Redblacks quarterback Dru Brown (3) throws a pass during a game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Oct. 25, 2024. Brown threw for 445 yards in Ottawa’s last home game of the season. [Photo by Freestyle Ottawa, courtesy Ottawa Redblacks]

After losing the chance to secure home-field advantage and host a CFL playoff game for the first time since 2018, the Ottawa Redblacks regained momentum in a nail-biting 37-31 victory over the struggling Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

“We feel good going into the playoffs with a victory,” Ottawa head coach Bob Dyce said. “All three phases made plays when they needed to make plays.”

The Redblacks were coming off their fifth loss in a row, losing their chances at home-field advantage for the Eastern Semi-Final against the Toronto Argonauts. 

Although Ottawa’s position in the standings was set ahead of their final regular-season game against Hamilton, the game was far from a meaningless effort. 

When playoff matchups are already decided, teams tend to rest their starters in preparation for a playoff campaign. But Dyce went in a different direction against Hamilton. Risking injury, most of Ottawa’s usual suspects played the entirety of the game.  

Redblacks receiver Kalil Pimpleton (83) beats Hamilton defensive back Will Sunderland (22) in a foot race to run in a 65-yard touchdown, giving his team the lead on Oct. 25, 2024. Pimpleton was nominated by the Redblacks for the Most Outstanding Rookie award. [Photo by Freestyle Ottawa, courtesy Ottawa Redblacks]
Despite dealing with with lingering issues with ankle injuries in the past, Redblacks quarterback Dru Brown played the entire game. 

 

“An opportunity to keep him [in the lineup] and see more live action, I felt was beneficial, and he performed well,” Dyce said.

The Redblacks started off strong, taking the lead early by a 20-13 score. Bralon Addison’s reception and  subsequent touchdown followed by Damon Webb’s fifth interception of the season kickstarted Ottawa’s efforts.

Hamilton built momentum in the third quarter by racking up a field goal and a touchdown (where they missed the extra point) after an impressive 79-yard drive from quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell. 

Kicker Lewis Ward’s routine 33-yard field goal collected the only three points Ottawa produced in the third quarter.

The Tiger-Cats didn’t slow in the fourth, immediately scoring a touchdown but missing the extra point again to extend a lead of 28-21.

In response, the Redblacks defence locked down, forcing two punts from Hamilton and allowing the Ottawa offence two drives, resulting in field goals. 

Redblacks defensive back Alijah McGhee (29) swipes a pass away from Tiger-Cats receiver Tim White (12) on Oct. 25, 2024. [Photo by Freestyle Ottawa, courtesy Ottawa Redblacks]
Hamilton quickly replied with a field goal of their own, keeping an Ottawa lead at bay with a 31-27 score.

 

But on the next drive, the estimated 19,500 fans at TD Place witnessed Brown’s 36-yard pass to Redblacks rookie receiver Kalil Pimpleton, who ran it another 30 yards for his third touchdown of his rookie campaign. 

After a successful two-point conversion, the score stood at 37-31 with the Tiger-Cats receiving a kickoff with just over a minute and a half left in regulation. 

Mitchell managed to take his offence to a first down one yard away from the Ottawa end zone with just over 30 seconds left on the clock. A touchdown and an extra point would hand the win to Hamilton. 

Miraculously, Ottawa’s defence held the line through the first two downs as Hamilton deployed plays through running back Ante Litre.

On the third and final down, Litre was handed the ball again as he carried it wide left, where his legs were wrapped up by defensive back Elijah McGhee, securing the Redblacks’ ninth and final win of the regular season. 

“Those plays come down to commitment and who wants [to win] most and we’ve seen [the defence] do that countless times this year,” Brown said post-game.

The Redblacks end the regular season with a 9-8-1 record, including 7-1-1 at home, and punched their ticket to the playoffs for the first time since 2018. They will take on the Argonauts on Nov. 2 at BMO Field in Toronto.

Featured image by Freestyle Ottawa / courtesy Ottawa Redblacks

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