Hamilton @ Ottawa preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 1, 2019 ) Hamilton 25, Ottawa 21

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats look to take another step toward their first East Division title since 2014 when they visit the nation's capital to take on the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday. The Tiger-Cats erased a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter en route to a thrilling 35-34 victory against the BC Lions in Week 9 to open up a six-point cushion at the top of the division and hope to pull further ahead by notching their first win in Ottawa in nearly two years.

"We're a different team and they're a different team so it's going to be a battle," Hamilton coach Orlondo Steinauer told reporters. "It's about how you lead and your mentality." The Redblacks have dropped five of their last six games after suffering a 16-12 defeat to the Edmonton Eskimos in Week 9. Ottawa's offence has been held to an average of 12.4 points in their five losses this season and missed a golden opportunity to steal a game on the road as Dominique Davis threw three straight incompletions from Edmonton's 11-yard line in the final minute and hopes to bounce back by beating Hamilton for the fourth straight time. "We have to find a way to get more consistency throughout our whole football team," Ottawa coach Rick Campbell told reporters. "If we win that game we're 4-4 and it's a lot different."

TV: 4 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS2

ABOUT THE TIGER-CATS (6-2): Brandon Banks was named one of the CFL's Top Performers of the Week after hauling in nine catches for 137 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including the go-ahead TD grab with 1:02 remaining, against BC. Dane Evans continued to perform admirably in Jeremiah Masoli's absence as he threw for 260 yards and two touchdown passes against the Lions while linebacker Simoni Lawrence led the team with eight tackles and a sack after missing the last two games because of a league suspension. Starting cornerback Delvin Breaux has not practiced this week with an undisclosed injury and is likely to miss Saturday's game.

ABOUT THE REDBLACKS (3-5): Davis completed 23-of-35 passes for 289 yards and a touchdown while Dominique Rhymes finished with four catches for 118 yards and a score versus Edmonton. Ottawa received some bad news when dynamic kick returner DeVonte Dedmon, who took back two punts for touchdowns in the overtime win against the Montreal Alouettes in Week 8, was added to the six-game injured list with a hamstring injury suffered in the fourth quarter against the Eskimos. The Redblacks released eight-year veteran wide receiver Julian Feoli-Gudino, who had 13 receptions for 119 yards in 2019, while adding kick returner Stefan Logan to the practice roster.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Banks entered the week leading the CFL in receptions (51) and receiving yards (691), and second in receiving touchdowns.

2. Davis has thrown a league-high 11 interceptions.

3. Ottawa has won five of the last six meetings with Hamilton.

PREDICTION: Redblacks 23, Tiger-Cats 21