Why the start of a bye week is the only reason for Ottawa Redblacks to celebrate an anniversary

Ottawa Citizen

6 days ago

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Expectations are that Dru Brown will start at quarterback and the coaching staff will be intact when the free-falling Ottawa Redblacks return from their bye week to host the surprise team of the CFL, the Calgary Stampeders, on the last night of July.
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But while it's believed Brown will bounce back from the controversial head shot he received in Sunday's loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the overall health of the Redblacks is not good.
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Monday marked the one-month anniversary of the team's first, last and only win of the season, a 20-12 victory in stormy conditions on June 21 at Calgary's McMahon Stadium
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Since last season's promising 8-3-1 start, they are 2-11, or 2-12 counting the 20-point beating they took from the Toronto Argos in the East Division semifinal.
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And despite an organizational belief in Bob Dyce, the Redblacks are 15-31-1 since he took over as head coach from the fired Paul LaPolice late in the 2022 season.
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Likely needing to go 7-4 or 8-3 when they return from their bye, Ottawa's chances of making the playoffs are in grave condition after what Dyce termed 'critical errors' that stacked up in their 30-15 loss to the Tiger-Cats.
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He cited three examples:
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Having to settle for a field goal after Adarius Pickett intercepted a Bo Levi Mitchell pass on the first play of the fourth quarter and gave Ottawa the ball on the visitors' 24-yard line while trailing 20-12;
The decision by American return specialist Easop Winston Jr. to run a punted ball out of the end zone, and making it only as far as the Ottawa one, rather than concede a single point;
Allowing Mitchell to find Kiondre Smith for a 63-yard bomb to the Redblacks' three after 'our deep players don't play deep enough' on a second-and-18 situation.
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'We talk about maximizing opportunities … it's the critical situations,' said Dyce. 'I believe we have a talented team, and that's why I'm optimistic about the future. But at the same time, you've got to be able to perform at critical times.'
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Dyce thinks so.
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'It's almost good for them to get out of here and enjoy their family,' he said of the players. 'No different than we will as coaches. It's time for introspection, right? We've got to identify what our challenges are, and they've got to identify what their challenges are. All of us together have put us in this situation, and the only way we're going to get out is with all of us as well.'
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Peter Godber, the veteran Canadian centre the Redblacks signed as a free agent in the offseason, is expected to be among many players returning from the lengthy injury list when the team tries to get it right in its return to action against the 5-1 Stamps on July 31.