Ottawa Redblacks Survive Against Edmonton Elks on Last-Second Field Goal

A high-scoring fourth quarter ended with the Ottawa Redblacks knocking in the game-winning 38-yard field goal to beat the Edmonton Elks on Sunday night.

Jun 13, 2024; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa REDBLACKS running back Ryquell Armtead (25) runs the ball after a handoff by quarterback Dru Brown (3) in the second half against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at TD Place. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports / Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports

Sunday night featured a wild fourth quarter between the Ottawa Redblacks and the Edmonton Elks ending with five straight scoring drives. After Edmonton quarterback Dakota Prukop rushed in a touchdown with 11 seconds left to tie the game, the Redblacks responded with a 29-yard completion from Dru Brown to newcomer Kalil Pimpleton. That set up Lewis Ward’s game-winning 38-yard field goal with no time remaining to give Ottawa the 37-34 win over Edmonton.

The Redblacks had their best offensive output of the season with 520 total yards of offense and a season-high 37 points. Ottawa’s ultimate advantage was Ward knocking in all five of his field goals and racking up three sacks.

Edmonton saw yet another game where it had a lead and lost it as the Elks were up as much as 12 points in the second quarter before Ottawa stormed back. The Elks defense was able to create two turnovers but allowed 24 second-half points.

Ottawa improved to 3-2 on the season while Edmonton drops to a 0-5 record.

3 Takeaways from Ottawa’s Thrilling Win

1. Dru Brown Balled Out

Jun 13, 2024; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa REDBLACKS quarteback Dru Brown (3) throws the balls Winnipeg Blue Bombers linebacker Adam Bighill (4) looks on in the first half at TD Place. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports / Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports

It was a career night for Brown as he finished with 480 passing yards and two touchdowns. The one interception that Brown had was not the prettiest as he threw it off his back foot. He bounced back nicely, however, and played the best game of his career to carry the Redblacks to a win. What made his performance special was the throws he made in clutch situations that now give Ottawa fans hope for the future.

2. Ottawa Got Help from the New Guy

Aug 11, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions wide receiver Antoine Green (80) tackles New York Giants wide receiver Kalil Pimpleton (81) in the third quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports / David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports

Brown got a lot of help from his receivers as three of them went for over 100 yards. One standout was rookie Pimpleton, who excelled with four receptions for 153 yards and one touchdown in his CFL debut. He had two highlight plays including his 70-yard touchdown catch where he showed off his speed on a crossing route and came up big with a 29-yard catch before the game-winning field goal.

3. Edmonton Drops Another Close Game

Jun 14, 2024; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Elks quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson (10) is tackled by Montreal Alouettes defensive end Shawn Lemon (0) and linebacker Darnell Sankey (1) during the first half at Commonwealth Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports / Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

For the fourth straight game, the Elks lost by three points. There were chants from fans calling for Tre Ford to take over for McLeod Bethel-Thompson at quarterback. This loss can’t be put on Bethel-Thompson as he performed well with 272 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday. At some point, the coaching staff might need a hard look at themselves to figure out how to fix the issues in closing out games.

Up Next

Edmonton Elks at Ottawa Redblacks

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