Stunning finish to Argo season
Alouettes 33 Argonauts 17 Turnovers costly as Alouettes rally Montreal vs. Edmonton in Grey Cup
After 21 outstanding seasons in the CFL, Damon Allen will likely be rewarded with his first outstanding player award Thursday night in Vancouver.
That will be small comfort for the 42- year- old Argonaut quarterback. The prize he really sought was a second consecutive Grey Cup and the fifth of his lengthy career.
That opportunity was lost in a sea of turnovers when the Montreal Alouettes thrashed the defending champions 33- 17 to disappoint all but a handful of the huge gathering of 44,211 at the Rogers Centre yesterday. The Alouettes will face the Edmonton Eskimos for the third time in four years in the Grey Cup game next Sunday at B. C. Place Stadium. The Eskimos gained the right to represent the West in the annual November battle for Earl Grey’s goblet when they defeated the B. C. Lions 28- 23 yesterday in Vancouver. With the victory the Als were able to vindicate last year’s loss to the Boatmen in the East final. The Argos opened the game as if they would rout the Als in the same fashion as they did in the final regular- season game when they beat the Als 59- 23 at Olympic Stadium.
Allen led the Argos on a 10play, 83- yard drive that ended with his own one- yard dive into the end zone. Later in the opening quarter he hit R. Jay Soward with a 43- yard touchdown toss and it became 14- 0. Soward showboated after his touchdown, racing into a crowd of fans sitting behind the end zone and emerging with a bag of popcorn, which he shared with fellow receiver Robert Baker as they ran back to the team bench. Most of the Alouette players insisted they didn’t see the popcorn caper and the few who did said it didn’t serve as a motivating factor in their comeback.
“ I hope he’s eating that popcorn right now,” said defensive tackle Ed Philion. “ And I hope he’s got butter on it.” The real motivating factor was Alouette cornerback Reggie Durden’s interception late in the second quarter that prevented the Argos from increasing their lead. The Als disguised a blitz, which caused Allen to release his pass earlier than he wanted and his intended target, Soward, failed to cut short his route.
That enabled Durden to step in front of Soward to pick off the toss and return it 58 yards. While the Als weren’t able to pick up any points off the interception it prevented the Argos from adding to their total.
It also started an avalanche of six Argo turnovers that ultimately cost them the game. “We said there were several things we had to do,” said Argo head coach Michael Clemons.
“ First we said he had to play great defence. Secondly we said we had to win the turnover battle; we had to secure the football and that’s where we fell short.
“ Turning over the ball cost us. You can’t win against a good football team when you turn the ball over that many times.”
Besides the two interceptions he gave up, Allen was also charged with a fumble.
Kick returner Bashir Levingston also lost the ball twice on fumbles as did receiver Tony Miles, but his came well after the outcome was determined. Montreal head coach Don Matthews said the fact his team did not give the ball away was a huge factor in the victory.
“ In a game like that every mistake is magnified,” he said. “ I’ve been to this dance before and realize it takes 60 minutes to win a football game.”
Allen, who sat in his cubicle in the locker room long after the game still wearing his full equipment and disappointment clearly etched on his face, said the loss hurt especially because of the turnovers.
“ Our turnovers really put our defence in a hole,” he said. “Right after leaving the field they had to come back onto the field, again.”
Allen admitted going to Vancouver, but not participating in the Grey Cup game, will take the lustre off the outstanding player award, should he win it.
“ Ultimately you want to play in the Grey Cup,” he said. “ That’s what we work for and sacrifice our bodies for. So if you’re not in the big game it’s tough.” The Als appeared to be in trouble when all- star running back Robert Edwards was knocked out of the game late in the second quarter with injured ribs.
However, Canadian Eric Lapointe came to the forefront, carrying the ball 15 times in the second half for 112 yards and three touchdowns.
“ I’ve always said Eric could be a featured back,” said Matthews. “ He’s played behind some unbelievable backs here and he’s playing behind an unbelievable back in Rob Edwards. But when he’s called upon he always stands out.”