Redblacks looking to end slide before bye as Ottawa hosts Edmonton Eskimos

OTTAWA — The Ottawa Redblacks don’t want to slide in to their bye week.

Ottawa is coming off a disappointing performance last week following a loss to Toronto, and is still looking for its first win at TD Place before its bye week. The Redblacks (3-2-1) will face a tough challenge in the Edmonton Eskimos (2-3-0), who are also looking to snap a two-game losing streak.

Considering last week’s disappointing performance the Redblacks can ill afford to be thinking about anything other than their own play. Ottawa heads into a bye week following Saturday’s game and has no desire to have a three-game losing streak hanging over its head.

“We need to get back on track before the bye week,” said Sir Vincent Rogers. “In team sports you always want a collective effort and last week I think we collectively lost the game. There were different people making mistakes and different people not making plays here and there and I think collectively we came up a little short.”

The game also marks the return of Jason Maas, who left the Redblacks as offensive co-ordinator for head coaching duties in Edmonton. The two teams met in the opening week of the season with the Redblacks pulling out a 45-37 overtime victory and, as such, players say any thoughts of Maas are long past.

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While it may be unfair to single out one player there’s no doubt Henry Burris will be looking for a little redemption Saturday.

Burris, who made his first appearance in over a month after suffering a hand injury, was far from his best going 20-for-34 for 218 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

The 41-year-old knows he needs to be better and admits having played last week and getting a full week of practice feels better prepared.

“Last week was almost like training camp all over for me again because I hadn’t thrown in over a month and really only had a half of football against Edmonton,” said Burris. “So really it was all about getting back to the basics, getting a lot of throws in, getting used to the guys, getting timing back because once you have that timing you can drop back with confidence and throw without even thinking about it in those situations.

“As far as the hand, the mind, physically everything is a lot better this week and I’m looking forward to this one.”

The Redblacks will make a number of changes this week including the addition of Moton Hopkins who will line up at defensive tackle. Hopkins was forced to miss the first six weeks of the season after fracturing a wrist bone during training camp.

“He’s a leader on and off the field so just his presence is good,” said head coach Rick Campbell. “He’s a good football player, but also the guys respect him so it’s good to have him back on the field.”

Hopkins admitted it has been difficult watching from the sidelines. He’s noticed certain things in games and passed information on to teammates, but he’s ready to be back in on the action.

Hopkins knows the first game can often be the most difficult after a layoff, but figures all will fall into place after he gets his first hit.

“I just want to create pressure and do whatever the team asks me to do,” said Hopkins. “As long as I can help push the pocket a bit and kind of keep (Mike) Reilly off his game I think that will be a successful night.”

Reilly leads the CFL in passing yards (1,926) and receivers Derek Walker and Adarius Bowman rank first and third respectively in receiving yards (642 and 586) and the Redblacks defence will need to find a way to contain them if they have any hope in this game.

Notes: Redblacks changes include DB’s Nicholas Taylor, Jonathan Rose, WR Jamill Smith, WR Khalil Paden and DL Paul Hazel. Off are DB’s Abdul Kanneh, Tristan Jackson and Jerrell Gavins, Malik Jackson, OL Jake Silas and DL Aston Whiteside.

Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press