Ottawa REDBLACKS stun Winnipeg Blue Bombers in comeback win

TTAWA – With three quarters down, the Ottawa REDBLACKS looked to be down and out against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

But a last minute drive that saw Dustin Crum send the game to overtime in his first CFL start helped spark a 31-28 win for the REDBLACKS, running in the overtime winner as well.

Crum threw for 261 yards and an interception and rushed for 103 yards and two touchdowns while Brandin Dandridge scored the REDBLACKS’ only touchdown of the game from a pick.

Zach Collaros threw for 349 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, and Drew Wolitarsky grabbed four receptions for 70 yards and a touchdown in the loss.

 

With the Bombers defence ready to play early, Willie Jefferson recorded his seventh sack of the season on Crum, who was the fourth starting quarterback in five games for the REDBLACKS.

Collaros was putting all of his receivers to work in the first half, as Dalton Schoen, his most-targeted receiver, helped moved downfield alongside Wolitarsky who is on pace for his best season yet.

Having to settle for a field goal the first time the Bombers got downfield, Rasheed Bailey looked like a touchdown was going to come, but Abdul Kanneh got the pass break-up for the REDBLACKS.

But a 15-yard misconduct penalty put Winnipeg back on the one-yard line, and Dakota Prukop found his way into the end zone and increased the Bombers lead to 11-0.

The first sack of Adam Bighill‘s season forced a two-and-out for Ottawa, and their next drive fown Demario Houston grabbed a pick to keep the REDBLACKS from generating any offence.

While Ottawa’s defenders were able to get to Collaros, he was able to get the ball out of his hands and to his receivers in time to push the drive downfield. Collaros then once again found Schoen wide open for the 12th Bombers’ first down in first half, which set up a Nic Demski touchdown to extend their lead.

Trying to get something moving offensively, the REDBLACKS get first first down of game with 4:22 left in second quarter and made their way into Bomber territory to set up an 47-yard Lewis Ward yard field goal to get on the board.

Alonzo Addae made tackle on Demski forced a three-and-out for the Redblacks to get the ball back, but it wasn’t nearly enough as the fourth sack on Crum of the half came to close out the second quarter of action.

After Jefferson continued to pressure and hit Crum, the REDBLACKS still managed to move the ball well and opened the second half with a field goal from Ward to get another three points on the board.

Two drives later, Wolitarsky went on to score his fourth touchdown of the season on an eight-yard reception from Collaros that extended the lead to 25-6 that put the game completely in Winnipeg’s hands.

The REDBLACKS would march downfield but once again had to settle for their third field goal of the night, which did not seem like it would be enough to cut into the Blue Bombers lead.

But in front of their home crowd, they continued to push, and with less than three minutes to play their defence were the ones who got the first touchdown for Ottawa as Brandin Dandridge picked off Collaros for a 25-yard score.

With a successful two-point conversion, the score was suddenly an eight-point game with 11 of Ottawa’s points coming in the fourth quarter.

Starting on their own 17 with under a minute to play, the REDBLACKS kept pushing to make a statement in the game, and after marching downfield they made it to the red zone with nine seconds left on the clock.

The ball was snapped to Crum, and without an open receiver, he took the ball to the end zone himself, and another two-point conversion tied the game at 25-25 forcing overtime.

To start overtime, the REDBLACKS defence got to Collaros quickly and sacked him for a loss of 11 yards, and the team had to settle for a field goal.

Once the REDBLACKS got the ball back, Crum used his legs once again to run in a 29-yard score and seal the comeback win.