While the Alouettes will rely on their new quarterback Cody Fajardo, the Ottawa Redblacks will rely on Nick Arbuckle as their offensive linchpin to open the season against the Montreal team on Saturday at Percival-Molson Stadium.
“It’s going to be Nick for at least two weeks,” the Rouge et Noir organization confirmed, adding that veteran quarterback Jeremiah Masoli is still not 100% recovered from a season-ending leg injury in 2022.
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On the contrary, Arbuckle, 29, should not be taken lightly by the Alouettes. It was he who replaced Masoli in Ottawa last year after trading with the Edmonton Elks.
After becoming a regular throughout the season, Arbuckle also started against the Alouettes in Weeks 13, 18 and 19, averaging 25.3 completions per game and 271 yards in the air. Arbuckle and the Rouge et Noir had clearly defeated the Alouettes 38-24 at Percival-Molson Stadium on Sept. 2 before winning Monday’s “Action of” 24-18 again in Montreal on Oct. 10 with Grace. Overall, Ottawa has won 10 of their last 11 games in Montreal.
In short, Alouettes fans already know Arbuckle, who enjoys working as a hangman for the Montreal club, particularly at Percival Molson Stadium.
Greg Ellingson missing?
In the Alouettes camp, it’s veteran wide receiver Greg Ellingson who looks set to miss the start of the season.
“He’s not ready to return to play at the moment,” said head coach Jason Maas after training on Tuesday.
Kaion Julien-Grant and Cole Spieker, along with newcomers Keshunn Abram and Austin Mack could be Fajardo’s main targets on Saturday. The Alouettes attack, which also relies on running back William Stanback, could also benefit from another big absence from linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox at the Rouge et Noir.
- In the most recent preseason game against the Alouettes on May 26 in Ottawa, Nick Arbuckle was used for long stretches of the game and completed 15 of 25 passes for 209 yards. Montreal won 22 to 21.
- After losing their first preseason game to the Alouettes the previous week, the Rouge et Noir defeated the Toronto Argonauts 34-23 in a game in Guelph on June 1. Despite the win, Ottawa struggled with the special teams and suffered an 84th – Accept a yard punt return and a 68-yard kickoff return.