Tiger-Cats, on verge of East title, not taking Redblacks lightly

All the Hamilton Tiger-Cats need to do to win their first East Division title since 2021 is beat the worst team in the CFL.

The Ottawa Redblacks, meanwhile, are eager to finish their lowly season on a high note by ending a five-game losing streak when they visit Hamilton on Friday night.

The Tiger-Cats (10-7) are tied with the Montreal Alouettes for the East lead and hold the tiebreaker. If Hamilton should be upset by the Redblacks (4-13), Montreal still has to defeat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Saturday to win the East.

The Tiger-Cats beat the Redblacks in a back-to-back set in July. Hamilton won 23-20 on July 12 at home and 30-15 on July 20 at Ottawa.

While it has been a tough season for Ottawa, Tiger-Cats standout defensive tackle Casey Sayles views the Redblacks as a dangerous opponent.

"We've been saying all week that they're not playing like a team (with four wins)," Sayles said. "They're not playing like a team that's not going to make the playoffs."

Hamilton should be fresh after having a bye last week. The break was timely as it followed a 37-20 home loss to the Calgary Stampeders that marked the Tiger-Cats' second loss in three games.

Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell will make a final bid for his third Most Outstanding Player honor. The 35-year-old leads the CFL with 5,032 yards -- the fourth time he has surpassed 5,000 -- and also boasts a league-high 34 touchdown passes.

Mitchell passed for 306 yards in the setback against Calgary to move into eighth place in CFL history with 44,055 yards.

Ottawa released its depth chart Thursday to show that Tyrie Adams will start at quarterback in the finale.

Adams, 28, received his second career CFL start last week when the Redblacks lost 39-28 to Montreal. He passed for 286 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions.

"Felt good to get a start, felt horrible to lose," Adams said about his first appearance of the season. "The only thing on my mind is winning. I go look at the film and everything, but stats don't mean anything. The only stat that means something is the turnovers and the win or loss column. So I've just got to be better."

Dustin Crum is 2-4 in six starts this season and listed as questionable with a head injury sustained in the Oct. 13 game against Montreal. He has passed for 1,771 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions.

The Redblacks rank eighth (of nine teams) in scoring defense by allowing 29.5 points per game. Ottawa has given up 30 or more points on 11 occasions.

--Field Level Media