Alouettes face off against negativity
B.C. Lions aren’t the only opponent Montreal has to beat in Vancouver this week
MONTREAL— The Montreal Alouettes want to leave the negativity behind when they fly to Vancouver to face the B.C. Lions this week.
That includes their 2-5 record, a three-game losing streak, criticism of offensive co-ordinator Turk Schonert over play calling, the departure of celebrity rush end Michael Sam to deal with mental issues, and the benching of popular defensive end John Bowman.
“About negativity, we actually talked about it,” coach Tom Higgins said Tuesday. “You have the opportunity to read or listen to it and allow it to affect you or not affect you.
“All we have to do is get a victory and all of sudden things turn around and everything’s good again.”
Pulling out a victory at B.C. Place, where the Alouettes face the Lions on Thursday night, would be a rare feat indeed.
Montreal has one victory since 2000 in Vancouver, and that was in 2010 when the Lions played at Empire Field because B.C. Place was being renovated. They are 0-13 in that span in the Lions’ regular home, including a 41-5 defeat last season.
The Lions will be testy coming off a 55-22 blowout loss in Hamilton, in which linebacker Solomon Elimimian, last season’s CFL outstanding player and outstanding defensive player, injured an Achilles tendon and was put on the six-game injured list.
Frustration has been building among the Alouettes, who could easily be 5-2 if not for some disastrous errors at key times.
“The feeling on the team is that it’s a new week,” offensive tackle Josh Bourke said.
“We know we’ve got to start winning ball games is what it boils down to.”
Higgins and the players feel it is a question of bearing down and playing smarter and tougher when they get in scoring range. In one loss, Cato threw two interceptions in the red zone. In another instance, since-cut receiver Dobson Collins was stripped of the ball a yard from the end zone.
“It just seems we’re shooting ourselves in the foot,” Bourke. said
The Alouettes defence has been solid as ever, but their offence is last in the nine-team league in touchdowns (11), passing touchdowns (7), first downs (127) and passes completed (129). They are second to last in points scored (142), ahead of Ottawa (134).