OTTAWA — The Ottawa REDBLACKS made a statement in front of their fans on Friday.
Kalil Pimpleton scored a 99-yard punt return touchdown in the third quarter to put an exclamation point on a dominant 33-6 REDBLACKS win over the Calgary Stampeders at TD Place. The dynamic pass-catcher and special teamer also caught seven passes for 80 yards as the leading receiver on the night.
Quarterback Dru Brown also enjoyed a very efficient night, connecting with Jaelon Acklin for a major and throwing for 325 yards, while backup quarterback Dustin Crum added a one-yard rushing touchdown.
Bryce Carter led an equally outstanding defensive effort for Ottawa, finishing with a team-high two sacks in a four-sack effort for a REDBLACKS defence that didn’t allow a single touchdown. Kicker Lewis Ward was a perfect four-of-four as the REDBLACKS improved to 5-2.
Stampeders quarterback Jake Maier was under pressure all night and was unable to find the same rhythm he had in Week 7, throwing for only 136 yards, while kicker René Paredes was a perfect two-of-two as Calgary lost their fourth road game of the season to drop to 3-4.
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Paredes opened the scoring with a 50-yard field goal early in the first before Ottawa mounted a long drive of its own. Brown spread the ball to Acklin, Ryquell Armstead and Justin Hardy to soften Calgary’s defence before delivering a dagger to No. 22 for the first touchdown of the game. Ottawa 7, Calgary 3 with 6:49 left in the opening quarter.
Ottawa’s pivot went to work again to start the second quarter, connecting with Dominique Rhymes for 24 yards to kickstart another scoring drive. Brown’s next completion came after the pivot climbed the pocket after feeling pressure and found a streaking Pimpleton deep for 29 more yards. The pressure got to the quarterback on the next set of downs, causing Brown to deliver a pass off his backfoot that was almost intercepted by Demerio Houston, stopping the REDBLACKS from moving any further. Lewis Ward put three on the board for Ottawa to extend the lead to 10-3.
The drive came at a high cost for the home team, as Armstead committed his second misconduct penalty that caused him to be ejected from the game.
Ward added three more points for the REDBLACKS just after the three minute warning. After a quick punt by the Stamps, the REDBLACKS positioned Ward once more and the veteran kicker delivered his third field goal of the half to make it 16-3 for the home team heading into halftime.
A long return by Pimpleton to open the third quarter gave Ottawa’s offence great field position and they turned it into three more points by Ward. Two possessions later No. 83 outdid himself by catching a punt, dodging a sea of Red and White players and reaching the end zone for a 99-yard touchdown and a 26-3 lead.
Maier and the Stampeders almost responded with their best possession of the night. The pivot connected in back-to-back plays with Reggie Begelton before handing it off to running back Dedrick Mills for another first down. The veteran quarterback then threw a screen pass to Jalen Philpot to march into the red zone, but a sack by defensive lineman Kene Onyeka forced a third-and-three that the Stampeders were unable to convert.
The turnover on downs killed all momentum for the visitors, keeping the home team comfortably ahead by 23 points with 3:20 left in the third quarter.
Calgary kept fighting and Paredes added three points early in the fourth from 40 yards out to make it 26-6, but Ottawa wouldn’t leave any room for doubt. The offence marched into Stampeder territory once again late in the fourth quarter with a couple of nifty plays by Hardy before a pass-interference penalty inside the end zone made it first-and-goal for the home team. Crum powered his way in to add to Ottawa’s advantage with under four minutes to go in what ended up being the final score of the game.
Calgary now returns home to host the Toronto Argonauts on Sunday, August 4, in Week 9 action. The REDBLACKS meanwhile get a week off before returning to the field on Thursday, August 8, against the Saskatchewan Roughriders at TD Place.