Bombers take advantage of Alouettes’ mistakes
WINNIPEG — The Montreal Alouettes arguably deserved a better fate on Friday night. Then again, when you allow a pick-six touchdown along with a blocked punt for a score, there could be no empathy for them.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers outlasted Montreal, producing a 25-23 victory at Investors Group Field.
Montreal’s record is now 1-2 heading into a game at Molson Stadium next Thursday against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The Bombers improved to 2-1.
The Als’ defence began the game by forcing the Bombers to go two and out following a 10-yard quarterback sack by defensive-tackle Corvey Irvin. Als quarterback Rakeem Cato then started to fashion an impressive drive from the Winnipeg 49. He passed 11 yards to Fred Stamps and found Alex Charette for an eight-yard gain to the Winnipeg 24.
On the next play, Cato threw a bad pass that was intercepted by Chris Randle at the Bombers’ eight-yard line, thwarting a potential scoring drive.
The Bombers then moved the ball down the field before Lirim Hajrullahu kicked a 52-yard field goal to open the scoring. Winnipeg quarterback Drew Willy took advantage of a Montreal blitz to hook up with Clarence Denmark for a 41-yard gain to the Als’ 16. But the defence held tough from there and the Bombers were forced to settle for a 21-yard field goal and a 6-0 advantage.
But then Cato passed 15 yards to Stamps. Two plays later, he connected with S.J. Green for a 26-yard gain to the Winnipeg 30. Another pass to Cody Hoffman generated 11 yards but the Als couldn’t advance the ball beyond the Bombers’ 15-yard line.
Boris Bede kicked a 22yard field goal early in the second quarter to get Montreal its first points.
On the Als’ next possession, Cato stared Green down on a passing play, making it obvious where the ball was headed. Green was tripped on the play. The ball was intercepted by Johnny Adams, who returned it 40 yards for a touchdown, increasing the lead to 12-3. The point-after attempt was unsuccessful.
Montreal’s next series began with a 15-yard pass to Samuel Giguere. Three plays later, Green was wide open down the middle for a 51-yard gain to the Winnipeg two-yard line.
The Als struggled to get into the end zone from there thanks to a dropped pass by Green and a time-count violation against the visitors.
A pass play in the end zone for Hoffman was incomplete, but the Bombers were called for pass interference, the penalty against Demond Washington.
Hoffman was injured on the play.
Two plays later, Brandon Bridge scored on a short run but the touchdown was nullified by a procedure penalty against the Als.
Eventually, two plays later, tailback Tyrell Sutton scored on a four-yard run, making the score 12-10 for the Bombers.
Late in the half the Als were penned deep in their own territory and then were guilty of a blaring mistake.
Bede’s punt was blocked by Lin-J Shell and recovered in the end zone by Teague Sherman for a potential momentum-swinging touchdown. Charette appeared to miss the block and Marc-Olivier Brouillette couldn’t recover in time.
It gave the Bombers a 19-10 lead at the intermission.
The Als began the second half with an impressive drive, thanks to a 35-yard pass to Green. But after Charette dropped a pass in the end zone, Montreal settled for Bede’s 22-yard field goal.
Hajrullahu’s 25-yard field goal at 13:29 gave Winnipeg a 22-13 lead.
But the Als completed the half impressively, Cato connecting with Green for a 43-yard gain. Following a pair of seven-yard passes to Stefan Logan, Cato began the fourth quarter with a 10yard run.
On the next play, Sutton scored on an eight-yard run at 55 seconds, pulling the Als to within two points, 22-20. Hajrullahu kicked a 34-yard field goal at 4:53 before Bede connected from 38 yards at 12:11.