Redblacks stun Argos, snap file skid in Bryson Barnes’ sensational beginning debut

The CFL simply may need one thing it desperately wants — a promising younger quarterback for a workforce that hasn’t had any consistency on the place this decade.

In one of the crucial beautiful performances in latest reminiscence on a CFL area, Bryson Barnes made positive the Ottawa Redblacks would not make doubtful historical past, main the workforce to an elusive win in his first skilled begin.

Barnes did it in dramatic vogue, too, engineering the ultimate landing drive within the dying seconds to offer the Redblacks (1-16) their first win of the season of their penultimate sport — a 40-39 conquer the visiting Toronto Argonauts in an absolute thriller on Friday.

The win, which prevented the Redblacks from having a shot to turn out to be the primary CFL workforce in historical past to complete 0-18 subsequent week in Hamilton, snapped a modern-day file 22-game shedding streak relationship again to final season.

The all-time, top-level Canadian soccer file of 25 losses in a row, set by an Ottawa workforce named the Senators and Rough Riders manner again within the late Twenties and ’30s, is protected.

Here are some takeaways from maybe the sport of the season within the CFL:

Many puzzled why the Redblacks did not flip to Barnes, 25, earlier within the season to at the least get a have a look at the Utah and Utah State product.

Barnes, a former teammate of Buffalo Bills star tight finish Dalton Kincaid at Utah, accomplished 27 of 37 passes for 339 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. That yardage complete was 13 yards greater than his profession excessive in 5 years of school, set final yr at Utah State.

He’s the primary Ottawa quarterback this yr to throw for greater than 300 yards with out an interception in a sport

“I don’t think it’s fully settled in yet. I’m just grateful for the opportunity I was able to have to go out with the guys,” Barnes informed reporters afterward. “The season has not gone the way we obviously would have liked it to. I’m just happy for the guys, the hard work finally paid off for a win this week.”

Barnes additionally used his legs to hurry for 62 yards on seven carries and his voice to attract the Argos offside twice.

In quick, this didn’t appear like a first-time skilled starter.

Redblacks head coach Ryan Dinwiddie was requested why Barnes did not get an opportunity to start out earlier this season, as Ottawa caught with veterans Jake Maier and McLeod Bethel-Thompson, even after the workforce was eradicated from playoff rivalry.

“I would say if we put him in there earlier in the year, you might not see this performance where he’s at right now,” Dinwiddie mentioned. “Young quarterbacks especially in this league, you’ve got to develop them. (It’s) 12-man football, guys moving around, he’s fresh out of college so we had to make sure we gave him the time to develop.”

Indeed, it’s uncommon for younger quarterbacks to make an influence rapidly within the CFL.

Many of the league’s prime quarterbacks are growing older. Fans throughout the league ought to hope Barnes continues to progress.

The Redblacks had been down six and had simply 27 seconds left after returning the Argos’ kickoff to their very own 42-yard line.

A roughing the passer penalty on the primary play put Ottawa in place to make a bid to win, after which Barnes took off for a 21-yard scramble.

On the following play, Barnes fired a strike to his favorite goal, Ayden Eberhardt, who made a spectacular seize for a 24-yard TD to tie it with six seconds left. The ensuing further level was the distinction.

“Bryson played his ass off so that was really nice to see,” Eberhardt mentioned. “We run those kind of scenarios every single week … I think that says a lot for (Dinwiddie) to have that belief in our offence and to go out and do it for him means a lot too.”

Should Argos have ran down the clock?

Argos head coach Mike Miller’s technique on the drive earlier than Ottawa’s profitable landing is open to debate.

With the Argos down two and the ball on the Ottawa four-yard line, Isaiah Smith ran it in for a TD with 30 seconds left.

Instead of doing that, the Argos may have let time tick down by kneeling the ball and making an attempt a possible game-winning area objective that might have been a chip shot.

Miller stood by his name afterward.

“We’re playing hard, I liked where we were at. No, I don’t regret that,” he mentioned. “It’s unfortunate it didn’t work out for us. I’ll look at that again. I’m always trying to analyze and reanalyze game management.”

Dinwiddie, in his first yr in Ottawa after beforehand teaching Toronto, mentioned afterward the teaching employees informed the Redblacks to let the Argos rating a landing on that play.

It all labored out for the house aspect.

“Strong-willed men,” Dinwiddie mentioned of his workforce after ending the skid. “It’s not easy, right? We hear the outside noise.”

Argos star quarterback Chad Kelly exited within the first quarter after he suffered a lower-body harm when he was tackled by Luiji Vilain whereas attempting to flee stress.

Kelly was limping after the play, and was changed by Nick Arbuckle, who was his standard stable self in aid.

Miller had no additional replace after the sport.

Considering the sport meant nothing within the standings for the Argos, it could have made no sense to place Kelly again in even when the harm wasn’t severe. Kelly watched the second half on the sidelines along with his teammates.

The Argos (9-8) end the season subsequent Friday in opposition to the Montreal Alouettes after which host the East semifinal on Oct. 31.

Toronto has to hope Kelly can get again to full well being in two weeks.

Canadian receiver Kevin Mital had a giant sport for the Argos, hauling in six passes for 110 yards with two touchdowns.

The Laval product now has 981 yards on the season.

If he can add 19 receiving yards subsequent week, the Argos can have 4 receivers with 1,000-plus yards. Damonte Coxie, David Ungerer III and Tyler Kahmann already are over 1,000.

Only 4 groups in CFL historical past have had 4 1,000-yard receivers in a season.

Two gamers who used to put on double blue performed key roles within the Ottawa victory.

Canadian operating again Daniel Adeboboye scored two touchdowns for the Redblacks, whereas linebacker Aaron Casey had two sacks and a cross knockdown.

Vilain, who knocked out Kelly and likewise had a key stress late, was an Argos draft decide earlier than going to the NFL in 2022. The Ottawa native’s CFL taking part in rights had been dealt to his hometown workforce previous to this yr.