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\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto courtesy: Ottawa Redblacks<\/p>\n
Despite making some dramatic changes in the wake of last week\u2019s blowout loss, Friday\u2019s result was depressingly familiar. Yet again, the Ottawa Redblacks made a handful of costly mental mistakes. Yet again, the defence fell apart late in the game. And yet again, Ryan Dinwiddie\u2019s squad was on the wrong end of a lopsided loss, this time falling 42-20 to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Regina.<\/p>\n
Here are all my thoughts on the game.<\/p>\n
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\t\t\tFree. Unsubscribe anytime. By signing up you agree to receive daily emails from 3DownNation, Coming into the game, the Redblacks\u2019 offence was generating the fewest first downs in the league, had scored the fewest touchdowns, was averaging a league-low 6.06 yards per play, and had turned over the ball a league-high 23 times.<\/p>\n Against Saskatchewan, those trends continued.<\/p>\n Although they ran 58 plays, Ottawa averaged just 6.1 yards per play. Dinwiddie\u2019s team also turned the ball over another four times, thanks to a pair of fumbles, an interception and a turnover on downs.<\/p>\n What\u2019s killing the offence \u2014 aside from the mental mistakes like offensive linemen missing basic blocks \u2014 is no semblance of a running game. Dinwiddie worked in play-action and RPOs (Run\/Pass Options) and found some success, but it was surprising to see the defence bite given the Redblacks haven\u2019t had a real run game all season long. After the first quarter, Ottawa had eight rushing yards. They finished the game with a total of 12.<\/p>\n Incredibly, despite a wholly unbalanced attack \u2014 Dinwiddie handed the ball off to his running backs seven times versus the 46 times he asked his quarterbacks to drop back and pass \u2014 the Redblacks were actually extremely good on second down, converting 64 percent of their second down opportunities.<\/p>\n Yet, as much as moving the chains and keeping drives alive is good, it doesn\u2019t mean anything if you can\u2019t convert those possessions into points. And of Ottawa\u2019s 11 possessions, just three ended with scores. The other eight were split into four turnovers and four punts.<\/p>\n With no true need to respect the run, opposing defences have been able to drop extra men into coverage, which in turn makes passing the ball all the more difficult. That\u2019s why until the Redblacks get at least one of their running backs going, the offence will continue to work with one hand tied behind their backs.<\/p>\n Speaking of quarterback play\u2026<\/p>\n Meeting the moment<\/p>\n If you were a member of R-Nation who chose not to watch the game and only checked the box score Saturday morning, you\u2019d see that Jake Maier had another 300+ yard game \u2014 his fourth of the season \u2014 while completing 72 percent of his passes with two touchdowns and an interception. While respectable, those numbers don\u2019t really tell the story.<\/p>\n Maier was once again solid, if unspectacular. While it should be acknowledged that the lack of a run game is making his life more difficult, along with leaky pass protection at times, if the Redblacks are going to get into the win column, they need the man under centre to come up clutch, and right now, he\u2019s not.<\/p>\n A prime example came in the second quarter. Facing third-and-four on Saskatchewan\u2019s 20-yard line, the Redblacks lined up to go for it due to the fact that they had no long snapper for the field goal attempt. Centre Sean McEwen whiffed on his block, which rushed the throw, but that doesn\u2019t change the fact that receiver Cade McDonald was wide open on the goal line. Instead of a touchdown, Maier\u2019s ball was underthrown and led to a turnover on downs.<\/p>\n Another came early in the fourth quarter. Despite trailing by 14, the Redblacks had possession and were marching. McDonald looked to have gotten behind the defence, yet Maier\u2019s pass was again underthrown and picked off. Saskatchewan turned the turnover into a touchdown and things only spiralled from there.<\/p>\n Jonathan Edouard makes a diving interception and the Riders take over!<\/p>\n \ud83d\uddd3\ufe0f: REDBLACKS vs. Roughriders LIVE NOW \u2014 CFL (@CFL) August 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Aside from needing to be better in weighty moments, Maier also needs to figure out how to generate explosive plays. Ottawa\u2019s longest pass of the night was merely 27 yards, and on the season, Maier is only completing 43 percent of the passes he attempts when pushing the ball 20+ yards down the field.<\/p>\n While some fans in the nation\u2019s capital might be keen to see the 29-year-old benched, the reality is that turning the offence over to McLeod Bethel-Thompson likely doesn\u2019t change much. MBT completed two of the three passes he attempted in his brief appearance, before being sacked and fumbling the ball.<\/p>\n American rookie Bryson Barnes would be another option, but after watching Caleb Evans and Dustin Crum get extended looks in recent seasons, R-Nation should know better than anyone the rollercoaster that comes with rushing a younger quarterback.<\/p>\n For now, Maier remains Ottawa\u2019s best option under centre, but he needs to find another level.<\/p>\n Bright spots<\/p>\n Even with the release of three-time All-CFL receiver Eugene Lewis<\/a>, the Redblacks\u2019 receiving corps remains the team\u2019s deepest and most talented positional unit.<\/p>\n Veteran Justin Hardy simply produces, week in, week out. His routes are crisp, his hands soft, and regardless of the down and distance, whenever he\u2019s called upon, he delivers. Against Saskatchewan, the 34-year-old turned four targets into four catches for 79 yards and a touchdown.<\/p>\n What an effort from Justin Hardy and the REDBLACKS!<\/p>\n Followed by a successful 2-point conversion, Ottawa takes the lead!<\/p>\n \ud83d\uddd3\ufe0f: REDBLACKS vs. Roughriders LIVE NOW \u2014 CFL (@CFL) August 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Speaking of dependable, Ayden Eberhardt continues to be Maier\u2019s favourite target, and it\u2019s easy to see why. The 28-year-old is fearless, and constantly willing to put his body on the line to make tough, contested catches over the middle of the field. Eberhardt finished the game with a team-high eight catches for 99 yards, with fully half of his catches moving the chains on second down to keep drives alive.<\/p>\n As for the rest of Ottawa\u2019s pass-catchers, the shifty Kalil Pimpleton made five catches for 35 yards, with most of his receptions coming on screens or short hitch routes. While the logic is sound and getting the ball into his hands in space gives him more opportunities to make defenders look silly, it would behoove the Redblacks to occasionally have him stretch the field and throw him a long bomb a couple times per game, if only to keep the defence honest.<\/p>\n Second-year Canadian Keelan White snagged eight passes for 66 yards and a touchdown. Like Eberhardt, he came up clutch on second down, with three of his receptions leading to a fresh set of downs.<\/p>\n Jake Maier with a nice loft to Keelan White for an Ottawa touchdown!<\/p>\n \ud83d\uddd3\ufe0f: REDBLACKS vs. Roughriders LIVE NOW \u2014 CFL (@CFL) August 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n American rookie Cade McDonald slotted into Lewis\u2019 spot and turned seven targets into three catches for 43 yards. As mentioned above, if not for a pair of underthrown balls, his stat line likely looks a heck of a lot better.<\/p>\n Global tight end Jevoni Robinson finished with one catch for four yards, while Canadian Nick Mardner, who dressed for his second straight game, didn\u2019t sniff the field.<\/p>\n Trench troubles<\/p>\n With starting left guard Drew Desjarlais missing the contest due to an injured foot, 2025 second-round CFL pick Sam Carson made his first start of the season. Overall, he had more good moments than bad, but it was still far from a great outing from Ottawa\u2019s offensive line.<\/p>\n Just like last week, there were mental errors that left defensive linemen unblocked on running plays. There was an errant snap from centre Sean McEwen that hit a receiver moving in motion, causing a fumble and loss of possession. There were missed blocks in pass protection that rushed throws.<\/p>\n This football has a mind of its own \ud83e\udd2f<\/p>\n Back-to-back turnovers from both teams!<\/p>\n \ud83d\uddd3\ufe0f: REDBLACKS vs. Roughriders \u2014 CFL (@CFL) August 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n One thing that would seemingly help the big men up front settle into games is establishing the run, if only because of the mentality it sets. When offensive linemen know they\u2019re running the ball, they can be more aggressive firing out from their stances, and can get nasty. When they\u2019re constantly dropping back into pass protection, they\u2019re more frequently absorbing blows as opposed to delivering them.<\/p>\n The trick with that, though, is that Ottawa\u2019s offensive line needs to show they can properly block the runs being called. When both running backs average two yards per carry, as was the case with Greg Bell and Daniel Adeboboye against Saskatchewan, it speaks to an offensive line issue, not a running back problem. Show me a team that averages 1.2 yards per carry, and I\u2019ll show you a team that lost.<\/p>\n New leader, same results<\/p>\n Firing defensive coordinator Will Fields and replacing him with Jeff Reinebold<\/a> was never going to magically improve Ottawa\u2019s defence, but there was legitimate hope that it would provide some kind of spark.<\/p>\n Under Fields\u2019 tenure this season, the Redblacks had been giving up 35.3 points per game, a league-high 437.3 yards per game, and 7.54 yards per play. They had also only generated nine turnovers through seven games.<\/p>\n In the opening 29 minutes in Regina, Ottawa\u2019s defence held up. Saskatchewan had settled for a pair of field goals, had punted twice, and been picked off once. But things began to unravel in the last minute of the first half, when Trevor Harris led the Roughriders on a 57-second, 8-play, 81-yard drive that culminated with a touchdown with seven seconds left on the clock.<\/p>\n The late score was all the more frustrating because of Saskatchewan\u2019s previous possession. Rookie defensive back Shadwel Nkuba II, who was playing in place of the recently released Shakur Brown, got his hands on an errant pass that could\u2019ve been a goal-line pick-six. Instead, he failed to hang on to the interception, and it resulted in a 10-point swing when Saskatchewan settled for a field goal.<\/p>\n Shadwel Nkuba II could\u2019ve taken this near-pick six to the house \ud83d\ude26 #CFL<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/mZfREA3Zlq<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The Redblacks defence forced a two-and-out on Saskatchewan\u2019s opening possession of the second half, but that proved to be the last time they mustered any kind of resistance, as the Roughriders\u2019 next four drives all resulted in touchdowns. Quarterback Trevor Harris completed 79 percent of his passes for 401 yards and connected on the final 14 passes he attempted.<\/p>\n What was beyond frustrating was that given the injuries to Saskatchewan\u2019s receiving corps, the only proven pass catcher in their line-up was KeeSean Johnson. If you assumed that Ottawa would sell out to ensure he wasn\u2019t the difference maker, you\u2019d be wrong. Harris looked his way 14 times, which resulted in 11 catches for 133 yards and a touchdown. And it\u2019s not like he was making contested catches. Far too frequently, he was simply wide open.<\/p>\n As I watched Johnson repeatedly burn the Redblacks, I couldn\u2019t help but think of Bill Belichick during his time with the Patriots. Belichick was well known for his game-planning philosophy of making sure the other team\u2019s best player wouldn\u2019t beat him. The Patriots might lose, but it would be because other players stepped up. Given the injuries Saskatchewan had, it would\u2019ve been nice to see the Redblacks attempt something similar with Johnson.<\/p>\n Overall, Saskatchewan converted 71 percent of their second-down opportunities, went five of six in the red zone and of their 11 possessions, five drives gained 70+ yards. Another relatively close game was blown open in the fourth quarter, as the Roughriders scored half (21) of their total points in the game\u2019s final 15 minutes.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for a positive from the defence, Canadian linebacker Lucas Cormier got the start ahead of A.J. Allen and responded by leading the team with eight tackles, while also making an interception<\/a> and having a knockdown.<\/p>\n Long snapper woes<\/p>\n Most fans don\u2019t think twice about the guy snapping the ball on punts and field goals, but as soon as the long snapper goes down<\/a>, everyone is reminded of just how important they are.<\/p>\n After Peter Adjey exited the game with his arm in an air cast after apparently dislocating his elbow<\/a>, the Redblacks were forced to be more aggressive on third downs, as they clearly weren\u2019t comfortable with fullback Anthony Gosselin being forced to emergency long snap. Gosselin\u2019s first few snaps were less than ideal and arguably led to kicker Lewis Ward missing both of the converts he attempted, but he did have a few decent ones on punts. Still, with Adjey seemingly out long term, expect the Redblacks to sign a true long snapper this week.<\/p>\n Injuries piling up<\/p>\n
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