
Slumping Ottawa Redblacks lose quarterback Dru Brown and another game to Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Article content
Not only did they lose for the second time in eight days to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, but in falling to a CFL-worst 1-6 record, they also lost starting quarterback Dru Brown to a possible concussion on a hit that incensed head coach Bob Dyce.
Article content
While the 30-15 defeat in front of just 15,054 fans at TD Place on Sunday night doesn't dismiss their chances of making the playoffs, the Redblacks qualified as the third seed last year with a 9-8-1 record.
Article content
Article content
Using that gauge, they'll likely have to win at least seven of their last 11 when they return from the bye.
Article content
Article content
At this point, it seems like a tall order.
Article content
Along with dropping their fourth straight contest, the Redblacks lost Brown early in the second quarter when he dropped back for a pass and was bulldozed by Hamilton defensive back Dashaun Amos, who sent the quarterback's helmet flying with an illegal hit.
Article content
The 'unnecessary roughness major grade 2' cost the Tiger-Cats 25 yards of real estate and Ottawa its No. 1 signal caller.
Article content
'We say we're going to protect quarterbacks, but I don't know how that's not an ejection,' Redblacks head coach Bob Dyce told TSN's Claire Hanna at the intermission.
Article content
The Redblacks, however, responded positively to the adversity.
Article content
Upon entering the game with his team trailing 10-3, backup Dustin Crum breathed some air into the attack by combining a running game that was missing in the opening quarter.
Article content
Article content
In the final 12 minutes of the second quarter, he completed 10-of-10 passes and, with Lewis Ward kicking four field goals, Ottawa trailed by just one at halftime.
Article content
The 12 points the Redblacks put on the board were the second most they've scored in a first half this season.
Article content
Ottawa had a chance to build on that small bit of momentum with its first possession of the third quarter, but Geno Lewis allowed the ball to be stripped from his hands past the first down marker for Crum's first incompletion after he had connected on 11 straight.
Article content
Forced to put the ball, the defence looked like they'd get the ball right back after Michael Wakefield's second sack of the season put the visitors in a second-and-18 situation.
Article content
But Bo Levi Mitchell found Kiondre Smith for a 63-yard gain to the Ottawa three, and Treshaun Ward scored with a run up the middle on the next play.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CTV News
6 hours ago
- CTV News
Maltos' late go-ahead field goal lifts Alouettes to 23-21 win over Stampeders
Montreal Alouettes' Jose Maltos, right, kicks a field goal during second half CFL football action against the Calgary Stampeders in Calgary, Thursday, July 24, CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh CALGARY — Jose Maltos received a hero's welcome from his teammates after kicking the longest field goal of his CFL career. Maltos booted the go-ahead 58-yard field goal with 1:10 remaining as the Montreal Alouettes (5-2) earned a 23-21 win over the Calgary Stampeders (5-2) in front of 19,863 fans at McMahon Stadium on Thursday. When the Mexican-born kicker returned to his team's locker room, he was mauled by his teammates who congratulated him while chanting: 'Olé, Olé, Olé, Olé.' 'It feels good – important game, important kick,' said Maltos, whose previous longest kick was from 53 yards out. 'My teammates are great. I love them and I'm grateful to have them on my side. 'We're happy because we need these kind of wins. Every kick is important to me, so that was pretty good.' Following his heroics – which included four other field goals, a convert and a single – Maltos received praise from Montreal head coach Jason Maas. 'He's made some clutch kicks for us since he's taken over and he's got an outstanding percentage career-wise already,' Maas said. 'He just has a good knack for those types of moments and that's what he's shown us. That was a tremendous (game-winning) kick. It was one of the best kicks I've seen.' Montreal quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson completed 30-of-40 passes for 280 yards to go with one touchdown to Chris Spieker and one interception. 'Man, we needed that one,' Bethel-Thompson said. 'It feels great to finally play my role for this team. It's a special locker room. What coach Maas has built is a special place and I'm just so grateful to have done my job. That was an unbelievable kick at the end by Jose.' Dedrick Mills had a pair of rushing touchdowns for the Stampeders (5-2), who had won their previous three games. 'We ran the ball well for three quarters, but not the fourth quarter,' said Calgary coach Dave Dickenson. 'And that's when you need to run the ball … and we just didn't do it.' Calgary quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. threw a touchdown pass to Dominique Rhymes and also completed a short pass to Erik Brooks in the end zone for a two-point convert after Mills' second rushing score. Near the end of the third quarter, Adams scrambled out of the pocket and ran for a seven-yard gain before he was hit hard by Montreal linebacker Tyrice Beverette. Although he got to his feet and walked to the sidelines, he was assessed for a head injury and didn't return to the game. 'I'm expecting it was on the one hit.' Dickenson said. 'I'm not really going to speculate on what happened, but I know that he went in the tent and didn't come back, so that was obviously something that we know can happen. 'A lot of teams are playing with their backup QB, including Montreal, so we have to be able to function and get points and get first downs, and we weren't able to do it.' Defensive back Adrian Green picked off an errant pass by Bethel-Thompson for his league-leading fourth interception of the season and ran it back to Montreal's 44-yard line to help set up Calgary's first touchdown. Four plays later, Mills ran for a seven-yard touchdown with 1:53 remaining in the first quarter, which gave Calgary a 6-0 lead after a missed convert by Rene Paredes. After Tyler Snead's 42-yard diving catch put Montreal at Calgary's nine-yard line, the Stampeders held the Alouettes to a 10-yard Maltos field goal. Adams then engineered a five-play, 77-yard drive that he finished off by tossing a 33-yard TD pass to Rhymes at 5:10 of the second quarter to put the Stamps up 13-3. The Als responded at 9:18 when Spieker caught a seven-yard TD pass from Bethel-Thompson to cap off a quick eight-play, 77-yard drive. On the ensuing kickoff, Maltos booted an 88-yard single to pull the Als within two points of the Stamps. Maltos finished off the first half by making a 36-yard field goal with no time left on the clock to put Montreal ahead 14-13. The Stamps drove the ball 65 yards down the field before Mills ran in for a nine-yard score on the sixth play of the drive at 3:43 of the third quarter. A successful two-point convert gave the Stamps a 21-14 edge. Thanks to a pair of field goals by Maltos in the fourth quarter – a 28-yard kick at 6:22 and another from 20 yards out at 12:17 – Montreal cut Calgary's lead to just 21-20. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2025. Laurence Heinen, The Canadian Press


Winnipeg Free Press
13 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Maltos' late go-ahead field goal lifts Alouettes to 23-21 win over Stampeders
CALGARY – Jose Maltos received a hero's welcome from his teammates after kicking the longest field goal of his CFL career. Maltos booted the go-ahead 58-yard field goal with 1:10 remaining as the Montreal Alouettes (5-2) earned a 23-21 win over the Calgary Stampeders (5-2) in front of 19,863 fans at McMahon Stadium on Thursday. When the Mexican-born kicker returned to his team's locker room, he was mauled by his teammates who congratulated him while chanting: 'Olé, Olé, Olé, Olé.' 'It feels good – important game, important kick,' said Maltos, whose previous longest kick was from 53 yards out. 'My teammates are great. I love them and I'm grateful to have them on my side. 'We're happy because we need these kind of wins. Every kick is important to me, so that was pretty good.' Following his heroics – which included four other field goals, a convert and a single – Maltos received praise from Montreal head coach Jason Maas. 'He's made some clutch kicks for us since he's taken over and he's got an outstanding percentage career-wise already,' Maas said. 'He just has a good knack for those types of moments and that's what he's shown us. That was a tremendous (game-winning) kick. It was one of the best kicks I've seen.' Montreal quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson completed 30-of-40 passes for 280 yards to go with one touchdown to Chris Spieker and one interception. 'Man, we needed that one,' Bethel-Thompson said. 'It feels great to finally play my role for this team. It's a special locker room. What coach Maas has built is a special place and I'm just so grateful to have done my job. That was an unbelievable kick at the end by Jose.' Dedrick Mills had a pair of rushing touchdowns for the Stampeders (5-2), who had won their previous three games. 'We ran the ball well for three quarters, but not the fourth quarter,' said Calgary coach Dave Dickenson. 'And that's when you need to run the ball … and we just didn't do it.' Calgary quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. threw a touchdown pass to Dominique Rhymes and also completed a short pass to Erik Brooks in the end zone for a two-point convert after Mills' second rushing score. Near the end of the third quarter, Adams scrambled out of the pocket and ran for a seven-yard gain before he was hit hard by Montreal linebacker Tyrice Beverette. Although he got to his feet and walked to the sidelines, he was assessed for a head injury and didn't return to the game. 'I'm expecting it was on the one hit.' Dickenson said. 'I'm not really going to speculate on what happened, but I know that he went in the tent and didn't come back, so that was obviously something that we know can happen. 'A lot of teams are playing with their backup QB, including Montreal, so we have to be able to function and get points and get first downs, and we weren't able to do it.' Defensive back Adrian Green picked off an errant pass by Bethel-Thompson for his league-leading fourth interception of the season and ran it back to Montreal's 44-yard line to help set up Calgary's first touchdown. Four plays later, Mills ran for a seven-yard touchdown with 1:53 remaining in the first quarter, which gave Calgary a 6-0 lead after a missed convert by Rene Paredes. After Tyler Snead's 42-yard diving catch put Montreal at Calgary's nine-yard line, the Stampeders held the Alouettes to a 10-yard Maltos field goal. Adams then engineered a five-play, 77-yard drive that he finished off by tossing a 33-yard TD pass to Rhymes at 5:10 of the second quarter to put the Stamps up 13-3. The Als responded at 9:18 when Spieker caught a seven-yard TD pass from Bethel-Thompson to cap off a quick eight-play, 77-yard drive. On the ensuing kickoff, Maltos booted an 88-yard single to pull the Als within two points of the Stamps. Maltos finished off the first half by making a 36-yard field goal with no time left on the clock to put Montreal ahead 14-13. The Stamps drove the ball 65 yards down the field before Mills ran in for a nine-yard score on the sixth play of the drive at 3:43 of the third quarter. A successful two-point convert gave the Stamps a 21-14 edge. Thanks to a pair of field goals by Maltos in the fourth quarter – a 28-yard kick at 6:22 and another from 20 yards out at 12:17 – Montreal cut Calgary's lead to just 21-20. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2025.


Calgary Herald
13 hours ago
- Calgary Herald
5 Takeaways as tired-looking Calgary Stampeders fall to Montreal Alouettes on late 58-yard field goal
It looked another winning week for the Calgary Stampeders … Article content Another K.O. of a contender for the Canadian Football League belt. Article content Article content But after handling everything the three-down circuit has thrown at them, it didn't go their way Thursday night in a 23-21 loss to the Montreal Alouettes at McMahon Stadium. Article content Despite two touchdowns and a pile of yards from running back Dedrick Mills and a gutsy effort amid a bunch of games in a short period of time, the host Stampeders were dropped by the 2023 Grey Cup champions, who have been championship calibre for the past few CFL campaigns. Article content Article content 'Effort was good on our end,' said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. 'We had the lead most of the game. It was a hard-fought game. I think both teams were digging deep on their roster. Article content Article content 'We kind of ran out of some people there, and we were trying to adjust. And I just didn't think we played winning football. We took too many penalties, and obviously, ball security (was a problem), as well. We had our chances — we just didn't get the job done.' Article content It didn't help that Stamps QB Vernon Adams Jr. was ineffective for long stretches of the game and then was lost to them for the fourth quarter, when he was sidelined presumably by a CFL spotter for a concussion check. Article content Article content Article content The end result kept the Stamps from climbing into top spot all by themselves in the CFL. Instead, the 5-2 record matches them with the Alouettes and leaves them behind the first-place 5-1 Saskatchewan Roughriders. Article content Article content 'Hard-fought game — we knew it was going to be a hard-fought battle,' said Stampeders receiver Dominique Rhymes. '(Maltos) made a 58-yarder. Hats off to them. That's a great team. It was a battle. It was what we expected.'