Steinberg: 3 reasons not to sleep on Ottawa’s defence

At 8-3-1, the Ottawa REDBLACKS are well positioned to make the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

And while offensive standouts like Dru Brown, Dominique Rhymes, and Justin Hardy have rightfully garnered plenty of attention, it’s also important to shine a spotlight on this defensive group under coordinator Barron Miles.

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While not leading the league in any one statistical category, Ottawa’s defence has been steady across the board. And they’ve also made a habit of coming up with big plays at crucial times.

As the REDBLACKS look to cement their first playoff appearance in five seasons, we’ve got three reasons why this defence has been such a key contributor.

A STACKED DEFENSIVE LINE

You can make the argument Ottawa boasts the deepest and most talent-laden defensive front four in Canadian football. The REDBLACKS have gotten after quarterbacks all season long and, led by this defensive line, sit third overall with 27 sacks. But this line is no one trick pony. Ottawa also sits third overall defending the run, averaging just 88.8 rushing yards against per game.

This front four is just so deep. With Lorenzo Mauldin IV and the currently injured Bryce Carter bookending the line, the REDBLACKS have the potential for all kinds of outside pressure on any given snap. Mauldin led the CFL with 17 sacks in 2022 while Carter was the team leader last year with 12. When healthy, it’s tough to keep both guys at bay.

And don’t forget how dangerous the REDBLACKS are from the interior. The ever-consistent Michael Wakefield leads the team with six sacks this season and is always difficult to contain. When you combine Wakefield with Canadian standout Cleyon Laing, you can understand why opposing offensive lines have struggled to contain Ottawa at the point of attack.

SECONDARY SLOTTING 

The REDBLACKS have slowly been assembling their defensive backfield over the last few years. And now, especially with some healthy bodies returning, Ottawa has assembled what is likely their optimal alignment of DB’s down the stretch.

Last month’s return of secondary mainstay Brandin Dandridge has been massive for the REDBLACKS. After missing all of June and July with injury, Dandridge returned in Week 11 and instantly returned to his spot at boundary corner. With Dandridge and halfback Damon Webb side by side, opposing quarterbacks target the boundary side of the field at their own peril.

Dandridge’s return has also allowed second year CFL’er Deandre Lamont to slot in at field halfback while fellow sophomore Alijah McGhee has settled in nicely at field corner. And then there’s Pickering’s Alonzo Addae who has solidified the starting safety role over the last two years. The 2022 second-round pick made his mark last season with four interceptions and has added two more so far this year.

THE TACKLE MONSTERS 

We should probably give a little more love to Lamont and how much he’s impacted this Ottawa defence. Prior to Dandridge’s return, Lamont was holding down the boundary corner spot and racking up huge tackle numbers for his position. Now entering Week 15, Lamont leads the REDBLACKS and sits sixth overall with a career-high 64.

Of course, the guy who would usually be leading in that category is MIKE linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox. Currently on the six-game injured list, Ottawa’s big free agent splash in 2023 still sits second on the team with 53 tackles. He’ll be a huge addition to this defence when he’s ready to return from the knee ailment he’s dealing with.

Finally, you can’t have a conversation about this REDBLACKS’ defensive group without highlighting the impact Adarius Pickett has made. After being an All-CFL selection last season, Pickett signed with Ottawa after being released in Toronto. And while Pickett might not hit his high watermark of 105 tackles from a year ago, he’s still the gold standard at SAM linebacker. Oh and his 52 defensive tackles still has him on pace for 78, which is nothing to sneeze at.