Le rouge et noir remportent une victoire à domicile contre le Elks en trois phases

It had been 640 long days since the last time the Ottawa REDBLACKS earned a win at TD Place, but on Friday night, they snapped the skid, beating the Edmonton Elks 26-7.

It wasn’t perfect, but Head Coach Bob Dyce and the rest of the coaching staff stuck to the game plan, running the ball down the Elks’ throats time and time again, to the tune of over 200 yards on the ground. The offence held onto the football, and the defence took it away, a combination that will win any team a lot of games.

Unquestionably, it was a huge win for the REDBLACKS, who improve their record to 1-2.

“We’ve worked hard, and we have been preparing since the beginning of camp,” Dyce said. “Obviously, we didn’t like the 0-2 start, but like I told the players, when we come out and we’re a physical team and all three phases play together, we believe we can beat anybody. This win showed them that, so it’s not surprising, we just have to make sure we’re playing solid team football.”

The battle of two quarterbacks getting their first career starts stole the headlines ahead of the game, but if this was your first time seeing Tyrie Adams in action, you may have thought he was a veteran. Completing 14 of his 20 pass attempts, and throwing for 185 yards and a touchdown, Adams wasn’t tasked with making many crazy plays, but his decision-making was top-notch, Dyce says.

“I’m really proud of Tyrie, I thought he did some really good things. One of our points of emphasis this week was making sure we didn’t turn the ball over, and he did a good job with regard to that. He managed the game exceptionally.”

Even with all of the personal milestones Adams could celebrate, none of it matters to him after the win.

“Forget the first CFL whatever for me, I’m just ecstatic to get this win for this team, organization, and these fans,” Adams said. “I didn’t do it by myself, so hats off to the defence, Coach Khari Jones, the offensive line, the running backs, everybody. But especially the run game, going over 200 yards is just ridiculous.”

The REDBLACKS got off to a great start, snatching a 10-point lead after Marco Dubois broke a pass into the flats for a 54-yard touchdown, his first career CFL regular season score.

“We needed a spark so bad,” Dubois said. “I felt like it was a relief for the team to finally score those points. When I got the ball, I knew I had to score. It was a great feeling for the whole team.”

Stepping in for the injured Anthony Gosselin, Dubois isn’t the traditional build for a fullback in the CFL, and has spent most of his time working with the special teams, something that has brought him close with Dyce.

The touchdown, as Dubois was telling everyone, isn’t his first – that came in a playoff game in 2018 – but it is a cool moment for everyone.

“To see him have success on offence brings a great smile to my face,” Dyce said. “He’s truly one of the leaders on this team. He’s one of the first people in here in the morning, and he leaves late, so looking back at it, I couldn’t be happier that it was Marco who [scored there].”

At halftime, the REDBLACKS led 16-0, but the game was far from over. On three straight drives to start the second half, the offence sputtered, going two-and-out, and losing the field position battle handily. It led to an Edmonton touchdown, as the momentum seemed to flip sides.

The change was only temporary, once again pointing to the poise of Adams on the night.

“We looked the defence in their eyes and said we can’t put them in a bad position,” Adams said. “The way they had been playing, we knew we couldn’t do that to them again. After Edmonton got their touchdown, I told them personally that it was the last time we were giving them a two-and-out. When you’re playing for your brothers you truly have love for, it makes it easier to go out there and play.”

The defence Adams mentions put together another excellent performance, holding the Elks to just 273 yards and seven points, while forcing four turnovers and sacking the quarterback a further four times.

“We wanted to make sure we stopped the explosives on defence and special teams,” Dyce said. “Edmonton is a dynamic team with a lot of playmakers, but we felt that if we could keep their receivers in front of us, they would have a hard time working against our defence. You can say they had drops, but our defence did a fantastic job at limiting big plays. I’m happy with that job.”

When the game wrapped up, many fans who had stuck around began a “let’s go REDBALCKS” chant, something that was heard by the players, and very much appreciated.

“It gave me chills all down my body,” Adams said. “You definitely heard that, and it was a wonderful feeling that we don’t want to let go of.”

For Dubois, it’s a reminder of what he loves the most about Ottawa.

“We have the greatest fans in the league,” Dubois said. “It’s a privilege to have been drafted here. Even though we have had some hard seasons, the people in the stands have always been there, and it made me emotional, because I really appreciate them.”

The pride, excitement, and happiness will stick around for a few days, but no one is satisfied. Receiver Nate Behar has been around for some lean years, and while this is a serious step in the right direction, there’s a key matchup with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats due up next weekend.

“We’re going to come in here and be hyper-critical because we want to get better,” Behar said. “The good stuff is there, but you want to be hard on yourself, because 26-7 is great, but there were more points to be had out there. We have to figure out how to get them, and keep building. The cake isn’t baked yet.”