Ottawa’s offence answered back immediately with a shot down the field to Bralon Addison, before settling for a field goal to trim the early lead. Once again, however, the BC offence was too hot to handle, as they cruised down the field, though the REDBLACKS eventually buckled down, holding them to a field goal.
A three-and-out from Ottawa set the Lions up to increase their advantage, but on the first play of the second quarter, the REDBLACKS’ special teams proved once again why they are so special, blocking a Sean White field goal, to end his long streak.
The ensuing Lions’ possession was set back right away with a Cleyon Laing sack, before Alijah McGhee picked off a Nathan Rourke pass on second down, and not long after, Dru Brown fired a pass over the middle to Jaelon Acklin for a touchdown, his third of the season. The two-point convert, however, fell incomplete, but not without its own controversy.
The Lions clapped back with a field goal, and a pair of REDBLACKS turnovers set the stage for another sore for the visitors, who extended their lead to 17-9 in the late goings of the first half. With time winding down, Ottawa cashed in with a long 54-yard field goal just before the break, bringing the halftime margin down to five, with plenty of football left to play.
In the second half, the REDBLACKS seemed to turn into a different beast, taking the opening possession down the field quickly, and scoring a massive touchdown to take the lead for the first time all night. Even more special, it was Nick Mardner’s first CFL touchdown.
About 10 minutes later, Brown found Mardner for a touchdown once again, giving the REBDLACKS a 10-point lead, before the Lions answered back with one of their own late in the third quarter.
On third and goal from the one with six minutes to play, Head Coach Bob Dyce made a massive call to send Dustin Crum out onto the field, for a massive third-and-one from the one-yard line. He pushed forward for the score, restoring the 10-point lead.
From there, the Lions only managed another field goal, and Brown and the offence iced the game away, taking the 34-27 win, and moving to 7-2-1 on the season.
The REDBLACKS and Lions meet again next week for Touchdown Pacific in Victoria, on Saturday, August 31st, at 7 p.m.
