By Canadian Press

Matthew Shiltz guides Montreal Alouettes to 27-16 victory over Ottawa Redblacks

Oct 16, 2021 | 5:44 PM

OTTAWA — Matthew Shiltz threw one touchdown pass and ran for another while David Cote kicked three field goals to lead the Montreal Alouettes to a 27-16 win over the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday.

Montreal (5-4) assumed sole possession of second place in the East Division with a second straight win over Ottawa (2-8). The Alouettes amassed 393 yards of total offence compared to just 242 for the Redblacks, who started the game with Caleb Evans at quarterback but went to Taryn Christion in the fourth quarter.

Christion was then injured and knocked out of the game on a sack with 1:33 to play. Montreal’s defence recorded 10 sacks in the contest.

Shiltz got the start for Montreal after incumbent Vernon Adams Jr. (shoulder) was injured in last week’s 20-16 win over Ottawa.

But Ottawa also lost kick-returner DeVonte Dedmon (right ankle). Dedmon, arguably the Redblacks best player this season, put no weight on his right leg as he was helped off the field in the second quarter.

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He returned to Ottawa’s sideline in the second half with a walking cast and crutches. Dedmon, who has four kick-return touchdowns in 13 career CFL games, had four kickoff returns for 73 yards and two punt returns for 116 yards Saturday.

Montreal took a 25-16 lead into the fourth as the only scoring of the third came on a 43-yard field goal from Ottawa’s Lewis Ward with four minutes to play in the quarter.

The Alouettes scored the game’s first 12 points on a 23-yard Cote field goal at 2:43 of the first. Shiltz then scored on a four-yard run at 6:12.

After Ottawa forced a fumble at its own one-yard line, the Redblacks quickly turned the next play into a safety at 8:43 as Anthony Coombs was tackled in the end zone on a running play.

Ottawa did score 10 points before the end of the quarter. Ward booted a 23-yard field goal, then Evans threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Kenny Stafford on the final play of the first.

Both scores were set up by punt returns of 69 and 47 yards.

Montreal responded in the second with a 27-yard Cote field goal at 4:17 to make it 15-10. Shiltz then split two defenders and hit Jake Wieneke on a 50-yard touchdown pass at 9:30 for a 22-10 lead.

Cote increased Montreal’s lead to 25-10 at 13:02 with a 24-yard field goal. Ward cut the deficit to 25-13 with a 45-yard field goal on the last play of the half.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2021.

The Canadian Press