Can Ottawa Redblacks defy odds and change perceptions, starting with CFL season opener?

Calgary Herald

4 days ago

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Injuries have forced the Ottawa Redblacks to do some roster shuffling for their CFL season opener in Regina on Thursday night.
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But the biggest change they will attempt to make off the bat is the perception that theirs is an average team, at best.
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It's unlikely they even know it, but the Redblacks are considered a long shot to reach their desired destination of Winnipeg for a Nov. 16 date as participants in the 112th Grey Cup Game.
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As of Wednesday, sportsbook bet365 had only the Edmonton Elks (+1000), Hamilton Tiger-Cats (+1000) and Calgary Stampeders (+2200) with greater odds to win the coveted mug.
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The favourites were the defending champion Toronto Argonauts at +250, the Saskatchewan Roughriders at +500, the Montreal Alouettes at +525, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at +550, with the Redblacks and B.C. Lions on the south side of the middle of the road at +650.
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The same book has the Redblacks as 3.5-point underdogs in their lid-lifter against the Roughriders at Mosaic Stadium.
'They're very excited about the regular season starting,' Ottawa head coach Bob Dyce said of his players after Wednesday's walk-through at TD Place. 'These guys have put in a lot of work. I know they're champing at the bit to get out there on the field.
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'It's been a long time since we've played in a regular season game like this, and we're excited about who we are. We look forward to showing it on the field on Thursday night.'
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Perhaps an even bigger slight, and one the Redblacks are likely aware of, came when TSN released its list of Top 50 CFL players on Tuesday.
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Linebacker Adarius Pickett was Ottawa's highest-ranked at No. 14, followed by receivers Eugene Lewis (No. 17), Justin Hardy (No. 18), defensive end Lorenzo Mauldin (No. 27), running back William Stanback (No. 42) and the biggest head scratcher of all, quarterback Dru Brown at No. 46.
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Seven QBs were listed ahead of Brown, who in just 15 games as a first-year starter in 2024 finished third in passing yards, fifth in touchdown tosses and fifth in interceptions.
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Brown, who developed into a bona fide leader late in his first season with Ottawa, should be even better in Year 2.
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'I think there are a lot of things that you learn by being in it,' said Brown, 'and I think that just looking back, for me personally, there are certain aspects of the game that, if I can eliminate, I'll be very productive. Typically, if I'm productive, then we're going to win a lot of games. When I showed that (in 2024), we played very well. When I made more mistakes than I typically do, then that's where we struggled at times.'