It's crazy, unthinkable really, that the Ottawa RedBlacks, with just one win at the midway point of the CFL season, can even be thinking the "P" word: Playoffs.

Only in the CFL, eh? Truth: One win isn't where they wanted or expected to be. But rather than writing off the season as failure, they're scrambling to get better, looking to get more consistent, looking to fine tune the rights and fix the wrongs.

It would be unfair to say the RedBlacks suck or stink. True, they have lost a couple of stinkers. The home game against Saskatchewan was over a couple of ticks after the coin flip. Realistically, they could have three more wins -- be at 4-5 -- and in first place in the East. But they're not.

There will be a honeymoon period, most fans will cut them some slack for now (there have been some home-field boos), but there's still plenty of work to do in putting together a championship team. Remember, there's a reason why some of these players were available in the expansion draft ... they were not considered among anybody's best players.

Said GM Marcel Desjardins: "In all honesty, we've gone back and looked at the expansion draft and is there anything we'd do differently? Really, our hands were tied.

"Maybe in retrospect, we may have rolled the dice a bit more. Maybe we could have spent a bit more in free agency."

Early in the season, the players wanted to separate themselves from the tag "expansion team." But that's exactly what they are. And they've certainly played like it at times.

Said Desjardins: "We're young. As for expectations, when I was asked, my answer was consistent. I would tell people: 'I can't say we'll win a certain number of games.' But I thought we'd be able to compete."

There have been positives. The defensive line and the emergence of Antoine Pruneau and Jasper Simmons at linebacker, along with a young group of defensive backs, learning on the fly and working with cornerback Jovon Johnson, has kept Ottawa in many games.

Here's what has to happen for the RedBlacks to get better.

1. Henry Burris needs to be Henry Burris, the 2013 version who led the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to the Grey Cup. The marquee quarterback is the straw that stirs the drink. He would be the first to admit he has to play better and be more in sync with his receivers. The 39-year-old Burris often talks about "getting on the same page" as the pass catchers. He's had a couple of very good games. But his 79.3 QB rating (a formula which takes into consideration such things as pass attempts, completions, passing yards, TD passes and interceptions) is worse than any other starter in the league -- except for the Montreal duo of Jonathan Crompton and Troy Smith. Calgary's Bo Levi Mitchell, in comparison, has a 99.1 rating. A year ago, Burris threw for 4,925 yards, including 24 touchdowns, with a rating of 93.3. As Burris goes into the stretch run, look for his stats to climb.

2. Find or sign a go-to receiver. Not to take away from any of Matt Carter or Wallace Miles or Kierrie Johnson or Marcus Henry or Onrea Jones or Dobson Collins or Khalil Paden, but opposing defences aren't shaking in their boots. As a group, they drop way too many passes, sometimes in critical situations. Offensive co-ordinator Mike Gibson was forced last week to simplify the offence because some of his receivers were running pass routes at the wrong depth. If you're in a second-down situation and you need nine yards for a first down, it's inexplicable why any pro receiver would do the out at seven yards. Nine games into the season and they can't get depths of a route right? Ottawa put a lot of money on the table to try and sign free-agent slotback Weston Dressler. The RedBlacks may wait to address this in free agency. Former Blue Bomber Chris Matthews would have been a great addition, but he's with the Seattle Seahawks.

3. Get Chevon Walker the ball, somehow. They're trying to get their running back the ball, but with a zone read, Henry Burris too often has to pull the ball away with the defence jamming up the running lanes. They don't respect Ottawa's passing game enough. So why not get Walker, coming out of the backfield, the ball in the flats: "In the passing game, it's a progression read," explained offensive co-ordinator Mike Gibson last week. "Chevy's part of the progression. If the defence rolls down to take the flats, you throw it deep. If the defence softens up, you throw it underneath. We're finding out teams are keying on Chevy and they're saying, 'Throw it deep and prove to us that you're going to catch it deep.' Once we start catching it deep, it opens up everything else." Maybe the RedBlacks need to look at a two-back set on occasion or maybe put a Jerome Messam big type of body back there. Ottawa considered Messam before he signed in Saskatchewan. Word around the league is his attitude isn't his best asset.

4. Special teams. The RedBlacks need more electricity on returns.

Brett Maher has done an excellent job at punting the ball, ranked second in the league to Toronto's Swayze Waters with a 46.3-yard average. He booted 6-of-6 field goal attempts to lead Ottawa to its only win vs. Toronto, but is 16-for-23 on the season. Returner Jamill Smith hasn't rolled off a big return since a pre-season touchdown. His longest punt return is 16 yards; his longest kickoff return is 38 yards. "(Smith) is good enough to be that guy. But as a unit, it just hasn't happened yet," said Desjardins. The RedBlacks will get a look at B.C. Lions' Tim Brown Friday night. Brown has made a difference for the Lions, with nine kickoff returns for 272 yards, including a 48-yarder, and 22 punt returns for 353 yards, including a 75-yard TD. Maybe Marcus Thigpen, recently released by the Miami Dolpins, was a dynamic returner and has to be on Ottawa's radar.

5. Close the deal. The RedBlacks should have beaten Winnipeg, Hamilton and Edmonton. But they couldn't close out victories. Maybe it's the youthful inexperience, but they need to get over the hump. "If one or two plays go a different way, we win those games," said Desjardins. "That's the frustrating part. We make a mistake instead of making a big play." Injuries have contributed to the record as well. Linebacker Anton McKenzie has been missed. Receiver Kierrie Johnson was just starting to make an impact when he went on the six-game injured list. Offensive lineman Joe Eppele, who was counted on to be a starter, was knocked out for the season early. Others like Justin Phillips are also missed. The RedBlacks aren't looking to gift wrap any excuses. Bottom line is injuries happen. Other teams are licking their wounds, too.

tim.baines@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @timcbaines