By Canadian Press

Alouettes cash in on turnovers to beat Redblacks 32-15, clinch playoff berth

Sep 30, 2023 | 5:30 PM

OTTAWA — The Ottawa Redblacks turned the ball over six times on Saturday and the Montreal Alouettes made them pay with a 32-15 win.

The Alouettes (8-7) clinched a CFL playoff berth with the victory. The Redblacks (4-11) saw their playoff hopes take a hit with the setback, but not all hope is lost. They must win their final three games and get some help.

Cody Fajardo threw for 178 yards and a touchdown for the Alouettes, while William Stanback ran for 85 yards and a touchdown.

Redblacks quarterback Dustin Crum threw for 247 yards but had two interceptions and a fumble. Nick Arbuckle took over for the final series of the game and completed seven passes for 85 yards.

Trailing 22-0 heading into the fourth quarter, the Redblacks finally got on the board 27 seconds into the quarter with a one-run quarterback sneak by Tyrrell Pigrome, who took over from Crum for the short yardage play. Matt Domagala converted the major and the Redblacks trailed 22-7.

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The Alouettes responded with a 48-yard field goal from David Cote just over two minutes later for a 25-7 lead. With just over seven minutes to play Shawn Lemon returned a Crum fumble 30 yards for a touchdown and a 32-7 lead.

The Redblacks showed perseverance though with a 73-yard drive that ended in a four-yard touchdown run by Devonte Williams. Crum then found Shaq Evens in the end zone to complete the two-point conversion and cutting the lead to 32-15 with four minutes to play.

After the Redblacks failed to accomplish anything on the opening possession of the game, the Alouettes took the ball 80 yards on their opening series and capped the drive with a 25-yard touchdown run by Stanback at 5:19. The Cote extra point put the Alouettes up 7-0.

The Redblacks tried to respond with a big drive of their own and got as far as the Montreal 10-yard line. Unfortunately Crum was intercepted in the end zone by Reggie Stubblefield. That was the only time the Redblacks had possession of the football on the Montreal side of the field in the first half.

The Alouettes went ahead 8-0 at 10:55 of the second quarter on a 46-yard punt single and in the final minute of the half Fajardo found Tyson Philpot in the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown pass. Cote’s extra point gave the Alouette a 15-0 lead at halftime.

The Redblacks had a strong drive going that took them deep into Montreal territory late into the third quarter. Unfortunately for them, Crum had his pass intercepted by Marc Antoine Dequoy, who returned the ball 108 yards for a pick six.

The Cote conversion gave the Alouettes a commanding 22-0 lead after three quarters.

UP NEXT

The Redblacks and Alouettes will play each other on Monday, Oct. 9 in Montreal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2023.

Darren Desaulniers, The Canadian Press