Ottawa's Redblacks are 0-13 this season and carrying a 19-game losing streak into Saturday afternoon's home game against the Calgary Stampeders at TD Place.
A rematch with painful history
The two teams last met on September 20, when Ottawa lost 40-38 after Calgary hit a 62-yard field goal with no time remaining. Head coach Ryan Dinwiddie said afterward that he wants to get the "monkey off their back a bit" for his players, who have now gone the better part of a season without a win. If Ottawa loses again on Saturday, the Redblacks risk tying the CFL record for the worst start to a season.
The quarterback picture
Ottawa's quarterback situation has been in flux all year. Jake Maier started the season 0-12 before being replaced. Veteran McLeod Bethel-Thompson, 38, made his first CFL start of the season in the Calgary loss and had one of the better individual performances of Ottawa's year, completing 27 of 48 passes for 379 yards with five touchdowns and one interception. He's expected to start again Saturday, though Dinwiddie's approach to the position remains week-to-week rather than settled.
That's where rookie Bryson Barnes comes in. The 24-year-old from Milford, Utah, has been used as Ottawa's third-string and short-yardage quarterback this season, and the numbers in his limited chances stand out: 8 of 10 passing in spot duty, plus 69 yards rushing on 33 carries and a team-leading eight touchdowns. Dinwiddie called Barnes "definitely a candidate" to become the team's future starter, pointing to his ability to create plays with his legs. "He can make plays with his legs. He can scramble," Dinwiddie said.
Why a win matters for Barnes
Dinwiddie has been direct about the tension the coaching staff is navigating: giving a promising rookie meaningful reps versus needing results now. "We want to give (Bryson) a look, but we also want to win a football game in the worst way," he said.
What's at stake Saturday
Ottawa hosts Calgary at TD Place on Saturday afternoon, September 26, with kickoff set for 3:00 p.m. EDT. Beyond snapping the losing streak, a win would keep Ottawa off the list of the CFL's worst-ever starts, a distinction the team is currently on track to match given its 0-13 record.
Earlier this month
The last meeting between these two teams ended in heartbreak for Ottawa, as covered in ottown's earlier report. That result came on the heels of a season that has already tied historic lows for futility, a theme ottown's earlier report touched on when Ottawa was 0-11 heading into a game against Toronto.
Sources: Ottawa Citizen (via Yahoo News Canada), 3DownNation, 3DownNation
