Another Tough Night for the Redblacks
The Ottawa Redblacks are limping into their first bye week of the CFL season after a difficult Sunday night at TD Place. With a 30-15 loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats—their second defeat to the same team in just over a week—the Redblacks now sit at a league-worst 1-6.
Worse still, they may have to move forward without their starting quarterback Dru Brown, who exited the game early with a possible concussion after a brutal hit by Hamilton defensive back Dashaun Amos.
Controversial Hit Sparks Frustration
The illegal tackle on Brown—deemed an “unnecessary roughness major grade 2”—sent his helmet flying and drew a 25-yard penalty, but no ejection. Head coach Bob Dyce was visibly frustrated, telling TSN’s Claire Hanna, “We say we’re going to protect quarterbacks, but I don’t know how that’s not an ejection.”
The loss of Brown came early in the second quarter and shifted the dynamic of the game.
Crum Takes the Reins
In stepped backup quarterback Dustin Crum. Despite trailing 10-3, Crum ignited the Redblacks’ offense by going a perfect 10-for-10 in the remainder of the second quarter. With four field goals from Lewis Ward, Ottawa narrowed the gap to just 13-12 at halftime—marking their second-highest first-half score this season.
Unfortunately, the momentum didn’t last. A promising third-quarter drive stalled after a fumble by Geno Lewis, ending Crum’s impressive streak of completions and forcing a punt.
Hamilton Takes Control
Hamilton quickly capitalized. A massive 63-yard pass from Bo Levi Mitchell to Kiondre Smith brought them to the Ottawa three-yard line, and Treshaun Ward ran it in from there, extending the Tiger-Cats’ lead.
Earlier, Mitchell connected with Kenny Lawler for a 41-yard touchdown after an interception thrown by Brown—the third pick in three quarters for the Ottawa QB. Lawler has now scored three touchdowns in two games against Ottawa and leads the league with eight on the season.
Injuries Pile Up for Ottawa
The Redblacks not only lost Brown but also saw veteran defensive tackle Cleyon Laing go down with a leg injury in the first quarter.
With four consecutive losses and a growing list of injuries, Ottawa’s playoff hopes are quickly fading. To qualify for the postseason, they’ll likely need to win at least seven of their remaining 11 games—no small task.
Looking Ahead
Ottawa now heads into a much-needed bye week before returning to action on July 31, when they host the Calgary Stampeders, who are currently co-leaders in the West Division.
Whether Brown will be back under center by then remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: the Redblacks must regroup fast if they want to turn this season around.
