Redblacks look to play smarter in crucial game against Blue Bombers

OTTAWA — Too often this season the Ottawa Redblacks have been their own worst enemy.

Costly turnovers, penalties and dropped balls are just a few of the ways the Redblacks have stumbled, and yet they still manage to sit atop the East Division despite their disappointing play at times.

The Redblacks (7-8-1) make no excuses for their inconsistencies, but know time is running short to start playing smarter and better.

Some might point to the staggering number of injuries the Redblacks have suffered this season and the endless changes to the starting lineup — including for this week’s crucial tilt against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers — for some of the mistakes, but the Redblacks know they need to eliminate the mental mistakes.

“We’re playing great football when things are rolling our way,” said quarterback Henry Burris. “Now we have to find a way to continue it going in that direction and not have those lapses throughout the course of the game because those have cost us points, they’ve cost us games and it has hurt us in the end.”

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Through the last six weeks Ottawa has struggled in the second half and been outscored 99-70 through the final 30 minutes. Last week Ottawa had a 15-point lead over Hamilton at the half and ended up losing 39-36 in overtime.

“Third quarters have really killed us, even though we’re in a position to put points on the board,” Burris said. “We understand that the opposition’s going to make plays… but as soon as it happens we have to answer the call and that’s not coming out and having penalties to bury ourselves even deeper into bad field position offensively.

“We have to be able to deal with the momentum swings, but still maintain our focus to come out and swing it in our favour and keep the momentum going in our direction.”

Once again the Redblacks were forced to shuffle their offensive line as right tackle Jake Silas was injured last week. Jason Lauzon-Seguin will shift to right tackle while Tommie Draheim, who started 13 games for the B.C. Lions last year, will make his Ottawa debut at left tackle in what is arguably the Redblacks biggest game of the season.

Only Jon Gott has played in all 16 games while everyone else on the line has been in and out of the lineup, but J’Michael Deane, who will line up at left guard, says change is often inevitable.

“Usually when I get a new guy in I try to get in my (play) book that much more,” Deane said. “I want to know what I’m doing and I want to know what the guy next to me is doing, just in case he’s having trouble with something then I’m able to help him out. But I’ve got a veteran coming in to play next to me this game so he already knows it.”

The two points on the line are crucial to the Redblacks. With a victory they will either remain atop the East Division or clinch first and a bye to the division final Nov. 20. While much will depend on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, who trail Ottawa by just one point and host Edmonton on Friday, the Redblacks prefer to focus on themselves.

“It’s good and bad knowing where we’ll stand after Hamilton’s game,” said running back Mossis Madu. “Regardless of what happens with them, on Saturday we need to make sure we go out and play our game. That’s all that matters.”

Notes: Aside from the change on the offensive line the Redblacks are considering further lineup changes. DL Zack Evans was still questionable and WR Jamill Smith could get the start.

Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press