By Canadian Press on October 18, 2025.
OTTAWA — In a duel that saw the Montreal Alouettes cruise to a 39-28 win over the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday, the two East Division rivals couldn’t have more opposite outlooks heading into the final week of the regular season.
With the win, the Alouettes tied the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for first in the East and extended their win streak to five games.
With just one game to go in the regular season, the Alouettes have a chance at earning a bye through the first round of the playoffs if they can finish on top of their division.
For the Redblacks (4-13), a second straight loss to the Alouettes (10-7) after falling 30-10 in Montreal on Monday is another demoralizing blow after a season spent at the bottom of the CFL standings.
When the Saskatchewan Roughriders ultimately squashed Ottawa’s playoff chances with a 20-13 win on Oct. 3, the Redblacks were left with three weeks in the season to find something else to play for.
In contrast, the visiting Alouettes fielded quarterback Davis Alexander, a rising star who once again extended his CFL record career-opening run to 11 straight wins. Even while continuing to add to such a dominant streak, individual success is not Alexander’s top priority on the field.
“It’s cool, but the standard here is we play winning football,” Alexander said. “Yeah, it’s Davis Alexander, but it’s our football team.”
According to Montreal head coach Jason Maas, it’s the team-first focus that makes Alexander invaluable to the Alouettes.
“I think the confidence that he uses and the energy he brings is contagious,” Maas said. “There’s a reason he’s a franchise quarterback for us. Our guys understand he’s our leader.”
Alexander completed 21 of his 31 passes for 328 yards against the Redblacks.
The Redblacks gave fourth-string quarterback Tyrie Adams the nod with starter Dustin Crum sidelined with a head injury.
“It felt good to get a start,” Adams said. “It felt horrible to lose, though.”
Until this game, Adams hadn’t logged any contributing numbers beyond appearances since suffering a torn ACL ending his 2023 season.
“It’s been very frustrating,” Adams said. “But at the same time, being a number four quarterback on the depth chart, you don’t expect to play in the season at all.”
In a prove-it game, Adams stepped up as an offensive threat at points, converting 27 of 44 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns. He also threw three interceptions in key moments.
“When you’re that fourth quarterback, you don’t get a whole lot of time running our offence,” said Redblacks head coach Bob Dyce. “I thought Tyrie did a good job.”
Post-game, Dyce wouldn’t answer whether Adams would start in Ottawa’s final game of the season against Hamilton on Oct. 24.
Ottawa failed to contain the Alouettes offence out of the gate, falling to a 13-0 deficit while Alexander threw for 171 yards in the first quarter alone.
Even after an awkward fall sidelined Alexander in one of the game’s opening plays, he was back on the field the very next drive, where he delivered a 23-yard lob pass to set up Montreal’s first touchdown, rushed in by running back Stevie Scott III eight minutes into the game.
Just four minutes later, Alexander sniped a 44-yard pass to wide receiver Austin Mack to put the Alouettes within two yards of a score.
“He’s seeing the field extremely well right now,” Maas said. “He’s been able to put the ball where he needs to put it.”
After quarterback Shea Patterson rushed into the end zone, a botched Montreal conversion was little consolation for the hosts.
Halfway through the second quarter, Adams put Ottawa on the board with only his second career touchdown, finding wide receiver Eugene Lewis at the back of the Montreal end zone.
A 49-yard Montreal field goal from kicker Jose Maltos Diaz three minutes later gave the Alouettes some breathing room. Then a goal-line interception by Montreal defensive back Najee Murray devastated one of Adams’ best drives of the game.
An Ottawa field goal brought the Redblacks back to within six points, as close as they would get through the remaining half.
Montreal put Ottawa in a chokehold through the third quarter, starting with two successive field goals through the first half of the frame.
With just over a minute to go, a 38-yard interception return by Montreal linebacker Tyrice Beverette set the Alouettes up for a 22-yard touchdown pass to Mack on the next play to go up 29-10.
Even as Adams led Ottawa’s offence to an 18-point showing in the final quarter, it wasn’t enough to catch the Alouettes and their dominant lead through three frames.
UP NEXT
Alouettes: Head to Winnipeg to face the Blue Bombers on Saturday, Oct. 25.
Redblacks: Visit the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Friday, Oct. 24.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 18, 2025.
David Cummings, The Canadian Press
36