MONTREAL -- With veteran Henry Burris at quarterback, maybe the Ottawa Redblacks wont be quite the pushovers most expansion clubs have been. Burris threw for 247 yards in one half of a game -- on pace for a nearly 500-yard outing -- as the Redblacks downed the woeful Montreal Alouettes 26-10 in CFL pre-season play Friday night at Percival Molson Stadium. Former Hamilton Tiger-Cat Chevon Walker ran in two touchdowns and caught a five-yard pass for another to lead the Redblacks, who will be on a bye when the regular season opens next weekend and wont make their debut until July 3 in Winnipeg. "We knew we had to play well," said Burris, who signed as a free agent with Ottawa. "The fact that we dont play next week, we had to have a good feeling coming out of this game because now we have a few days off. "We know we made an improvement from last week (a 21-17 loss at Saskatchewan) and we wanted to carry the momentum of playing good football into the Winnipeg game in a couple of weeks." Brett Maher added a fourth-quarter field goal for Ottawa when Thomas DeMarco was in at quarterback. The Ottawa defence held Montreal without a touchdown, although some of that had to do with Troy Smiths struggles to find his receivers. Delbert Alvarado had a pair of field goals and Sean Whyte had another for Montreal, which went 0-2 in the pre-season under new coach Tom Higgins, and looked shaky on both sides of the ball heading into their season opener June 28 in Calgary. "It was definitely a pre-season game," said Smith, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner who has the tall order of replacing future Hall of Famer Anthony Calvillo as the Alouettes starting quarterback. "You understand things arent going to be as good as you want them to be all the time. "We did some positive things, we just werent able to capitalize on any drives." The less-than sellout crowd of 18,141 got their first look at former NFL star Chad (Ochocinco) Johnson, who is on a comeback after last having played in 2011. He made a 13-yard catch on the Alouettes first play from scrimmage but that was all. "Hopefully the timing with the guys will get better," said Smith. "Youve got to give Ottawa some credit. They played defence and came out with the win. Its very premature. Were embarking on something great. I can feel it in my bones. But you have to go through trials and tribulations." A lot of Ottawa players made it difficult for coach Rick Campbell to make his final cuts on Saturday, when all nine CFL teams have to trim rosters to 46 players. Burris had six players make at least two catches, while the defence held Montreal to 290 yards in net offence. "When the decisions are easy, its not good," said Campbell. "We had some guys make some big plays, but it is a pre-season game. Well watch film and evaluate it. "Were not going to pat ourselves on the back too much. Well get back to work and try to get better." Burris couldnt get a first down on Ottawas first three possessions, but adjustments were made. Then he couldnt be stopped the rest of the first half. He completed 17 of 22 passes, all against Montreals first-string defence. The Redblacks led 22-7 at the intermission. Smith completed nine of 17 for 122 yards in the opening 30 minutes and gave way to the equally ineffective Tanner Marsh early in the second half. Alex Brink also saw action. The Alouettes got on the board first with Alvarados punt single, but then Burris threw 28 yards to Dobson Collins to set up Walkers three-yard TD 12:16 into the game. Montreal answered with a field goal, but Kierrie Johnsons 36-yard catch to the Montreal one set up Walkers second TD of the night 44 seconds into the second quarter. Just before the intermission, Burris led an eight-play 85-yard drive capped by Walkers five-yard TD catch. With second and third stringers on in the second half, neither team was able to move the ball very far and spectators were streaming out by the end of the third quarter. Unusually for the pre-season game, there were relatively few penalties called and there were no fumbles or interceptions. Last week, Montreal blew a lead in a 28-23 setback at Hamilton. Their bright spots were Alvarados powerful kicking and some long returns by Larry Taylor, who returned to Montreal from Calgary in the off-season. Notes: The Alouettes were missing running backs Brandon Whitaker (sore leg) and Tyrell Sutton (hamstring). Their replacement Brandon Rutley had a quiet game 29 yards on nine carries. Linebacker Kyries Hebert didnt dress, but he has returned to practice after suffering a concussion June 7. Will Hernandez Giants Jersey . -- Terrelle Pryor took the opening snap of the game, put the ball in Darren McFaddens belly and saw LaMarr Woodley crash down. Kareem Martin Giants Jersey . Vonn "reopened" the idea of competing in the season-opening World Cup event on Oct. 26-27 in Soelden, Austria after returning to the slopes last month in Portillo, Chile. http://www.nygiantsproshop.com/authentic...jersey.html.com) - The Ottawa Senators will try to keep their slim playoff hopes alive when they face the Chicago Blackhawks who are trying to secure their place in the post-season. Riley Dixon Giants Jersey . Just ask last seasons Supporters Shield winners, the New York Red Bulls, who were resoundingly defeated last weekend by a rampant Vancouver Whitecaps in a match which produced two contenders for MLS Goal of the Week from Sebastian Fernandez and Pedro Morales. New York Giants Jerseys . To be fair, the celebrations are already anything but tame. Nerf ball tricks shots are just the tip of the iceberg for a group that has performed in zero gravity, faced pro-skateboarder Rob Dyrdek and an assembled team on the MTV series "Fantasy Factory", and even hit a basketball trick shot from a passing blimp.PORTLAND, Ore. - Gaston Fernandez scored on a header in the 85th minute to pull the Portland Timbers into a 3-3 draw with the Columbus Crew on Saturday night. There were a flurry of goals in the final 10 minutes. Portlands Will Johnson tied the match at 2-all in the 80th minute. Ethan Finlays shot deflected off a Portland player for an own goal for Columbus a minute later. The draw snapped a three-match losing streak for Columbus, but the Crew (3-4-4) remain winless in their last eight matches. Columbus hadnt scored a goal since April 26 in a 1-1 draw with the New York Red Bulls. Federico Higuain had a pair of goals for the Crew and Maximiliano Urruti opened the scoring for Portland (1-3-7) in the fifth minute. Portland defender Alvas Powell was sent off with a red card for a foul on Chad Barson in the 34th minute, putting the Timbers down a man for the rest of the match. The Timbers finished atop the Western Conference standings last season, but have just one victory this year even though they havent dropped a match at Providence Park this season. The Timbers were coming off a 1-1 draw at home against the Los Angeles Galaxy last weekend, with both goals coming in stoppage time.dddddddddddd Columbus was without defender Michael Parkhurst, who is training with the U.S. national team in advance of the World Cup. Fellow defender Waylon Francis has been called up for duty with the Costa Rican national team. The Timbers were without midfielder Diego Chara and defender Michael Harrington because of injuries in last weeks draw with the Galaxy. Chara had surgery to stabilize a fractured bone in his left hand and will miss two weeks. After Urrutis goal from the corner of the box sailed past Crew goalkeeper Steve Clark in the fifth minute, Higuain evened it nine minutes later on a goal that sailed over goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts outstretched arms and into the back of the net. The match got contentious in stoppage time just before the break when Futty Danso was called for a foul in the penalty area and Higuain beat Ricketts. The Providence Park crowd loudly booed the refs, and Timbers coach Caleb Porter shouted at them as the team walked off the field. This is the only match between the teams this season. The last Portland meeting between the teams in 2012 ended with a scoreless draw. The Crew has won both previous meetings in Columbus, ' ' '