‘We didn’t have a plan’: McLeod Bethel-Thompson ‘pissed off’ by Redblacks’ second-half failure in B.C.

Photo courtesy: Steven Chang/B.C. Lions

The best-laid plans might not have been able to stop the Ottawa Redblacks from dropping to 0-16, so the CFL’s last remaining winless team didn’t bother making one — at least for half the game.

That was the accusation made by quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson following his 41-20 defeat at the hands of the B.C. Lions on Friday night.

“Really, really frustrating game. I thought we played well in the first half, were moving the ball there, and then just coming out of halftime, similar to last week, just had really had no plan there,” the 38-year-old told TSN 1200‘s post-game show. “They’re a good front. We didn’t probably chip them enough. Didn’t run enough. You can look at it 1,000 different ways, but just flat out, we didn’t have a plan for the second half.”

The Redblacks trailed 21-12 after two quarters, but arguably took all the momentum into halftime after a late Alonzo Addae interception and a walk-off field goal. However, the visitors struggled to translate that into offensive production in the third quarter, settling for two field goals.

“We said we’ve got to score some points to start the third. Unfortunately, we only got three there, but we cut the lead. Didn’t make enough plays, and I think offensively we had some opportunities, just didn’t make them,” head coach Ryan Dinwiddie acknowledged to play-by-play voice A.J. Jakubec.

“You hope for the best, right? We talk about red zone production. They’re going to get down there. Defensively, let’s hold them to three. Offensively, we’ve got to be a little bit more aggressive. It was just unfortunate. We couldn’t pass-protect towards the end of the game. We had a tough night.”

Ottawa’s most egregious missed opportunity came late in the frame, when they marched all the way down to B.C.’s nine-yard line with a chance to take a lead. Instead, running back Daniel Adeboboye was tackled for a loss on second down, forcing a chip-shot field goal to make it 21-18.

The play call raised eyebrows, but there were extenuating circumstances that contributed to the decision.

“We lost headsets, so I couldn’t talk to any of the quarterbacks. All of them went out there, so Mac called the run there,” Dinwiddie revealed. “That’s unfortunate; we went to the mic after that.”

Bethel-Thompson defended his choice to hand the ball off in that red zone situation, expressing a belief that the run should have been successful.

“I had to call my own play on that one because the comms went down and we didn’t call a timeout. I thought we had a good call, a run play, if it just cuts back,” he explained. “He’s thinking frontside because that’s the way it is, but (Casey) Sayles made a great play. Go front side, cut it back to the backside — it was a three-man front against five of our O-linemen. You would think that’s a walk-in, and somehow Sayles just slips back and makes a play. Story of the season, right?”

The technical issues might not have mattered had Dinwiddie rolled the dice one play early. On first down, Bethel-Thompson took a shot towards Cade McDonald in the end zone, which fell incomplete. The quarterback was visibly irate after what he perceived to be pass interference from B.C. cornerback Robert Carter Jr., and the TSN broadcast captured him screaming at the sidelines and gesticulating wildly in the hopes that his head coach would throw a challenge flag. One never came.

“He was grabbing him the whole time. I was trying to scream for (Dinwiddie) to throw a flag so he can at least review it. I threw it right at him, so it’s something we can review. He’s grabbing him since seven yards down the field. The ball is thrown 25,” Bethel-Thompson said. “Again, story of the season. Frustrating. You can tell I’m frustrated. Never like losing, and I don’t know what you can say. I’m pissed off.”

Dinwiddie finished the game without utilizing his coach’s challenge. He revealed that he contemplated initiating a review on the end zone incompletion, but did not believe there was enough for the replay centre in Toronto to overturn.

“Just didn’t feel like we’d get it. I feel like the refs should be able, if it’s clear and obvious, to make that call, and if it’s not clear and obvious, you’re going to lose your challenge,” he said.

After Ottawa settled for the field goal, B.C. mounted a six-play, 70-yard touchdown drive to extend their lead. They would add another 13 points in the fourth quarter, interrupted only by a missed convert return by Kalil Pimpleton. The result covered the lofty 13.5-point spread entering the game, which was the widest of the CFL season to date.

Bethel-Thompson finished the game 25-of-35 for 253 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He was eventually pulled late in the fourth quarter in favour of rookie Bryson Barnes, who was sacked on consecutive plays on Ottawa’s final drive.

The idea that Barnes might start the final two games of the season has been floated for weeks, but Dinwiddie remains undecided as to how to approach his QB situation.

“We can’t score 21 points in two and a half minutes, so we figured, let’s go get his feet wet and get ready for next week,” he explained.

“I think maybe we might start with Mac, kind of get the game going and let (Barnes) go from there. Let him see it. You don’t want to put him out there right away. Let’s get a rhythm going. But, I mean, maybe we put him out there and get a rhythm going with him. I want to design the game plan around him if we go that direction.”

For his part, Bethel-Thompson appears in favour of giving the rookie a shot next week.

“Bryson deserves an opportunity. He’s a young player. He’s worked his butt off all year long, so I’ll support him as best I possibly can. Give him everything I can,” he said. “He’s been playing well in practice. He’s been working, putting the time in. This probably wasn’t the right environment for his first start, so being at home is probably better for that. Being his first year up here, I’m excited for his opportunity.”

The reality is that things can’t get much worse. After 22 consecutive defeats, including 16 to start this year, the Redblacks are already standalone record holders for ineptitude in the modern era. They stand two losses away from becoming the only winless team in CFL history.

What has made that all the more frustrating is that Ottawa has had moments when victory seemed plausible, even possible. Missed opportunities and flawed game plans — or the lack thereof — have reduced the franchise to its lowest point.

“Give (B.C.) credit; they’re a great team, but they’re somebody that we can play with,” Bethel-Thompson said. “It feels like you’re working your butt off, play in, play out, and you let the rope go for two seconds, bad things happen.”

The Redblacks (0-16) will return to action on Friday, October 16, when they host the Toronto Argonauts (9-7).