2023-07-24 02:11:00
The Ottawa Redblacks and Calgary Stampeders played out what might be the CFL game of the year on Sunday night in a game that ended in a 43-41 victory for the Redblacks in overtime at McMahon Stadium in Calgary.
Rouge et Noir quarterback (3-3), Dustin Crum, may be an aeronautical engineer, but it was the Stampeders (2-4) who exploited the airways the most with four touchdown passes including a 95-yard pass to Marken Michel and 450 passing yards.
Sony’s brother, an NFL running back, also added a 33-yard touchdown reception. Before Michel’s pair of touchdowns, quarterback Jake Maier joined Clark Barnes on 54 yards for the game’s first major in the first quarter which was then 7-3.
Maier was not flawless as he picked up two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown by Brandin Dandridge from 33 yards in the first quarter.
For his part, Crum threw two touchdown passes to Justin Hardy and Nate Behar in the second half, in addition to exploiting his mobility with 63 yards on nine carries.
Tommy Stevens and Ante Milanovic-Litre also scored one- and three-yard touchdowns in regular time for their respective teams.
The always very effective Lewis Ward succeeded in his two field goal attempts for the Rouge et Noir in addition to converting his three converts following a touchdown. On the other side of the ball, the legendary René Paredes was just as excellent with three placements in as many attempts, including the one that tied the game at 35 everywhere at the end of the match. This placement of 47 yards has also allowed him to cross the bar of 2000 points scored in his career.
In overtime, the Stampeders put the pressure on the Rouge et Noir by scoring the touchdown thanks to a reception from Tre Odums-Dukes on seven yards. Calgary, however, opened the door by missing a two-point convert.
In response, Ottawa raced up the field to the three-line where Milanovic-Litre spilled out to score his second touchdown of the game to tie the scoreboard. With victory in sight, Crum worked his magic to join Behar on his right to deliver a third win in four weeks for the Canadian capital outfit.
It is also the second time in as many games that the Rouge et Noir have needed to settle their accounts in overtime. Last week, Ottawa defeated Winnipeg 31-28 in front of home fans on a 28-yard touchdown run by Crum in overtime.
With this win, the Rouge et Noir overtakes the Alouettes (2-3) for second place in the Eastern Conference. The Alouettes played one less game, but defeated the Rouge et Noir and would have the tiebreaker for now.
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