The Ottawa Redblacks staged a spirited second-half comeback but fell short in a 37-35 loss to the Montreal Alouettes on Sunday night at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium. The defeat leaves Ottawa winless at 0-3, though head coach Ryan Dinwiddie saw signs of progress after two and a half games of struggle.
First-Half Struggles
The Redblacks trailed 21-6 at halftime after a dismal first half in which Montreal recorded 17 first downs to Ottawa's five and outgained them 257 net yards to 76. Quarterback Jake Maier threw just two passes in the first quarter, both completions for 16 yards, while Montreal's Davis Alexander amassed 107 aerial yards in the opening frame.
Running back Greg Bell, who missed the season opener with a neck injury, appeared to suffer a related issue after a spin-move run for a first down early in the game. He remained on the ground during the subsequent commercial break but returned without missing a series of snaps.
Second-Half Turnaround
Dinwiddie, a two-time Grey Cup champion as head coach of the Toronto Argonauts, simplified his playbook for this game, reducing it from around 90 variations to roughly 40 plays. The adjustment paid off after the intermission.
On his first third-quarter possession, Maier led a seven-play, 69-yard drive capped by a 29-yard touchdown pass to Justin Hardy, who had been largely uninvolved in the Ottawa attack. On the next possession, Maier marched the team 89 yards on nine plays, ending with a four-yard touchdown toss to Keelan White with 4:15 left in the third quarter. The defence also clamped down, and the lead was cut to 21-18 heading into the fourth quarter.
Fourth-Quarter Drama
Montreal regained momentum in the final 15 minutes, with Alexander leading two scoring drives. However, Ottawa's offence kept pace. White scored his second touchdown of the night with a spectacular catch at the back of the end zone after a drive was extended by a grab from Binjimen Victor, who was replacing the injured Eugene Lewis (shoulder).
With just over a minute remaining, Jose Maltos kicked a chip-shot field goal for Montreal to extend their lead. But Kalil Pimpleton responded with a 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, setting up an onside kick attempt that ultimately failed, sealing the 37-35 loss.
Looking Ahead
The Redblacks will host the Saskatchewan Roughriders at TD Place on Friday night, still seeking their first win of the season. Despite the 0-3 record, Dinwiddie's squad showed resilience in the second half. According to Dinwiddie, the team is moving in the right direction, but it's not yet reflected in the standings.
