The Montreal Alouettes had a clear mission heading into the Ottawa Redblacks at home on Thanksgiving Day as they needed a win to keep their hopes of finishing first in the East Division alive – and that's exactly what they accomplished in a 30-10 win at Percival Molson Stadium. Below are my thoughts on the game.
Traveling through the game
With all due respect to the guests, the Als performed at a different level in this game. After taking the lead with a blocked return touchdown (more on that later), Montreal never looked back and never felt in danger of losing the game.
Winning games like that in the CFL isn't easy, but the Als accomplished the feat for the second game in a row after marching on the Calgary Stampeders two weeks ago.
The Als reach their peak at the right time and become more and more dangerous.
“It’s not surprising,” linebacker Darnell Sankey said. 3DownNation post-game. “We have to do what we do. We have to be in the playoffs. We have to be Gray Cup contenders.”
Last season it was the other way around, with the Als starting strong but fading towards the end of the season before losing the East Final to the Toronto Argonauts.
“The Worst” Alexandra
After the game, a frustrated Davis Alexander approached the media crowd. He had a relatively quiet day, finishing 23 of 30 for 240 yards and one touchdown.
“It was probably the worst game of my career,” he said. “It is what it is. I don't have to be Superman all the time. I'm grateful we have the best defense and the best special teams in the league. I left some things behind. I'm upset with myself, but happy for the team.”
Maas had an interesting perspective on his game, believing that Alexander needed to experience these moments in order to grow and be ready for new challenges, whether in the playoffs or in the years to come. He's never lost a start in his career, so this is the closest he's come to losing a start all year.
Alexander is an incredible athlete. I've never seen him as upset as he was after this game, in which his team won by 20 and he didn't commit a single turnover. But Maas said it's a rewarding experience for the Gig Harbor, Washington native. There will be worse games in his career, and he will learn from them.
A game like this is the best thing that could happen to Alexander before entering the playoffs. His team may have to win three games in a row to win the Gray Cup, and adversity will manifest itself in different ways.
Dodging a Bullet
As I mentioned earlier, Montreal fans were never worried about the team losing this game. Their biggest concern came late in the first half after Davis Alexander ran the quarterback for a first down but was hit in the head late in the run. He developed a nosebleed and was later removed by a CFL spotter. The franchise quarterback returned in the third quarter.
Both Alexander and Maas defended the decision not to use third-stringer Shea Patterson at short, saying there wasn't much time left in the half.
I just can't agree with the explanation. You have a quarterback who has missed ten games with an injury this season, and you already lead by 12. Why risk your health for a sneaky quarterback?
Some might say Alexander could have gone down after the first down was picked up, but that's a tough call for an athlete like him. Instead, Montreal could use a running back or receiver to sneak if Maas really wanted to save time.
Where was this version?
This season I have at times criticized Marc-Antoine Decoy for his tackling errors and poor pursuit angles. Monday afternoon was a different story as he dominated his team, blocking a punt that he himself returned for a touchdown, recording a sack and a critical third-down knockdown.
His knockdown was especially impressive when he followed Braylon Addison in the man-to-man coverage.
This is the best game Dequoy has played in a long time. With the playoffs approaching, this seems like a good sign for defensive coordinator Noel Thorpe.
Special creativity
The special teams told a lot about this game. It started with Dequa's blocked shot, but Byron Archambault maintained the lead early in the second half. Jose Maltos hit a perfect shot to Ottawa's Zachary Filion, who couldn't catch it and allowed Nate Beauchemin to put the shot away.
The Als were unable to convert that time, but it changed the formation on the field and allowed the Montreal defense to breathe.
It was a well-executed game that will force opponents to spend more time preparing. However, I wonder if this game should have been left until the playoffs.
Keep the pressure higher
As crazy as it sounded a couple of weeks ago, the Als still have a chance to take first place in the East Division.
The team still needs two wins to finish the year and hopes the Redblacks can somehow beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Week 21, but it is possible. With the Tigercats having a bye next week, the Alouettes can at least force them to play a big game to win the division by winning their next game.
This opportunity will not change Montreal's approach.
“We're just trying to come out here and win every game,” Sankey said. “We don't care about that. Gray Cup – we want to win the Gray Cup.”
Jason Maas had a similar opinion when asked about it. He believes his players are well aware of the situation, but they don't need extra motivation.
“It’s all about this game, trying to win every day and every game we play from now on,” he said.
What's next?
The Alouettes will travel to Ottawa on Saturday afternoon to face the Redblacks again. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 pm ET.
