Things to watch: Ottawa RedBlacks Fans Could Roll In More Tantalizing News to Cheer About

The Redblacks should present Bob Dyce with a raise, not a pink slip.

The frustration and desperation felt by some Ottawa sports fans can almost be understood. Of the two major local professional teams, the Senators have not made the playoffs since 2017, while Saturday marked the Redblacks’ first postseason appearance since 2018. In today’s instant-gratification culture, waiting six or seven years for a contender can feel like an eternity.

It’s reasonable to empathize with the anger and anxiety among Ottawa sports fans, especially considering that the ten-year-old Redblacks have reached the Grey Cup three times and won it in 2016, ending a 40-year wait for a football championship. Conversely, the Senators have participated in just one final (in 2007) since they last won the Cup nearly a century ago (1927).

When you really think about it, Ottawa sports fans deserve immense patience; they should be awarded big golden “P” badges with every ticket they purchase.

However, what I can’t grasp is the mindset of some Ottawa sports fans. Many post-game callers and readers who share their opinions seem detached from reality. I understand their disappointment after the Redblacks’ 58-38 loss to the Argos in the Eastern Division semifinal, especially following a tough regular season where they lost five of their last six games, but there’s no need to overreact.

I don’t usually defend coaches, but those calling for Bob Dyce’s firing clearly don’t have a firm grasp of the situation.

A few weeks ago, I heard a caller on TSN1200 tell Matty Kaunisviita and James (Duke) Ellingson that Dyce should be let go because he’s “clueless.”

That was the extent of his argument. Being clueless isn’t sufficient grounds for dismissal without more details or evidence. Overall, the point felt quite weak.

I was hoping one of my friends would press for more explanation, but the calls kept coming. The next caller suggested the Redblacks need to fire Dyce because he’s not a good “strategist” or “leader.”

“How does he know that?” I found myself asking my radio, which, of course, didn’t respond.

I’m pretty confident that this guy—who I think was named Ian—has never attended a Redblacks practice. If he has, I doubt he’s interviewed Dyce or had any formal or informal discussions with the players.

I typically attend four practices each week and have daily conversations with the coach and players, both on and off the record. I’m not certain about Dyce’s strategic abilities, but I assume a lot of that planning is handled by his coordinators, with Dyce giving his approval.

Regarding his leadership, I’ve heard players express their willingness to go above and beyond for him.

Based on the unsolicited comments I’ve received from players about their coach, I can certainly believe that.

The Redblacks should be considering giving Bob Dyce a raise instead of letting him go.

In fact, I voted for him as my top choice for CFL coach of the year.

The only teams that won more games in 2024 than in 2023 were the Alouettes and the Elks. Montreal, the defending champions, only had one more win, while Edmonton added three but still didn’t make the playoffs.

Let’s not forget the Redblacks’ record of 14-54 over the previous four seasons, during which they hadn’t won more than four games in a single year since 2018.

This year, they finished 9-8-1 and came just 30 minutes away from a matchup against Montreal for a shot at the championship.

And remember, this is only Dyce’s second full season as head coach.

Please don’t point to decisions he made that backfired—every coach in every league has those moments.

As for the issue of discipline, I’m not entirely sure how the Redblacks became the most penalized team in the CFL. Dyce released Ryquell Armstead due to discipline concerns, despite his talent as a running back, and he consistently emphasized the need to play hard while avoiding unnecessary penalties.

It seems the messages finally resonated, as Ottawa has only taken 10 penalties over the last three games.

While some might argue that Dyce’s team should have focused more on establishing the run, that’s typically not how a Tommy Condell offense operates. In fact, few teams do prioritize this. Aside from three quarterback keepers by Dru Brown and Dustin Crum, the Redblacks only ran the ball seven times on Saturday, while the Argonauts managed just 12 rushing attempts, despite having the league’s top running back, Ka’Deem Carey.

In the West semifinal, the Lions had 11 rushing attempts, while the Roughriders had 22 distributed among four players, including powerhouse AJ Ouellette with 14 carries and Armstead with five.

It’s clear that the Redblacks need to seek a strong running back in the offseason—perhaps the position could be filled again by Devonte Williams, who rushed for 1,002 yards in 2023 before suffering an Achilles injury during offseason training—but that’s not the reason they were eliminated by Toronto on Saturday.

The defeat can be attributed to the fact that the Argonauts are a superior and more motivated team eager to make up for their playoff loss from last November. They also have more experience; nine of their 12 starters on offense and seven on defense participated in last year’s postseason, while 26 players in Ottawa were experiencing CFL playoff action for the first time.

Ultimately, the Redblacks’ loss was largely due to the absence of two key defensive players: cover linebacker Adarius Pickett, who plays a crucial role on special teams and serves as the emotional backbone, and safety Alonzo Addae. Without Pickett and Addae, there’s no chance Chad Kelly leads the Toronto offense to five touchdowns, including four passing.

The idea of firing Bob Dyce is completely misguided. A much more sensible approach would be to offer him a contract extension and more time to continue guiding the team in the promising direction he’s finally set it on.