MIDWAY THROUGH CFL SEASON, ALOUETTES STILL SEEK IDENTITY
Every pro sports team enters a new season with unbridled optimism — and the Alouettes were no different after finishing second in the East Division and reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
But that was in 2019, and that 10-8 record easily could have been 8-10 if not for remarkable victories at Calgary and against Winnipeg as Montreal overcame huge deficits. The margin between success and failure was that thin.
In other words, following a season away from the field — the 2020 CFL campaign was cancelled due to COVID -19 — there was no certainty what to expect from this team. And midway through its 14-game schedule, we're still no closer to a conclusion.
The Als have been good at times; not so much at others. With a 3-4 record, many believe the club has underachieved, while head coach Khari Jones said the team has yet to find its identity.
“I still think we're figuring it out, our identity,” he said Friday. “You hope you find it a little earlier. This is an interesting season for that. You're trying to make sure you have all the pieces in place in the right way. I feel like we're getting there. We'll see as we go along.”
Here are some random thoughts with seven games remaining:
Vernon Adams Jr. has the ■ talent to become a great starting quarterback. He has passed for nearly 1,800 yards and a league-leading 13 touchdowns. The eight interceptions — six in the last three games — are a cause of concern, especially on a team where the margin of error is thin. And Adams invariably gets pilfered when the Als are in scoring position, often attempting a low-percentage pass or making a poor decision.
But it's Adams' off-field behaviour and his occasional battles with the media that are more concerning. Nobody said Adams had to be friends with the fifth estate, but his comportment needs improvement. As he continues to grow as a leader, the 28-year-old must find a better way to deal with criticism.
One thing's certain — this team will only go as far as Adams takes them.
If there's one player who ■ hasn't missed a beat, it's tailback William Stanback. Despite being released by the Las Vegas Raiders last summer — and following the deaths of his parents within nine days — Stanback leads the CFL in rushing and doesn't hide the fact he's happy being back in Montreal.
He's the same powerful, downhill runner we saw in 2019 — the most dominant tailback this team has had since Mike Pringle.
Other players who continue to excel are receiver Jake Wieneke and defensive-tackle Woody Baron. Wieneke makes all the difficult catches and scores touchdowns. He has caught 33 passes for 545 yards along with a league-leading six TDS. Baron has a team-leading four quarterback sacks and forced one fumble.
We didn't know what to make ■ of the offensive line. Position coach Luc Brodeur-jourdain is in his first full season handling the unit alone — one that had Sean Jamieson playing centre for the first time in his career. We didn't know if Philippe Gagnon was ready to become the starting left guard and were uncertain about Landon Rice at right tackle.
But the Als have allowed only 10 sacks through seven games. Compare that to Hamilton, which has surrendered 27 and gone through three quarterbacks. While Adams's mobility helps, the starting five are sound.
Another potential area of concern ■ was the kicking game following the departure to Toronto of Boris Bede, who handled all the duties.
Montreal decided to go with two kickers, burning a potential roster spot, as have other CFL teams.
Global punter Joseph Zema, an Australian native, is averaging a respectable 46.4 yards — generally booming his kicks with tremendous hang time. Rookie placekicker David Côté had made 18 of 23 attempts (78.3 per cent), including a longest of 49 yards. That could be higher, but he also was victimized twice by errant holds, since rectified by switching to backup QB Matthew Shiltz.
What remains to be seen is whether Côté can connect, not only from beyond 50 yards but with the game on the line. That will speak volumes about his potential.
General manager Danny ■ Maciocia realized the Als' defence had to be overhauled and spent heavily in free agency, adding tackles Almondo Sewell and Michael Wakefield, end Nick Usher, cornerback Tyquwan Glass, defensive-back Monshadrick Hunter and reacquiring linebacker Chris Ackie.
Seven games in, the defence has allowed an average of 24.3 points. That's simply not good enough. There are moments when they limit the damage, but not nearly enough of them. And many of the 74 penalties for 759 yards have been on the defence.
As much as the Als' fortunes rest on Adams, defence wins championships.
The Als have been outscored ■ 36-24 in the first quarter and held without a point in four of seven games. We're not sure why they start slow. And we're not sure what transpires at halftime, because the team has been outscored 23-17 in the third quarter — again held without a point in four games. Only in the second quarter has Montreal outscored its opposition.