Redblacks add to winless Elks’ misery with 20-14 win in Ottawa

Playing 2 games 5 days isolated wasn’t ideal, but nan Ottawa Redblacks liked nan extremity consequence aft posting back-to-back wins complete the Edmonton Elks with a 20-14 triumph Friday night.

The triumph allowed Ottawa to amended to 4-2 connected nan play and stay undefeated astatine TD Place.

Things proceed to spiral for the Elks who fell to 0-6 and proceed to hunt for answers.

Edmonton was hoping to find a spark pinch Jarious Jackson making his CFL caput coaching debut, but came up short — again.

“At nan extremity of nan time I thought they handled themselves and I commended them connected really they handled themselves this week,” said Jackson, who replaced nan fired Chris Jones aft past week’s 37-34 nonaccomplishment in Edmonton. “On a go-forward ground let’s conscionable instrumentality together and spot wherever this point takes us.”

There was nary denying nan short turnaround had an effect connected nan game.

“I’m not going to move my chemoreceptor up astatine immoderate win,” said Redblacks caput coach Bob Dyce. “At nan extremity of nan time erstwhile you look astatine nan CFL standings it says 4 wins, 2 losses. I’m highly proud of those guys playing a (second) crippled successful specified short time.”

The Redblacks scored connected their opening thrust aft Dru Brown, who vanished 22-for-33 for 257 yards and 2 picks, sewage nan squad to nan three-yard statement and Ryquell Armstead ran successful nan TD. It was nan 1 and only clip nan Redblacks would find nan extremity zone.

Ottawa relied heavy connected section extremity kicker Lewis Ward who went 4-for-5 connected nan night, pinch his longest a 48-yarder.

Boris Bede had a unsmooth nighttime for the Elks missing 3 section goals to spell 4-for-7, while McLeod Bethel-Thompson was 27-for-39 for 206 yards and 1 interception.

Jackson acknowledged nan offence arsenic a full fell short, but wasn’t going to azygous anyone out.

“Boris I’m judge is kicking himself,” said Jackson. “I’m not going to push his caput down immoderate further. I mean, he knows he’s sewage to make those kicks for america and I deliberation it’s a different shot crippled if we make those kicks.”

Bethel-Thompson was furious aft nan game, but not astir nan nonaccomplishment arsenic overmuch arsenic nan injuries his teammates suffered which he blamed connected nan short turnaround.

The Elks lost protect lineman Sam Acheampong connected Ottawa’s opening thrust and Scott Hutter was injured later successful nan game. Ottawa’s Tobias Harris besides needed to beryllium escorted disconnected nan section precocious successful nan game.

“It’s disgusting,” said Bethel-Thompson. “It’s disgusting arsenic a five-day week and really galore career-ending injuries aliases superior injuries happened tonight. It’s a shame, it’s a travesty.”

Bethel-Thompson was fined earlier this period erstwhile the Elks played back-to-back roadworthy games connected conscionable 4 days rest.

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“It’s easy to beryllium successful nan ivory building and scheme immoderate schedule and deliberation that they’ll beryllium conscionable fine,” said nan 36-year-old veteran. “These are quality lives that you’re dealing with. These are professionals that you’re dealing pinch and you’re putting them connected a five-day week against nan aforesaid team. That makes nary sense.”

After Ottawa took a 7-0 lead Bede responded pinch a 34-yard section goal. Ward had a uncommon miss connected a 47-yard effort and settled for a single. Bede made it close, 8-6, pinch a 39-yard kick.

Ward added 48- and 11-yard section goals to his first half totals, while Bede missed a 48-yard effort of his own, but added a 42-yard section extremity astatine nan extremity of nan first half to make it 14-9.

The 2nd half was overmuch nan aforesaid arsenic nan first. Neither squad was capable to prolong unit and looked to its kickers for offence.

Bede missed his 2nd section extremity of nan nighttime early successful nan 3rd 4th and Edmonton settled for a azygous and added different azygous connected a punt conscionable complete 3 minutes later to get wrong three, 14-11.

Ward was up again aft Ottawa fell short connected a thrust owed to a process penalty. The 28-yard footwear put Ottawa up 17-11 astatine nan extremity of nan 3rd quarter.

Ward added a 45-yard section extremity precocious successful nan 4th quarter, but the Elks stayed wrong scope pinch a 19-yard section extremity from Bede to make it 20-14.

UP NEXT

Elks: Host nan Hamilton Tiger-Cats (0-5) connected Sunday, July 28.

Redblacks: Host nan Calgary Stampeders (2-3) adjacent Friday.