Montreal Alouettes stand tall to beat Edmonton Elks on retro night (& eight other thoughts)

Photo courtesy: Montreal Alouettes

It was a retro night at Percival-Molson Stadium as, along with celebrating the 1974 Grey Cup winners, the Als wore beautiful retro uniforms. The result was the same as that championship game from 50 years ago as Montreal came back to beat the Elks 21-17 in another classic finish.

Rusty start, much better finish

The biggest headline before the game was Cody Fajardo’s return to the lineup after he missed four games due to a hamstring injury. The task wasn’t easy as he often faced pressure — more on Montreal’s banged-up offensive line in a moment — especially given how well Davis Alexander played over the past few weeks.

Fajardo put those questions away in the end but was rusty in the first half, as expected. He didn’t appear to be on the same page as his receivers and, at the break, had only 109 passing yards and an interception. It wasn’t all bad, however, as he showed some glimpses of the quarterback who won the Grey Cup last year.

Those glimpses became a Fajardo-type performance in the second half when he transformed a 17-6 deficit into a 21-17 lead. He finished the night 22-of-34 for 336 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.

The game appeared to slow down for him as he read through his progressions. He showed great accuracy under pressure, delivering dimes to Cole Spieker and Charleston Rambo.

For those who were worried about his right hamstring, he showed that he had recovered with some runs and by absorbing hard tackles.

A slow defensive start

Edmonton’s game plan was as advertised: establish the run game and let McLeod Bethel-Thompson take advantage of one-on-one matchups.

It took them two drives to do it, but the Elks managed to control the line of scrimmage to set up two long drives ending with the night’s two first majors.

At this time, the frustration was noticeable from Noel Thorpe, who didn’t have the right answer to the visitors’ play-calling. The main issue was the pressure that wasn’t getting to Bethel-Thompson, leaving space for the Elks receivers to find separation.

The defensive coordinator made some adjustments that paid off, including Geoffrey Cantin-Arku getting more playing time. He stopped two consecutive Elks drives with his quickness and speed. Cantin-Arku finished the night with two sacks.

However, the main issue remained along the line of scrimmage and the Elks exploited it with different formations. I’ve been saying this for weeks: the Als need to find a way to boost their defensive line before the playoffs come. I’m sure general manager Danny Maciocia is evaluating his options.

Answering the bell 

After 30 minutes, it looked like the Elks would run away with the win. Noel Thorpe’s defence had other plans, as they didn’t allow a single point in the second half. 

Thanks to a good combination of pressure and hood coverage, they stopped the Elks’ offence two times on third down close to their end zone. The unit performed like it could when the game was on the line.

Another championship-type performance (ft. the offensive line)

Winning ten games out of eleven in any league is impressive. The Alouettes keep finding ways to win close games, no matter who’s in the lineup. 

Before the game, Jesse Gibbon was called to replace right guard Philippe Gagnon, a late scratch for Montreal. On the first drive, left guard Pierre-Olivier Lestage got injured as well and needed to be replaced by Donald Ventrilli.

This patched-up offensive line stood up and played a strong game. The unit allowed Fajardo enough time to find his pace.

Cole Spieker, an unexpected spark

We haven’t talked much about Cole Spieker these past few weeks but, with Charleston Rambo and Austin Mack in the spotlight, he made sure to remind everyone why he is so effective in his role.

The six-foot-two, 215-pound target lit up the offence with some great catches in the second half, including a beautiful one for the go-ahead touchdown. He finished the night with 107 yards on five catches and two majors.

The return of Mack

Another storyline in this game was the return of Austin Mack. After a stint with the Atlanta Falcons, he returned to the CFL this past week as a member of the Alouettes.

Like his quarterback, Mack seemed rusty with 32 yards on three catches. The connection with his Fajardo wasn’t great and, though he will surely find his rhythm, it wasn’t an easy game for him.

Another classic finish

The CFL delivered some dramatic finishes this weekend and this game was no exception. The Elks had two shots to win it late but Montreal’s defensive coverage was perfect when it mattered.

This isn’t the first time Noel Thorpe’s unit has come up big in the dying seconds of a game to seal the win. The Als have the players to make those important plays.

What’s next?

The Alouettes will have a bye week before returning to action in Vancouver on September 6. The kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. E.T.

Pablo Herrera Vergara
Pablo is a CFL and Alouettes analyst based in Montreal.