Reasons to think Ottawa Redblacks (1-6) might beat Calgary Stampeders (5-2) again
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Slowly but surely, the Ottawa Redblacks are getting healthy.
Desperate to rediscover a winning combination, head coach Bob Dyce will roll what he hopes is a lucky seven roster changes into Thursday’s return from a bye week to face the Calgary Stampeders.
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While Dru Brown will start at quarterback after getting his bell rung by a high hit early in the second quarter of the team’s last game — a 30-15 loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on July 20 — three of the seven players coming off the injured list are Canadians.
Two of them will be making their season debut: Veteran centre Peter Godber, who was signed last winter as a free agent, and third-year defensive lineman Aidan John, who made an impact as a backup last season.
The third is long snapper Peter Adjey.
Also returning from injury are three American starters — receiver Bralon Addison, linebacker Frankie Griffin and cornerback C.J. Coldon — as well as Global defensive lineman Blessman Ta’ala.
Only one of the outgoing players (veteran Canadian defensive tackle Cleyon Laing) will take a seat because he’s injured.
One other change the Redblacks have to make is in the outcome of their games.
They have lost their last four, and with a record of 1-6, they sit last in the CFL standings.
If the playoffs started today, both Ottawa and the defending Grey Cup champion Toronto Argonauts (2-5) would be on the outside looking in, while the B.C. Lions (3-5) would cross over from the West Division to take the third and final spot in the East.
The Redblacks, whose only victory was by a 20-12 count on a cold, windy and rainy June 21 in Calgary, will try to make it two in a row against a 5-2 Stampeders team that this time will be missing injured starting quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. and playing its fourth game in 19 days.
Ottawa is rested and should be hungry for its first home win of the season.
“I think for (the players) to get away was important, to clear their minds, but at the same time for us as coaches to analyze what we’re doing well, and what we need to do better,” said Dyce. “The first thing I talked to them about is that coming in here is a special thing. And to get back at the opportunity to come out here and play on Thursday night is something that we all cherish. So being away from it a little bit, if you want to say, rekindles that fire and gets it burning a little bit hotter.”
The Redblacks are in Toronto to face the Argos a week from Saturday, so if they’re going to claw their way back into contention for a playoff spot, now’s the time to do it.
How is Brown’s health?
The hit which knocked Brown’s helmet off and took him out of the game against the Tiger-Cats looked to be more damaging than it was, as Brown was back leading the first team all week at practice.
“You never know how quickly things are going to progress, but I seem to heal fast at times,” he said on Wednesday.
Brown had connected on six of eight passes for 66 yards when he left the game, and in four starts has thrown for 1,078 yards with a 73.1 completion percentage, five touchdown tosses and three interceptions.
Who is Calgary’s replacement for Adams, who sits third in league passing yards with 1,913?
Phillip “P.J.” Walker will be making his first CFL start after seven years in the NFL, where he dressed for 21 games over seven years and started seven with the Carolina Panthers between 2020-2022.
Over a four-year college career, he also broke all the Temple Owls passing records held by former Redblacks QB Henry Burris.
When coming in for Adams with a lead during last week’s eventual 23-20 loss to the Montreal Alouettes, Walker completed just three of seven throws for 20 yards.
“We don’t have a big sample size here in the CFL, but he’s a mobile guy, he’s got a strong arm, he’s got great experience playing in a number of leagues,” said Dyce. “He’s also had the coaching of (Stamps sideline boss) Dave Dickenson, who’s one of the best offensive minds in this league. I know Dave will have him prepared.”
But he’s not Adams.
“Anytime you’re without your starter, everyone says next man up, but he’s obviously a helluva player,” said Brown. “I don’t think that changes our mindset on anything. The backup will be prepared and ready to go.”
What makes Calgary’s offence tick?
Former Redblacks receiver Dominique Rhymes leads the Stamps with 410 yards on 23 catches to go along with a pair of touchdowns.
But the Stamps’ running game is their bread and butter.
They’re first in the league with 893 rushing yards, with Dedrick Mills leading the way with 554 yards on 104 carries, including a CFL-high 15 gains of 10 yards or more.
“We’ve just got to play physical,” said Redblacks defensive tackle Mike Wakefield. “Play physical, gap sound, get penetration in the backfield. That’s one of the biggest things that will help us not let him get a head of steam going down the field. So I think we’ve just got to play physical and get to him quicker.”
What makes Calgary’s ‘D’ so good?
Through eight weeks, the Stamps’ defence is ranked second in the CFL behind the Montreal Alouettes.
It leads the league in limiting opponents to a second-down conversion rate of 43.6%, opponents’ touchdown drives to eight, and opponents’ “big plays” to 10. Calgary is also second in the league in interceptions with nine, including four by Adrian Greene and two by former Redblack Damon Webb.
“They play really well together,” said Godber, who has spent extra time studying Calgary in preparation for this game. “They have a very good defensive line, and their defensive line frees their linebackers up to make plays. They play solid fundamental defence, and they’re able to create turnovers and their physical up front. That’s kind of how they’ve been so good in my opinion.”
What kind of impact can a centre have on an offence?
The third overall pick in the 2018 Canadian college draft, Godber played 44 games with the Lions before signing with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, for whom he played 27 games in 2023-2024.
He missed the Redblacks’ first seven games with a broken finger suffered in training camp.
“The great thing about Peter is the experience he’s had,” said Dyce. “He’s in there, and everything is natural to him, so things just happen faster. One of the big things we always talk about is communication, and Peter does a phenomenal job of that. The faster you get the communication, the better, the more time the other offensive linemen have to adjust to the calls, and it gives them more confidence to play a better game. When you look at Peter, it’s not just Peter around him the ability to play better as well. It’s kind of like (former NBA star) Steve Nash.”
Why did Godber sign as a free agent with Ottawa?
According to 3DownNation, Godber is making $145,000 in “hard money” this season.
But the 6-foot-2, 308-pound Toronto product says he also liked the direction the Redblacks were going.
“I signed here because I believed in Coach Dyce and (GM) Shawn Burke and the vision he had for this team,” said Godber. “Not getting to play these first seven games sucked. You want to be out there with your teammates. So I’m definitely excited to be back.”
What does the return of Addison mean to the Redblacks?
In four games before suffering a shoulder injury, the veteran pass-catcher led Ottawa with 220 receiving yards on 21 grabs.
Along with Justin Hardy and Kalil Pimpleton, he gives the Redblacks a steady trio of slotbacks.
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