Football

Higher Stakes Lead to Career Performance: Dru Brown See’s New Heights with Redblacks

Nero Scofield

Brown connected with seven different receivers, and in the absence of Bralon Addison, he quickly formed a strong rapport with replacement Kalil Pimpleton. Pimpleton had the biggest play of the game with a 70-yard reception and added three more catches on five targets for a total of 83 yards. Rhymes and Hardy also surpassed 100 yards each. This marked Hardy’s third 100-yard game of the season and the fifth overall by a Redblacks receiver in just five games. At this point last season, Ottawa had not recorded a single 100-yard game; in fact, their first 100-yard receiver didn’t appear until week 10.Was it flawless? No. Did it secure another win for the team in red and black? Yes. It also marked the highest number of passing yards Dru Brown has ever recorded in a single game based on available records. Reviewing his game logs from his time at San Mateo Community College in 2015, he never surpassed 425 passing yards in college, and he hadn’t even reached 400 yards since November 21, 2015, in a game against Chabot where he threw for 76-55 victory.

Higher Stakes Drive Career Performance

In this matchup, the stakes were significantly higher compared to that November day nearly nine years ago. Brown faced off against seasoned veteran Mcleod Bethel-Thompson. Both quarterbacks threw the ball 35 times or more and completed at least 68% of their passes. Brown had been making big plays in almost every game leading up to this one, connecting with various receivers.

In week two, he connected with Justin Hardy for 42 yards and Bralon Addison for 30 yards. Week three saw him hit Hardy, Rhymes, Acklin, and Mardner with passes of 52, 43, 25, and 18 yards. In week four, his completions went to Acklin, Hardy, and Armstead for 28, 33, and 25 yards. In this game, Brown and Ottawa’s offense elevated their big-play production with completions of 70, 66, and 68 yards to Pimpleton, Rhymes, and Hardy, respectively. Of his 480 passing yards, 222 came after the catch, averaging 9.92 air yards per attempt. Despite a few inaccurate throws that need long-term improvement, Dru Brown was exceptionally sharp during this game.

Brown connected with seven different receivers, and in the absence of Bralon Addison, he quickly formed a strong rapport with replacement Kalil Pimpleton. Pimpleton had the biggest play of the game with a 70-yard reception and added three more catches on five targets for a total of 83 yards. Rhymes and Hardy also surpassed 100 yards each. This marked Hardy’s third 100-yard game of the season and the fifth overall by a Redblacks receiver in just five games. At this point last season, Ottawa had not recorded a single 100-yard game; in fact, their first 100-yard receiver didn’t appear until week 10.

This Week’s Significance for the Redblacks’ Long-Term Playoff Prospects

The Redblacks are currently 3-2, with victories over Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Hamilton—all teams that are currently ranked below them. They have losses to Winnipeg and Montreal. Montreal recently lost to Toronto with Cody Fajardo injured, Winnipeg defeated Calgary, and BC triumphed over the previously unbeaten Roughriders.

At the moment, BC and Montreal lead their respective divisions with 5-1 records, while Saskatchewan is just behind at 4-1. Toronto and Ottawa are both at 3-2. Ottawa is currently positioned as the 3rd seed in the East Division, and with the crossover rule, maintaining a lead over Calgary or Winnipeg will secure a playoff spot. With nearly a third of the season completed, standings can shift significantly before the playoffs, but the Redblacks are in a favorable position. It’s up to Bob Dyce and his team to keep finding ways to win tough games.

New Faces Make a Big Impact in Week 6

In Week 6, the Redblacks had to rely on their depth due to injuries to Bralon Addison and Frankie Griffin. This opportunity allowed Kalil Pimpleton and Davion Taylor to step in and start.

Kalil Pimpleton had a standout performance in this game, making several significant plays. He started with a challenging catch that was followed by a hard hit from a defender, then followed up with another difficult reception. Shortly after, he made a 70-yard dash for a touchdown. By the end of the game, he had caught 4 passes on 5 targets for a total of 153 yards and 1 touchdown, and also had a 13-yard kick return. Pimpleton’s impressive performance has transformed him from a backup player into someone fans now expect to be a starter for the remainder of the season.

Davion Taylor’s Impact and Week 7 Rematch

Davion Taylor had a solid yet understated performance in week five, recording 3 tackles on defense and another 3 on special teams. In week six, he stepped up as the starting Weakside linebacker, making 4 defensive tackles, including one for a loss. He also made a key play by hitting a receiver just as the ball arrived, resulting in an incomplete pass. Over the past two weeks, Taylor has accumulated 10 tackles, showing steady progress as he integrates further into the defense. In week three, he also had 3 special teams tackles, demonstrating his value as a CFL rookie.

Week Seven Rematch

In week seven, Ottawa will face the Elks again, this time at home after their recent road victory, which was aided by Lewis Ward’s perfect performance. Despite the offense struggling to convert drives into touchdowns, Ward was flawless, making 5 field goals and 2 extra points, contributing 17 of the team’s 37 points. Ward has been exceptional this season, converting 17 of 18 field goals and 5 of 6 extra point attempts. Ottawa will need to improve their drive completions to turn their narrow victory into a more decisive win in the upcoming game.

Turnovers

Two key turnovers almost derailed the game for Ottawa early on. The first turnover allowed the Elks to take an early lead. The Redblacks had been ahead 3-0 and advancing into Edmonton territory when a mishandled snap resulted in a 4-yard loss and a turnover recovered by the Elks, who converted it into a touchdown to lead 7-3.

Later, an interception thrown by Dru Brown in the third quarter occurred after Ottawa had just gained possession following an Edmonton punt. The interception followed a series of short passes to Justin Hardy that had moved the team to the 21-yard line. Brown, pressured and scrambling, threw between two Redblacks receivers but should have thrown the ball away given the coverage. Fortunately for Ottawa, their defense forced a turnover on downs after Edmonton missed a field goal.

The game could have shifted dramatically if not for Edmonton’s own turnover in the second quarter and a missed field goal in the fourth. Ottawa was fortunate this time, but they need to address these critical mistakes to avoid potential losses in future games.

Defense’s Crucial Plays

Jovan Santos-Knox had two sacks, while Alonzo Addae and Ardarius Pickett combined for the game’s only turnover. Michael Wakefield also contributed a sack, and Lorenzo Mauldin IV and Davion Taylor each had tackles for a loss. Ottawa had two sacks nullified by penalties.

The turnover forced by Pickett and Addae led to a touchdown before halftime, closing the gap after Edmonton had built a 15-3 lead. Taylor also disrupted a potential scoring drive with a pass breakup following Brown’s interception. Mauldin’s tackle for a loss forced Edmonton into a two-and-out despite a penalty on James Peter that would have otherwise resulted in a first down.

In the fourth quarter, Ottawa’s defense stopped a drive and nearly created another turnover. Wakefield’s sack on MBT resulted in a fumble that was recovered by Edmonton, but a subsequent blitz by Barron Miles and Santos-Knox’s second sack forced a punt. Despite another sack being nullified by a penalty, Ottawa managed to kick a field goal to increase their lead to 31-18.

Ottawa almost stopped another Edmonton touchdown drive three times, with the Elks scoring late in the game to tie it. The Redblacks need to address these critical errors to improve their chances in the rematch.

Injury Report and Depth Chart

Kalil Pimpleton will start at wide receiver again after his standout performance in week 6, filling in for injured Devonte Dedmon. Bralon Addison returns but will be listed as a backup due to his health. Pimpleton’s week 6 performance and his special teams ability, along with Dedmon’s injury, have earned him another start. It might be beneficial to integrate Pimpleton into the run game, similar to other playmakers on the team.

At linebacker, Frankie Griffin remains out, but Tyron Vrede has returned, and Davion Taylor will start again at Weakside linebacker. If Taylor continues his strong performance, he might replace Griffin in the starting lineup. James Peter will also be available, providing needed depth and slowly developing as a recent draft pick.

The most significant injury update of the week involves the right tackle position. Zach Pelehos has rejoined the injury list, and Jacob Ruby will start in his place instead of former first-round pick Dontae Bull. This decision by the Redblacks is noteworthy and might be related to whatever caused Bull to be a healthy scratch last week. This situation bears watching, as it could signal a diminishing role for Bull if the team has more confidence in Ruby and if Pelehos returns. At that point, Bull could become a less essential player, even with his versatility to play on both sides of the line.

Chris Jones Dismissed

Following the loss, Edmonton’s Head Coach and General Manager, Chris Jones, has been relieved of his duties. His tenure with the Elks ended with an 8-33 record over just over two seasons. Jones, who once coached in the NFL, might regret resigning from Saskatchewan after signing an extension with the Roughriders in 2019. It’s uncertain if he will return to a head coaching or general manager role in the CFL, though he might be a candidate for Defensive Coordinator positions in the future.

With Jones out, Offensive Coordinator Jarious Jackson has been promoted to Interim Head Coach and is expected to keep his play-calling responsibilities. Edmonton has also bolstered their pass rush by hiring former CFL defensive lineman Almondo Sewell as their new defensive line coach, replacing Nate O’Neal, who resigned.

Assistant General Manager Geroy Simon has also been promoted and is considered a strong candidate for the General Manager position in 2025, although new ownership might lead to further changes in the staff.

Week 7 Rematch

Instead of rehashing all the keys to victory, the Redblacks should focus on applying the successful strategies they used against Edmonton last week, despite their mistakes. This week, the key to success is the K.I.S.S. method—Keep It Simple, Stupid. Ottawa should avoid overcomplicating things and concentrate on correcting the errors from the previous game.

Their mistakes nearly cost them the win last week, and the Elks could capitalize on any similar errors in Week 7 under their new interim Head Coach. Ottawa is clearly the superior team, as demonstrated last week, and as long as they minimize mistakes, they should secure their fourth win of the season and strengthen their playoff prospects.

How to Watch

The game kicks off at 7 pm Eastern Time and will be broadcast on TSN and available for free on CFL+.

Betting Odds and Prediction

BetUS lists the Redblacks as 1-point favorites, despite being the home team and coming off a win against Edmonton. I believe Ottawa will win and cover the spread if you place your bet before it shifts. Edmonton may come in with renewed energy, but I still expect Ottawa to secure the win, possibly with a late score. The Over/Under is set at 53 points, with Ottawa at -115 and Edmonton at -105 on the money line. If I were betting, I’d go with Ottawa and the over.

I predict a close win for Ottawa, 35-33, while my co-host has Edmonton winning 34-30. Make those over bets now!

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