OTTAWA - Relief washed over the Ottawa Redblacks Thursday night as they finally snapped a four-game losing streak with a convincing 31-11 win over the Calgary Stampeders.
The win, the first this season at home, not only delivered crucial points, but a much-needed dose of confidence.
"I think everybody knew what we had going on coming off the bye week," said Ottawa receiver Justin Hardy, who had four receptions and two touchdowns. "The first phase of the season didn't go as planned.
"We just wanted to flush that, come out and get started 1-0 and we prepared that way and came out with a win."
Complete 60-minute efforts have been few and far between this season, but the Redblacks (2-6) benefited from some solid defence and capitalized when needed.
Dru Brown was solid in the first half, going 13-of-19 passing for 174 yards and two touchdowns. However, he struggled in the second getting picked off once and sacked twice to finish 19 for 27 for 275 yards.
"I think at times we executed very well and we moved the ball at will," said Brown. "When we're doing that, everyone's doing their job."
The Stampeders (5-3), playing without starting quarterback Vernon Adams Jr., dropped their second straight.
Head coach Dave Dickenson felt his team had a number of self-inflicted mistakes that forced the team to play from behind.
"We didn't take advantage of our scoring opportunities early and that hurts," he said. "We started to play from behind, and then we started turning the ball over and that hurt. Then we're even more behind and we started taking a lot of penalties … credit to Ottawa, they beat us."
P.J. Walker got his first CFL start under centre and went 30-of-57 passing for 273 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.
"You can't win games having three turnovers, let's start with that," said Walker. "I've just got to play better the next time I get the opportunity to go out there and play."
Ottawa had its best first half of the season, with the defence limiting Calgary to just three points and Brown finding Hardy for a pair of touchdowns. An 18-yard field goal from Lewis Ward gave the Redblacks a 17-3 lead at the half.
Calgary's defence rallied in the third quarter picking Brown off once and sacking him twice.
Walker didn't fare much better with Alijah McGhee picking him off and running the ball back 61 yards to make it 24-4 early in the fourth.
"That was just a bad read by me," admitted Walker. "I should have just plugged the inside guy."
Walker redeemed himself shortly after with a 29-yard TD pass to Dominique Rhymes to make it 24-11.
Pinned deep in their own end late in the game, Calgary gambled on third-and-10 and came up short, turning the ball over on downs. Ottawa wasted no time capitalizing, as Dustin Crum punched in a one-yard touchdown on the very next play making it 31-11.
Calgary settled for a single after Rene Paredes missed a 31-yard field goal attempt early in the second half.
Redblacks head coach Bob Dyce gave full credit to his team's defence.
"That was a hell of a performance by those guys," shared Dyce. "Three points at the half, I think they scored a touchdown the second half. Those guys made plays every single time they had an opportunity."
Dyce has been preaching the need to maximize opportunities in critical situations and felt his team finally did that and were rewarded for their efforts.
Now the challenge will be to build off it as they face the division rival Toronto Argonauts next Saturday.
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