Your comprehensive guide to REDBLACKS meeting with Argos in the East Semi-Final
The Ottawa REDBLACKS are in the playoffs for the first time since 2018, a year in which they made the Grey Cup. In the East Semi-Final on Saturday at 3 p.m., they’ll take on the Toronto Argonauts at BMO Field, with a chance to visit the Montreal Alouettes in the East Final on the line.
What you need to know
Television: TSN, TSN4, CTV, RDS, CFL+
Radio: TSN 1200, 104,7 Outaouais
Kickoff: 3:00 pm ET | BMO Field
Ottawa flys to Toronto off the back of five really solid quarters of football, where they outscored their opposition 62-31, resulting in a Week 21 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Quarterback Dru Brown has thrown for 845 yards and seven touchdowns in the past two weeks, while Bralon Addison has scored a trio of majors in that time.
The Argonauts lost last week in Edmonton, but rested many of their starters with home-field advantage already locked up. In the nine games after his suspension, Chad Kelly threw for 2,451 yards and 10 touchdowns. Defensively, Toronto’s Jake Ceresna and Ralph Holley finished tied for the league-lead in sacks with eight, tied with Ottawa’s Lorenzo Mauldin and Michael Wakefield.
On the practice field this week, the REDBLACKS were a locked-in group, earning praise from Head Coach Bob Dyce for their efforts.
“I feel that they’re focused and ready to go,” he said. “They’re excited about the opportunity that they have in front of them. They’ve worked hard for this, so they’re excited to go out to Toronto and put their best foot forward.”
Dominant at TD Place, the REDBLACKS head on the road for the playoffs. During the season, they won only twice away from home, but that’s not keeping them down.
“It doesn’t make a difference at all,” Dyce said. “I’ve been in this league a long time. I go back to my time in Saskatchewan, when Calgary was [the dominant team], and we went in there numerous times and beat them on the road.”
“Everybody’s good. You need to bring your A-game whether you’re at home or on the road, it doesn’t make a difference anymore. It’s about how you prepare and how you execute on game day.”
Team stats
| Stat | Ottawa REDBLACKS | Toronto Argonauts |
| Record | 9-8-1 | 10-8 |
| Points for | 443 | 515 |
| Points against | 488 | 479 |
| Turnovers | 45 | 38 |
| Takeaways | 46 | 40 |
By the numbers
* indicates league leader
Offence
| Ottawa REDBLACKS | Player | Total | Toronto Argonauts | Player | Total |
| Passing | Dru Brown | 3,959 | Passing | Chad Kelly | 2,451 |
| Rushing | Khalan LaBorn | 310 | Rushing | Ka’Deem Carey | 1,060 |
| Receiving | Justin Hardy | 1,343 | Receiving | Makai Polk | 1,024 |
- The Argonauts converted 48.6% of their second-down opportunities, and the REDBLACKS converted 44.9%.
- Ottawa scored 34 offensive touchdowns in the regular season, while Toronto had 42.
- The Argos committed 37 turnovers, and the REDBLACKS had 45.
- Ottawa had 58 accepted penalties while on offence, and the Argonauts had 66.
- Both teams had 31 big plays in 2024 (Offence: 20+ Rush, 30+ Pass; Returns: 30+ PR, 40+ KOR, 30+ FG Miss).
Defence
| Ottawa REDBLACKS | Player | Total | Toronto Argonauts | Player | Total |
| Tackles | Deandre Lamont | 91 | Tackles | Royce Metchie | 87 |
| Tackles for loss | Damon Webb | 8 | Tackles for loss | seven tied | 3 |
| Sacks | Michael Wakefield, Lorenzo Mauldin | 8* | Sacks | Jake Ceresna, Ralph Holley | 8* |
| Interceptions | Damon Webb | 5 | Interceptions | DaShaun Amos | 5 |
| Forced fumbles | Michael Wakefield, Davion Taylor | 3 | Forced fumbles | Benjie Franklin | 3 |
- The REDBLACKS had 15 interceptions, and the Argos had 14.
- Toronto recovered 10 fumbles, and Ottawa recovered eight.
- Ottawa’s defence is ranked fifth in the CFL, with the Argonauts’ unit coming in at four.
- Toronto led the league in sacks in 2024 with 48, and Ottawa was tied for second with 39.
Special teams
| Ottawa REDBLACKS | Player | Total | Toronto Argonauts | Player | Total |
| Field goal percentage | Lewis Ward | 87.9% | Field goal percentage | Lirim Hajrullahu | 90.2% |
| Net punting average | Richie Leone | 48.0 | Net punting average | John Haggerty | 50.3 |
| Punt return average | Kalil Pimpleton | 16.8* | Punt return average | Janarion Grant | 14.8 |
| Kickoff return average | DeVonte Dedmon | 27.6* | Kickoff return average | Janarion Grant | 24.4 |
- Lewis Ward kicked more field goals than anyone else this season, converting on 58 of his 66 attempts.
- Lirim Hajrullahu had the fourth-best field goal percentage in the CFL, converting 90.2% of his kicks.
- Janarion Grant has a combined four special teams touchdowns this season.
- Both Kalil Pimpleton and DeVonte Dedmon have scored special teams touchdowns for the REDBLACKS this year.
Season series
| Stat | Ottawa REDBLACKS | Toronto Argonauts |
| Record | 1-1 | 1-1 |
| Points for | 72 | 65 |
| Penalties | 5-45 | 10-100 |
| Sacks | 7-40 | 3-19 |
| Takeaways | 8 | 5 |
Week 14: Toronto Argonauts 27 @ Ottawa REDBLACKS 41
Week 20: Ottawa REDBLACKS 31 @ Toronto Argonauts 38
- The home team has won both meetings in the season series.
- In both games, the home side built big leads early, with the guests mounding late comeback efforts.
- The Argos out-gained the REDBLACKS in net offence 930-799 across both games.
- Of the 137 points scored, 45 of them have come in the fourth quarter (32.8%).
- Both games have seen at least one player from each team put up at least 100 yards receiving, with Toronto’s Makai Polk doing it twice.
Award winners
| Award | Ottawa REDBLACKS | Toronto Argonauts |
| Most Outstanding Player | Justin Hardy (WR) | Ka’Deem Carey (RB) |
| Canadian | Drew Desjarlais (OL) | Lirim Hajrullahu (K) |
| Defensive Player | Michael Wakefield (DL) | DaShaun Amos (DB) |
| Offensive Lineman | Drew Desjarlais | Ryan Hunter |
| Special Teams Player | Adarius Pickett | Janarion Grant |
| Rookie | Kalil Pimpleton (WR) | Makai Polk (WR) |
REDBLACKS to watch
Dru Brown, Quarterback
67.2%, 3,959 yards, 18 TD, 10 INT
- Brown is the first REDBLACKS quarterback to throw for 3,900 yards since 2018, when Trevor Harris threw for over 5,000.
- Brown’s 2.2 percent interception rate is second-best in the CFL among pivots who have thrown more than 200 passes, behind only Montreal’s Cody Fajardo.
- Among playoff-bound quarterbacks, Dru Brown has thrown for the second-most passing touchdowns.
- In games he has played from start to finish, the REDBLACKS hold an 8-3 record.
- Despite playing only 14 full games, Brown completed the second most passes among playoff-bound quarterbacks.
Justin Hardy, Receiver
97 receptions, 1,343 yards, 5 TD
- Only fourth in the league in targets, Hardy managed to lead the league in receptions with 97.
- For the second time in his three-year CFL career, he surpassed 1,000 yards receiving, reaching 1,343.
- Hardy was the REDBLACKS’ nominee for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player award.
- His five touchdowns tie him for the eighth-best mark in the CFL.
Bralon Addison, Receiver
41 receptions, 433 receiving yards, 3 TD, 27 carries, 151 rushing yards
- In terms of yardage, Addison matched his second-best season in his career, also amassing 433 receiving yards in 2022 with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
- Compared to 2022, Addison scored three more touchdowns, and rushed for seven more yards.
- His three touchdowns came in the final two weeks of the season, after last playing in Week 12 in the REDBLACKS’ win over the B.C. Lions.
- Addison averaged 5.6 yards per carry on his 27 attempts this season.
Damon Webb, Defensive back
69 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 5 interceptions, 2 TD, 1 forced fumble
- In Week 14, Webb became the first player in REDBLACKS’ history to record two interceptions, and take them back for touchdowns in a single game.
- His five interceptions tie him for third place in the CFL, behind only Rolan Milligan Jr., and Tyrell Ford.
- Webb is tied for second in the league in tackles for loss, with eight.
- Webb has seven pass knowdowns in 2024.
Michael Wakefield, Defensive line
30 tackles, 8 sacks, 3 forced fumbles
- Wakefield finished tied for the league lead in sacks.
- His eight sacks set a new career high for the veteran.
- Three forced fumbles is also a career-high.
Kalil Pimpleton, Receiver
45 receptions, 715 yards, 3 TD
- Pimpleton finished the year with 1,211 combined yards, with 722 of them coming from scrimmage.
- Pimpelton was Ottawa’s nominee for Most Outstanding Rookie.
- He holds the record for the most receiving yards as a rookie in REDBLACKS franchise history.
