Former Bombers player defeats old team as Ottawa REDBLACKS beat Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Dru Brown emerged victorious in his first meeting with his former team, as the Ottawa REDBLACKS defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 23-19 at TD Place Stadium in their home opener on Thursday.

Brown faced quarterback Zach Collaros, whom he previously backed up, and completed 20 of 33 throws for 238 yards and a touchdown for the REDBLACKS.

Collaros passed for 266 yards on 14-of-28 attempts, with two interceptions. REDBLACKS wide receiver Justin Hardy had 111 receiving yards on seven grabs, including a score, while running back Ryquell Armstead added 95 yards on the ground. Lewis Ward went a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals for Ottawa.

Ottawa’s Alonzo Addae and Adarius Pickett both had interceptions, while Addae led the team with four tackles. Lewis Ward, one of the league’s most consistent legs, opened the scoring with a 12-yard kick, followed by a 49-yard punt return by DeVonte Dedmon and an unnecessary roughness call that pushed Ottawa 13 yards to Winnipeg’s 14-yard line.

Armstead gained 12 yards in three plays to set up a first-and-goal, and quarterback Dustin Crum raced up the middle for a one-yard gain and a touchdown, giving Ottawa a 10-0 lead in the first quarter.

Pickett picked off Collaros early in the second quarter, before Bralon Addison broke off for a 19-yard rush which helped to set up a 31-yard field goal for Ward, with the REDBLACKS leading comfortably 13-0.

The Bombers finally got on the board halfway through the second quarter, as Sergio Castillo knocked a 45-yard kick through the uprights to cut the REDBLACKS lead, swinging some momentum Winnipeg’s way.

Forcing Ottawa to punt on the next drive, the Bombers continued to roll as Collaros found one of his favourite targets in Nic Demski for a 47-yard gain, before Johnny Augustine added another 17-yard reception.

Augustine found the end zone on a four-yard run for Winnipeg, after a sack from Ottawa resulted in a face mask penalty, and the Bombers cut the REDBLACKS lead to just three points.

Despite a good push, the REDBLACKS settled for a field goal before the half, with a 34-yard field goal from Ward extending the lead back to six for Ottawa.

Keric Wheatfall, in his first game in the CFL, caught a 76-yard reception to set up first-and-goal on the Ottawa five-yard line, with quarterback Chris Streveler going for it on third down running in the two-yard touchdown to give the Bombers their first lead of the night.