Montreal Alouettes Secure Home Playoff Game with Victory Over Ottawa Redblacks

The Montreal Alouettes have secured a home playoff game following their 24-12 win against the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday afternoon. This victory not only maintained their unbeaten record on the road but also marked a significant feat as they became the first team to defeat Ottawa at TD Place this season.

Montreal, holding an 11-2-1 record, improved to 6-0-1 on the road. The game was attended by the largest crowd of the year at TD Place, with 23,530 spectators witnessing the Alouettes snap the Redblacks’ home unbeaten streak, which stood at 6-1-1.

For the Ottawa Redblacks, this match represented a critical juncture, as a win would have ensured a playoff spot for the first time since 2018. Instead, they experienced back-to-back losses for the first time this season, dropping to an 8-5-1 record.

The Redblacks’ starting quarterback, Dru Brown, was sidelined with an ankle injury by the first half, having completed eight of 16 pass attempts for 69 yards with two interceptions. Jeremiah Masoli stepped in as Brown’s replacement, concluding the game with 17 completed passes out of 26 attempts for 218 yards and delivering one touchdown.

On the Alouettes’ side, quarterback Cody Fajardo connected on 16 of 27 pass attempts for 226 yards and scored a rushing touchdown. Special teams also made crucial contributions, with kicker Jose Maltos successfully converting field goals from 17, 13, and 30 yards.

A pivotal moment in the game was Dionte Ruffin’s 79-yard interception return for a touchdown, setting an aggressive tone early on. Ottawa’s offense managed to respond with only an 18-yard field goal by Lewis Ward in the first quarter, shrinking Montreal’s initial lead to 7-3.

The Alouettes extended their advantage with a one-yard rushing touchdown by Fajardo and a series of strategic plays eventually leading to Maltos’s series of field goals. Despite a touchdown pass by Masoli to Justin Hardy, with nine receptions for 117 yards, the Redblacks fell short and failed to convert the two-point attempt in the second half.

Next, the Redblacks will travel to Saskatchewan to face the Roughriders, while the Alouettes will visit the Toronto Argonauts—setting the stage for another crucial weekend in the Canadian Football League.