Eskimos win, Manziel’s fans lose
‘I won’t be answering any questions about Johnny Manziel,’ QB says
ESKIMOS 44, ALOUETTES 23
At least Vernon Adams knows the incredible odds he’ll be facing for as long as he remains the Alouettes’ starting quarterback — which, given the itchy trigger finger of head coach Mike Sherman, might last only one game.
Adams, who started a game for the first time in more than a year, led the Als to 23 points Thursday night — equalling the team’s most productive night this season. And from midway though the second quarter, for what seemed like every time Adams ran onto the field, he heard the Molson Stadium spectators braying for Johnny Manziel, acquired Sunday night in a blockbuster trade from the Hamilton TigerCats.
“I won’t be answering any questions about Johnny Manziel,” Adams proclaimed to a phalanx of reporters crowded around his dressing-room stall — coincidentally with Manziel, the former Heisman Trophy winner and former first-round draft choice of the Cleveland Browns, changing right next to him.
Adams, in his second stint with Montreal after being released by the Ticats in late June, showed some spunk, creativity and imagination. He completed 15 of 28 passes for 217 yards while also throwing an interception.
Predictably, it wasn’t nearly enough against the Edmonton Eskimos on a night when the defence imploded during this 44-23 defeat.
Manziel didn’t get on the field for one play, and the team, justifiably, failed to make him available to the media. Why talk to a player who didn’t play?
“I didn’t want to jeopardize his career by putting him in there with one practice,” Sherman said. “In my mind, there was a 20 per cent chance that he would play.”
Instead, with both Drew Willy and Matt Shiltz injured, Sherman tapped Adams on the shoulder. And Adams certainly had his moments. He was able to move the pocket effectively at times, his mobility coming in handy, as he gained 72 yards on eight carries.
But he also seemed ill-prepared for the Eskimos’ frequent blitzes, and was sacked six times. It didn’t help Adams that his receivers were guilty of some dropped passes. As well, Boris Bede missed three field goals, all at the same end of the stadium, although one struck the left upright.
Sherman was also guilty of bad clock management at the end of the first half, depriving his team of a field-goal attempt.
“I made a few mistakes out there but, as a team, I felt like we fought hard,” said Adams, who led the Als to a 2016 season-ending three-game winning streak, something no other Montreal quarterback has accomplished since.
“We had some drops, I threw an interception and there were some missed field goals. We can’t have that playing against a great Edmonton team.”
The Als scored on their opening possession, Adams lead- ing the team on an eight-play, 77-yard touchdown drive that culminated in his one-yard scoring play fewer than seven minutes into the game. And, after Bede kicked a field goal on the opening play of the second quarter, extending Montreal’s lead to 10-3, it seemed there might be the makings of an upset.
But, of course, it wasn’t to be. Nonetheless, Adams might have displayed more grit and potential than any of his peers this season.
“That’s my game. I can extend the play,” Adams said. “I just need to make some better throws, be more cautious with the ball, don’t take those sacks.”
Adams said the blitzes surprised him occasionally, but he claimed he and the offence saw it when they studied the Eskimos’ game film. “That’s my bad. I need to get it out to my hot receiver,” he said.
The Als lost their third successive game and are still seeking their first win at home. Montreal has completed one-third of its schedule with a 1-5 record, putting it on pace for a second consecutive abysmal 3-15 mark unless things begin to drastically change.
And they’re almost certain to plod ahead without field cornerback Mitch White, who suffered what appeared to be a serious injury late in the fourth quarter, halting the game for several minutes before he was removed on a stretcher. Fortunately, White was moving his arms and legs, and was talking, before he was transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital.
“I thought (Adams) went out there confident. He did what he could today,” said receiver Eugene Lewis, who caught three passes for 54 yards. “We trust Vernon. We know he’s able to extend plays.
“As a receiver, drops are unacceptable. Wherever the ball is, we’ve got to make it happen. But I think there was a lot more excitement in our offence. The plays were being extended with him getting out of the pocket. He definitely gives us some rejuvenation.”
Eskimos quarterback Mike Reilly, the Canadian Football League’s outstanding player last season, picked the Als’ defence apart, completing 24 of 32 passes for 415 yards and four touchdowns. Somewhat predictably, Duke Williams, the league’s leading receiver, caught four for 116 yards with two touchdowns.
Montreal’s tackling was shoddy, to say the least.
“Too many mistakes,” middlelinebacker Henoc Muamba admitted. “Missed tackles, little things. Everyone kind of had their turns (making mistakes). We just chose a bad time to do it, at crucial points. They also made some really good plays.”
The Als now prepare to entertain the Tiger-Cats on Aug. 3. And the burning question throughout the week will be whether Manziel gets the starting assignment.