It seemed safe at the time.
Facing a third-and-goal from the Argo six-yard line, Ottawa Redblacks quarterback Dru Brown dumped a pass to running Khalan Laborn. He caught the ball but was immediately tackled by Toronto Argonauts cornerback Benjie Franklin for no gain.
The turnover on downs led everyone to assume the game was over.
The Argos had been dominant all day, had the ball with 5:16 left in the fourth quarter, and were sitting comfortably with a 38-12 lead. But in the CFL, not even a 26-point lead with less that half-a-quarter to play is safe.
A two-and-out by the Argos followed by a lengthy punt return led to Ottawa taking over on the Argos 12-yard line. Two plays later a touchdown and a two-point conversion cut into the lead, but it was still a three-score game at 38-20 with just two-and-a-half minutes left.
The Redblacks bucked the odds and recovered an onside kick. Four plays later they were back in the end zone and again they’d add a two-point conversion. It was 38-28 with just over two minutes left.
Again, the visitors tried an onside kick. Against the longest of odds, remarkably, they again recovered it. After a four-play drive stalled, a field goal made it 38-31 with just over a minute remaining.
Recovering an onside kick is akin to completing a Hail Mary pass. It rarely happens, but there’s always a chance. Having one be successful is a longshot at best. Twice? Unthinkable. But the Redblacks would trust the football gods to smile on them a third time with an onside kick.
This time, Dan Adeboboye hung on, giving the Argos possession. They’d go two-and-out and have to punt, but Ottawa couldn’t move the ball, and a multi-lateral last play came up well short.
The strong breeze felt at that time was caused by over 20,000 fans exhaling at the same time.
When the game ended, the players adjourned to the locker room and went through the usual post-win ritual; a speech from head coach Ryan Dinwiddie followed by the handing out of game balls to a player from each unit, offence, defence, and special teams. But the usual celebratory feeling in the room was ratcheted down a notch or three, replaced by a general feeling of relief.
Dinwiddie stressed the positives of the first part of the game where they overwhelmed their opponents, before stressing that “We’ve got to be a little bit better on special teams,” adding “When it comes to playoff football, a few plays can (hurt) us, or a few great plays can help us. It’s going to come down to a few plays, so let’s make sure we have that laser focus.”
After Chad Kelly and the entire defensive line were presented game balls, special teams captain Jack Cassar stepped forward to hand out a game ball to Brian Harelimana, but before he did, he addressed the elephant in the room.
“When we’re on hands team we’ve got to close that game out,” he said to a silent room, his teammates hanging on each word. “We’ve got to get that ball…” but before Cassar could complete his sentence, Dejon Brissett stepped forward.
The sure-handed receiver – who had just recorded the second two-touchdown game of his career – got his hands on each of Ottawa’s two successful onside kick attempts, but both times was unable to secure the ball and it was recovered by a Redblack player.
Brissett stepped forward from his locker into the middle of the room and interrupted Cassar.
“That’s on me fellas, two of them went off my fingertips,” he said to his teammates. Cassar asked him to chill, knowing the breakdown wasn’t on Brissett, but the receiver continued.
“I’m going to take accountability, that will never happen again, you hear me? That’s on me, that’s on me fellas.”
The response was a mixture of applause and players shouting that it wasn’t his fault.
That’s the kind of locker room the Argonauts have. Players taking accountability, even if the primary mistake wasn’t theirs. It’s respected around the room and by the coaching staff.
Special teams coordinator Mickey Donovan also addressed the team post-game, and like Brissett, fell on his sword saying “This one is on me.”
He wasn’t surprised to see Brissett step up and shoulder the blame in front of his peers.
“That’s Dejon,” Donovan explained. “He’s a warrior, he’s a leader, he’s a great human being. I love the guy to death. I have him out there for a reason, it’s because he wants the ball.”
Donovan explained that the problems were more a case of protection breaking down than Brissett not being able to secure the ball, “I’d rather a guy be hungry and want the ball than a guy who shies away.”
Brissett also didn’t shy away from taking the blame. Argonauts.ca asked him why he stepped forward to do that in front of the entire team.
“I just felt like it was important for my teammates to know that I acknowledge where I messed up. A lot of them were encouraging me, saying I had a good game, which I did, but at the same time, I made some mistakes that could have cost us. I wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t own up and let the guys know that I won’t let that happen again.”
If Brissett made an error, it wasn’t for not hanging onto the ball, but perhaps being overly aggressive.
“I attacked the ball, which is what I do as a receiver, but I’ve got to understand I’ve got (Damonte) Coxie behind me when the ball is coming at me that hot. I don’t need to catch it; I can just let him get it and block for him. I was acting as a receiver rather than the off returner on the hands team. I’m glad it happened now, and we got the dub (win).”
Lesson learned.
Not just by Brissett, not just by Donovan, but by everyone wearing Double Blue on Saturday. Even thoroughly dominating an opponent for 55 minutes isn’t enough, finishing strong is equally, if not more important.
It’s lesson that may prove to be invaluable come playoff time, which starts Saturday, November 2 at BMO Field when the Redblacks return for a rematch in the Eastern Semi-Final.