Photo: Pascal Ratthe/Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes returned to action on Saturday afternoon after their second bye week of the season with four starters back in the lineup, but still without franchise quarterback Davis Alexander. James Morgan couldn’t get anything going on offence, and the Als got dominated 26-9.
Below are my thoughts on the game.
James Morgan and the offence’s nightmare performance
With Davis Alexander still limited this week at practice, James Morgan got his second start with the Als. His extra film study and practice didn’t pay off, as he couldn’t get the offence moving with his arm. His afternoon was a living nightmare, as he finished 17-of-27 for 138 yards, one interception and two fumbles. It must be said that the conditions weren’t optimal with heavy rain falling in Montreal, but regardless, it just wasn’t good enough from the 28-year-old.
“It starts with me,” he said after the game. “I gotta play better obviously. You just gotta look yourself in the mirror and say, ‘What could I have done better?’ I thought our entire team had good prep.”
Head coach Jason Maas also didn’t have an explanation for the poor performance from his quarterback, while insisting that his team had a good week of practice.
The main issue for the Als on Saturday afternoon was the second-down conversion rate. Montreal only converted eight of their 21 opportunities, including three in the dying minutes when the game was already sealed.
As Maas pointed out, the Als found themselves in second-and-manageable for most of the game. The run game was effective on first down, but Morgan couldn’t find his receivers on second down, which squandered all possible chances of gaining momentum.
Strategy and execution were the two leading causes. As Tyson Philpot pointed out after the game, the receivers need to step up and make tough catches regardless of the conditions. It didn’t happen as Morgan didn’t get the help needed at crucial times. Philpot and Rambo both dropped passes that could have led to first downs.
But it’s deeper than that. The receivers need to win more one-on-one matchups, especially on long routes with a backup quarterback. Morgan wanted to throw the ball deep, but couldn’t find any open receiver from his perspective. With the low amount of reps he has had with the starting receiving core, he is still not fully able to anticipate his receivers’ movements. He needs to see them open more often. It didn’t happen on Saturday.
Maas is also to blame for his offence’s struggles. He wasn’t creative enough in his play-calling on second down. With Philpot back in the lineup, he could have used his speed for jet sweeps or quick out passes to stretch the defensive line. He could have also used Charleston Rambo and Philpot’s speed for designed quarterback rollouts and throws in the deep zones, especially considering Morgan’s arm strength. Finally, he could have called more passes on first down. Yes, the run game was working, but with Morgan’s passing struggles, he could have given him more chances to get into a rhythm.
“I’ll look at everything,” Maas said after the game when he got asked if his offence had become too predictable. “If we have, I will try to analyze the best that I can. When I watch the film, do I believe there are schematic things we’re not executing? Yes, absolutely. Do I think we can do it better? No question. But to say it’s just about predictability is an easy thing to say. Execution is always what you need.”
Two-sided defence
Defensively, there are two tales to tell. In the first, the Als’ defence forced two turnovers and only allowed two touchdowns in the game, including one where the Tiger-Cats took over at Montreal’s two-yard line. This view is a positive one as Noel Thorpe’s typical defence bent but didn’t break. With 26 points allowed, you should be able to beat an opponent.
However, in the second story, the Als’ defence was once again dominated on the ground, this time by Greg Bell. He finished the game with 156 yards in 20 carries. He was almost untouched for the first three or four yards, which allowed him to take off for big gains. The defensive line got dominated, and the linebackers had to intervene in almost every run.
As a team, Hamilton accumulated 234 yards on the ground, which tilted the field positioning and gave momentum to the visitors.
Noel Thorpe’s unit also struggled to force two-and-outs and capitalize on opportunities to flip the field position. The best example came in the middle of the first quarter. Hamilton started the drive at their three-yard line. Bo Levi Mitchell quickly connected with Kenny Lawler for a big gain of 19 yards. The visitors were out of trouble quickly.
Most of the salary cap is allocated to the defence. The defensive line that the Als put on the field Saturday was the one Danny Maciocia dreamed about during the offseason. There are almost no injuries in the secondary, so the whole unit needs to step up and lead the team, like it did in 2023 when the Als won the Grey Cup.
Where is “Alouette football”?
The Als often use the term “Alouette football” to describe the way they need to play to have success week after week. They define it as hard, fast, physical football where they take control of games and can rely on the 45 players on the roster.
For me, “Alouette football” is, first and foremost, complementary football. When the Als had their hot streak to start the year, all units were performing together. When one made a mistake, the other was there to make a big play and regain momentum. Currently, I see three units that are either struggling or not experiencing success in conjunction, which is concerning.
The best example was the end of the first half, as well as the beginning of the second. After Hamilton’s first touchdown of the game, James Letcher Jr. had a long return that set up the Als for a field goal as time was expiring before halftime. It could have been a turning point in the game, especially since the Als were set to receive the second-half kickoff. What did the offence do on that drive after the break? Two-and-out. That’s not how you win games.
Davis Alexander’s eventual return will help, but the Als will still need to work as a team to have success.
Feeling the heat
For the first time since 2023, the Als are facing pressure in the standings. The CFL is crazy, and both crossovers are still technically possible, as is the Als losing second place in the East Division standings.
Although Maas never commits to saying a regular-season game is more important than another, this loss against Hamilton will hurt and put pressure on the team. Instead of being tied for first place, Montreal is now four points behind the Ticats without the tie-breaker and only two points in front of Ottawa and Toronto.
This collapse can’t continue for too long, or the Als might be in danger of missing the playoffs, something that didn’t seem possible five weeks ago.
Burns shines
In the loss, cornerback Lorenzo Burns shone for the Als. He has had tough games this year, but on Saturday afternoon, he made his presence felt with a fumble recovery and an interception.
However, it didn’t start well for him. Before the first defensive snap of the game, he arrived late on the field, and one of his shoes fell off. He had to put a knee down and leave. Arthur Hamlin arrived in panic, and Montreal was forced to change its formation. Whether it was planned beforehand or not, Hamilton took advantage of the confusion with Kenny Lawler making a 43-yard catch on the first play.
Thorpe was visibly upset, and Burns had to stay on the sidelines for three plays. Once he came back on the field, he recovered a fumble on the very next play. It made up for his mistake.
What’s next?
The Als will head to Regina to face the Saskatchewan Roughriders next Saturday. The kickoff is slated for 7:00 p.m. EDT