Was this the Als’ defining moment?
Rally is ‘something to build on’
Their defence doesn’t appear particularly for midable. Their offence performs in fits and starts. Their shortyardage offence has problems finishing the job, and their kick-returners aren’t generating any positive yards.
The Alouettes are far from the Canadian Football League’s best team three weeks into the regular season, and yet they have a 2-1 record – the only team in the East Division above water, for now.
Whether this heart-stopping, final-minute, comefrom-behind 33-32 victory over the Calgary Stampeders on Thursday night defines Montreal’s season, will better be determined come November, when we see the finished project. But the Als undoubtedly learned something about themselves at Molson Stadium – games are never won or lost until the final gun. And if this one doesn’t build character and some fortitude, this team’s problems run deeper than anyone can imagine.
“This says we’ve got character. Absolutely, it could be a defining moment,” said defensive-back Jerald Brown.
It was Brown’s interception of a Kevin Glenn pass, late in the fourth quarter, that helped propel the Als to this improbable win. Brown stepped in front of a poorlythrown ball for Marquay McDaniel, and might have scored had he continued run- ning straight. But for some reason, Brown cut to his left and fumbled. Teammate Kyries Hebert recovered the ball at the Calgary 1.
It took the Als three plays – and a third-down gamble – before starting quarterback Anthony Calvillo returned to the field, passing three yards to rookie fullback Patrick Lavoie for the touchdown at 14:12. Lavoie, just over the goal-line, caught the ball over his head. It was Montreal’s third TD of the quarter, a 15-minute segment that saw the teams combine for five majors and 34 points.
“It’s just amazing,” said Lavoie, already with t wo touchdowns this season. “It feels great to get the win and to make that touchdown. It was a big throw, and a good throw. He (Calvillo) helped me by putting the ball inside, because there was no space outside.”
While the Als struggled to score that final touchdown, it was good in retrospect, taking additional time off the clock. As it was, the Stamps advanced to the Montreal 46, Nik Lewis taking a knee after catching a five-yard pass from Glenn. Although there clearly was one second remaining when Lewis made his gesture, he had not been downed by contact, and the game ended before the visitors could punt for a single or attempt a game-winning 53-yard field goal.
“Our defence made a stop at the right time, just outside field-goal range,” said Als head coach Marc Trestman, who recorded his 50th career regular-season win in his fifth season. “It was exciting. Our defence was on the field at the end and made the stop. That’s exciting and something to build on.”
The Als became the first team this season to record a victory when trailing after three quarters. They also became the first team to salvage a win in the game’s final three minutes.
Amid all the things the Als failed to accomplish against Calgary, they succeeded on two of their most important mandates. They didn’t allow Stamps kick-returner Larry Taylor to beat them single-handedly, and neutralized receiver Lewis, who has made a career of physically mandhandling Montreal defenders.
Taylor, who produced 441 all-purpose yards against Toronto last Saturday, returned seven kickoffs for 152 against the Als – none longer than 28 yards. And he generated only 46 yards on seven punt returns.
Lewis caught six passes for 64 yards, none longer than 17 yards.
“I knew how important it was to stop Larry Taylor,” Hebert said. “The special teams units did a great job of stepping up to the challenge. This was a great character win. It shows who we are, in all three phases. One unit stepped up when the other was down.
“This was the first step to believing we can do it.”
Calvillo, while not as productive as the week before, against Winnipeg, nonetheless threw for 325 yards and three touchdowns against Calgary. And he did so while taking a pounding, sacked four times.
“What can you say about A.C.? That was a courageous, courageous performance,” Trestman said. “He took a number of hits of all kinds, and was on the ground a lot.”