On a rainy Monday afternoon at Percival Molson Stadium, the Montreal Alouettes looked to start to build momentum heading towards the playoffs.
Although the weather conditions didn’t allow either team to be at their best, the Als revealed new feathers in a 19-12 win over the Ottawa Redblacks. Below are my thoughts on the game.
Davis Alexander in the mix
Cody Fajardo sat out this week after he and his wife welcomed a baby boy on Oct. 9, giving Davis Alexander the chance to show why he can be considered Montreal’s future franchise quarterback.
The 25-year-old’s statistics weren’t flashy — he completed 14-of-24 pass attempts for 208 yards and an interception — but he impressed on other levels, refusing to back down when Ottawa’s defence tried to throw him off his game physically.
Bennett Williams and Money Hunter both laid vicious hits on Alexander but he responded in the best way possible, continuing to make great runs to avoid pressure. He engaged in some heated discussions with Ottawa’s defenders but avoided taking any penalties after the whistle — unlike the Redblacks.
Alexander appeared to energize his teammates with his physical running, though he needs to be careful to not do too much. If he wants a shot at the starting quarterback position next year, he needs to stay healthy to do it.
General manager Danny Maciocia will have some tough decisions to make after the season. It certainly feels like Alexander will be in the mix for the starting quarterback job but Maciocia must extend him first. The quarterback might also want to look at other options around the league.
Staying disciplined
Teams must stay disciplined to make a deep run in the playoffs, no matter what the opposing team does. The Alouettes showed they can thrive in that context even when opponents are crossing the line.
The visitors were highly undisciplined on Monday, taking 12 penalties for 122 yards. The Als kept their cool, taking only seven penalties for 59 yards. That made a big difference in the game’s result, as the Redblacks shot themselves in the foot multiple times, allowing Alouettes to keep their drives alive.
Finding a way
The Alouettes haven’t played their best football lately, having won only one of their previous four games coming into this matchup.
Jason Maas’ team didn’t finish strongly in the three recent contests it failed to win. Montreal changed that on Monday afternoon as the defence stood tall when the Redblacks attempted a comeback.
It never felt like the visitors were going to come out victorious in this one and it’s that type of confidence the Alouettes need to carry from now to the end of the season.
An unexpected impact
When Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund was signed by the Als last winter, nobody expected an impact as significant as the one he’s having right now.
On Monday afternoon, the 28-year-old added two sacks to his season total along with five total tackles. He disturbed Jeremiah Masoli all game long and finally brought him down twice near the end of the game.
This signing was one of many great moves made by Maciocia over the last few seasons. The native of Dartmouth, N.S. will be one of the keys to the defence’s success come playoff time.
Special teams keep rolling
A reassuring trend for fans in Montreal is the performance of special teams in the second half of the season. Jose Maltos keeps being steady, the punt coverage is on point, and James Letcher Jr. keeps getting big returns, no matter the opponent.
This remained the case on Monday as Antonio Moultrie blocked a field goal that would have tied the game at 3-3.
Special teams will be needed come playoff time to provide a spark — especially for the offence — and Byron Archambault’s unit seems ready to deliver.
What’s next?
The Alouettes (12-3-1) will face the B.C. Lions (8-9) next Saturday at BC Place with kickoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EDT.