The Montreal Alouettes had a goal: force the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to play a meaningful game next week. They accomplished this by defeating the Ottawa Redblacks 38-27 in a complete game.
Here are my thoughts on the game.
Team effort
Earlier this year, when the Als failed to get a win, they didn't play as a team. The three divisions were disconnected from each other, and when one of them had a problem, the others could not cover it.
Saturday afternoon was far from perfect for the Alouettes. They made mistakes in all three phases, but they never let the game get away from them.
The end of the second quarter is a good example of this. After Montreal gave Ottawa some life by missing a trick (more on that later), the Redblacks quickly scored a touchdown. How did the Als react? Scored a field goal and an interception on the ensuing Ottawa drive.
That's the biggest difference since Alexander returned and the reason the Als have won five straight. We're seeing the best version of this team and it's dangerous for their eventual playoff opponents.
Alexander's injuries
Davis Alexander started his third game after a long absence with a hamstring injury, and the AL fans held their breath in each one. Last week he took a hit to the head while running quarterback, and this week his right elbow took a hard hit on his very first drive. He stayed down for a couple of minutes, but didn't miss any action.
After the game, Alexander told the media that he fell awkwardly on his elbow, but felt well enough to continue playing and push the ball down the field.
According to Jason Maas, there are currently no concerns about his availability for next week's game against Winnipeg.
“Obviously he overplayed it today,” the head coach said. 3DownNation. “We'll see how he wakes up tomorrow. I'm sure he'll be sick tomorrow, but we have three days before we get back to work. He's expected to be ready to play.”
If Hamilton beats Ottawa next Friday, I see no reason to risk another injury to Alexander. He showed that he is ready for the playoffs and will rest for just a week.
I expect him to be included in the game-time decision list along with the other veterans and removed from the roster if the Ticats retain the division.
Still not satisfied
Davis Alexander was disappointed with his performance last week. He called the game the worst game he had ever played in, although he led the team to victory without turning the ball over.
His post-game stats were better this week. He finished 21 of 31 for 328 yards and two touchdowns. However, he was still not satisfied when communicating with 3DownNation after.
“It's been a little better, but I'm still upset,” he said. “The defense gave us good field position a couple times, but we only scored a touchdown on one of them.”
He did miss a couple shots, but overall he showed once again why he is the franchise quarterback for this organization. His composure in the pocket, his ability to read zones and push the ball downfield make him one of the best defenders in this league.
Maas calls great zone players fake screens to force defenders forward, but Alexander actually executes them perfectly.
The Gig Harbor, Washington team is now 11-0 as a starter in the CFL. He continues to rewrite history books.
Mac's (real) return
After winning the Gray Cup in 2023, Austin Mack went to NFL training camp, returned to Montreal and suffered several long stretches of injury. Until recently, he had no chance to get into a rhythm. It feels like the wind is turning in his direction.
After scoring his first touchdown of the season last week, he had eight catches for 108 yards and a touchdown against Ottawa. When asked after the game if this was the best version of him we've seen since 2023, he didn't hesitate.
“Yes, absolutely. I'm finally healthy and finally doing what I can do.”
Mack has been targeted in deep zones more often than he did earlier in the season. He gave all the credit for this to Alexander.
“Davis Alexander. That's the difference,” he said before the question was finished. – We win the first three games. (He) gets injured, we lose. He will return, we will win.”
Mack returned to the swagger that made him Cody Fajardo's best receiver when the Als won the Gray Cup.
Scott III's graduation party
We saw glimpses of it in his first start of the season in Regina earlier this season, but the real Stevie Scott III has arrived in the CFL. He finished with 63 yards on the ground but added 52 more on five catches.
Scott showed off his quickness and explosiveness as well as his physical strength. In the first attack of the game, he showed enough patience to find a gap between his left-back and the tackle. His burst allowed him to beat linebackers. This is exactly what the Als were looking for when they kept him on the roster.
His most impressive play came in the second quarter when he caught a screen pass, picked up a first down and then dropped his shoulder on DeAndre Lamont for a total gain of 25 yards.
With Travis Theis and Sean Thomas-Erlington still injured, Scott should get a shot at the playoffs and will be key to the Als' offensive success.
Crowd
I made the trip to Ottawa, but I wasn't the only one. It definitely felt like a Montreal home game. There were plenty of Als fans, and the typical Montreal chant of “Ole, Ole, Ole” could be heard loud and clear from the crowd.
The bond between players and fans has strengthened over the past few years. Proof of this was the composition of the participants in Saturday's game.
What's next?
The Alouettes (10-7) will face the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (9-8) next Saturday, Oct. 25, at Princess Auto Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 pm ET.
