What we learned about the Ottawa Redblacks in their 2025 CFL season opener
The Ottawa Redblacks wasted absolutely no time in carrying over one of their worst habits from last year into their 2025 CFL season opener.
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When quarterback Dru Brown was inexcusably called for a time-count violation before the first snap from scrimmage, it was not only a harbinger of things to come on Thursday night at Regina's Mosaic Stadium, but also a reminder of a problem that plagued them through the majority of the 2024 campaign.
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In the 31-26 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Ottawa gifted the home team more than the length of a football field's worth of free turf by taking a total of 12 penalties for 126 yards.
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'We've got to be more disciplined,' linebacker Adarius Pickett told TSN1200's AJ Jakubec in a media scrum after the game. 'Even special teams-wise, (the offence) was starting with bad field position.
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'We've got to address that,' Pickett added about the downpour of flags. 'We've definitely got to watch the film and see exactly what was transpiring to get those penalties. I know it kind of seemed like it was one-sided, but it is what it is at times when playing on the road, and we've got to expect that. We've got to be more disciplined in practice, making sure that we practice the right way so we can play the right way in the game.'
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Sound familiar? It should.
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Last season, the Redblacks led the CFL in penalty yards with 1,357 (75.38 yards per game) while finishing second in penalties with 138, just three behind the Edmonton Elks.
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The good news is they finally cleaned up their act following a Week 19, 19-12 loss to the Montreal Alouettes in which they were penalized 12 times for 122 yards.
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In the final three games, they were flagged a total of eight times — and that's including the five penalties for 55 yards they took while being pounded 58-38 by the Toronto Argos in the East Division semifinal.
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Argonauts fall flat against Alouettes in season opener
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Toronto Sun
6 hours ago
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Argonauts fall flat against Alouettes in season opener
Published Jun 06, 2025 • Last updated 0 minutes ago • 3 minute read Montreal Alouettes linebacker Tyrice Beveridge drills Toronto Argonauts wide receiver Dejon Brissett after a completed pass in Montreal on Friday, June 6, 2025. Photo by Christopher Katsarov / THE CANADIAN PRESS MONTREAL — Davis Alexander threw for one touchdown and 205 yards as the Montreal Alouettes defeated the Toronto Argonauts 28-10 to open their Canadian Football League season on Friday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Montreal (1-0) earned its revenge after the visiting Argonauts defeated the Alouettes 30-28 in last year's East Division final en route to their 19th Grey Cup title. Alexander — in his first game since the Alouettes traded '23 Grey Cup MVP Cody Fajardo — rushed for 50 yards on four attempts to improve to 5-0 as a starter in the CFL. The 26-year-old quarterback also threw one interception on a warm, hazy night as prairie wildfire smoke drifted into Quebec on Friday. Tyson Philpot caught one touchdown pass, Issac Adeyemi-Berglund returned a fumble into the end zone, and Caleb Evans rushed for a major before 21,480 at Molson Stadium. The Alouettes' defence held the Argos to just 34 rushing yards, and Alexandre Gagne tied a CFL single-game record with seven special teams tackles. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Veteran QB Nick Arbuckle, last year's unexpected Grey Cup MVP, threw for one touchdown, two interceptions and 273 yards on 20-for-32 completions for Toronto (0-1). The Argonauts lineup featured 13 different starters compared to last year's championship game. Toronto also started a second consecutive season without starting QB Chad Kelly, who broke his tibia and fibula late in last year's East final. Montreal kicker Jose Maltos went 2-for-3 with a rouge. Toronto's Lirim Hajrullahu went 1-for-1 on a 45-yard field goal. Montreal took a 15-3 lead heading into halftime when Adeyemi-Berglund returned a fumble 17 yards into the end zone after Shawn Oakman laid out Arbuckle with 32 seconds left in the second quarter. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The play stood after review — instead of being ruled an incomplete pass — despite the fact Arbuckle released the ball before Oakman's hit. The league ruled that Arbuckle did not have a throwing motion before the ball left his hands. Things only got worse for the Argos as James Letcher Jr. returned a kickoff 67 yards to open the second half. Alexander then ran 12 yards and completed three passes to set up Evans' one-yard QB sneak into the end zone as the Alouettes took a 22-3 lead 4:29 into the half. Derek Slywka intercepted Alexander's deep pass with five minutes remaining in the third quarter for his first pick in the CFL. Alexander appeared to injure himself late in the third quarter when a Toronto defensive lineman fell on his legs. He rolled round on the field, holding his left knee in pain, but ultimately stood up on his own and returned to play on the next drive. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Toronto finally scored a touchdown with 10:47 remaining when D'Verick Daniels fought his way into the end zone after catching a pass for 11 yards. Arbuckle's 47-yard bomb deep to David Ungerer III set up the score to cut Montreal's lead to 22-10. The Alouettes went ahead 25-10 after Alexander led a drive to Toronto's 23, leading to a Maltos field goal from 31 yards out. Tyrice Beverette, a nominee for defensive player of the year last season, intercepted Arbuckle's throw with 2:33 left to all but seal the result. Montreal opened the scoring eight minutes in with a rouge after Maltos missed a field goal from 38 yards out following a botched snap. 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National Post
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