With injuries, Ottawa Redblacks focus on rematch with B.C. Lions

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Down three more starters — receivers Jaelon Acklin and Bralon Addison, and linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox — the Ottawa Redblacks are preparing to go battle with the B.C. Lions for the second straight time.

While the Redblacks talk about looking ahead — the most important game is the next game, that sort of thing — it’s hard not to look in the rearview mirror, at least a bit.

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With a record of 7-2-1, on an undefeated streak of six games, the Redblacks are tuning up for the rematch against the Lions, who they beat 34-27 Saturday at TD Place.

With the next game Saturday in Victoria, B.C. — it’s being called Touchdown Pacific by the CFL — the Redblacks will have to replace Acklin (head injury), Addison (hand) and Santos-Knox (knee).

Acklin left last Saturday’s game in an ambulance after being hit low while he was jumping to make a catch. He was down on the field for several minutes. He was released from hospital early Sunday morning.

It looks like Davion Taylor, who stepped in for Frankie Griffin at weakside linebacker earlier this season, will move into the middle. At receiver, Acklin and Addison could be replaced by rookies Andre Miller and Eli Stove, who will be elevated from the team’s practice roster.

Asked about Acklin, Redblacks head coach Bob Dyce said: “He’s had testing and scans, and everything is moving in the right direction. When it comes to things like concussion protocol, there’s no set time (for recovery).

“It’s like family, they treat each other like brothers. Someone’s health is always going to be paramount.”

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Santos-Knox, who had eight defensive tackles against the Lions (with 53 tackles, two sacks and an interception for the season), finished Saturday’s game, but was on crutches during Tuesday’s practice at TD Place.

“It’s not season ending or anything like that, but he won’t be up in the next couple of weeks, that’s for sure,” said Dyce. “It could be an extended period, but we’ll wait and see how everything goes.”

And, Addison, who had five catches for 92 yards versus the Lions?

“It’s a similar type of thing,” said Dyce. “He’s likely going to go on the six-game injured list and we’ll go forward from there. It’s another situation where it isn’t a season-ending injury, but he’s not going to be able to play the next number of weeks.”

With the next-man-up mentality, it looks like Miller and Stove will get an opportunity.

“Obviously, we think a lot of them. Dre and Eli have maintained their positions because of the great work they’ve done,” said Dyce. “They came out of training camp, we were extremely happy with them. They’ve continued on that path and have continued to get better. It’s a great opportunity for those two young guys to step into the roster.”

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Nobody is going to feel sorry for the Redblacks and the injuries, it’s up to the replacements to do what is asked of them.

“That’s kind of been this season for us,” said Dyce. “Both of our starting cornerbacks began the season on the six-game (injured list) and (the replacements) filled in and played exceptionally well. We’ve lost starting tackles, we lost a starting guard, Frankie (Griffin) was down for a number of weeks. This is no different; our expectations are exceptionally high.”

Taylor has the versatility to play both outside and in the middle, so it should be an easy transition for him to take over for Santos-Knox. It should also give Silas Stewart, who had plenty of playing time over the past three seasons with the Calgary Stampeders before signing with Ottawa as a free agent, an opportunity to move onto the game-day roster.

The Lions, who have now lost six straight, will be looking to bounce back. But the Redblacks are also looking to fix some of the things they did wrong Saturday.

“There are a lot of ways we can be better,” said Dyce. “It was a one-score game. We talked about some things we did to limit ourselves. We took seven penalties, six on the offensive side and they were all from the 45-yard line in. That’s an area where we’re going to score points. We have to reduce those penalties. The one defensive penalty we had, they were inside the 10. Those are penalties in really key areas that are going to stop us from putting points on the board or allow the offence to score. We have to be more disciplined.

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“Last week’s result was last week’s result; that’s behind us. There are still eight games left in the regular season and we have to be better than what we were last week.”

THE END AROUND: The Redblacks remain second in the CFL’s Amsoil Power Rankings, behind Montreal, which has a 10-1 record. Not along ago considered the league’s worst team, the Edmonton Elks have moved into the No. 5 spot, ahead of Saskatchewan, B.C., Calgary and Hamilton … The Lions confirmed Tuesday that Nathan Rourke, in his third game since returning from NFL looks from the New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons, will start at QB versus Ottawa. Rourke completed 22 of 31 passes for 234 yards (with an interception) versus Ottawa on Saturday. Vernon Adams, who has been sidelined with a knee injury, may return to the roster in a backup role this week.

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