There have been some crazy miracles in the long history of Percival-Molson Stadium but October 25, 2024, will be remembered for a very long time. The Montreal Alouettes dropped a close game 28-27 to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers but the fashion in which they lost left everybody speechless.
Below are my thoughts on the game.
The football gods against the Als
The Alouettes were set to punt the ball deep into Winnipeg’s territory with 16 seconds remaining and a 27-25 lead. They were poised for victory before a strong gust of wind came out of nowhere and completely changed the outcome of the game.
Joseph Zema’s punt was carried out of bounds at the Montreal 44-yard line, representing just a 21-yard field position flip. Already in field goal range, the Bombers had an unexpected chance to win the game and the West Division. Sergio Castillo didn’t.
“I’ve never seen anything like that, but sometimes it’s just the way it goes,” Zema told the media after the game.
“It was a gift from the gods,” added head coach Jason Maas.
I was on the sidelines when that happened and I have never seen anything like it. Even crazier, the wind stopped immediately after Zema missed his punt and a light rain started.
Reassuring performance for Fajardo
Cody Fajardo wanted to re-establish his rhythm before the playoffs and that’s exactly what he did on Saturday afternoon.
It was a reassuring performance for anyone concerned about his recent play, with 16 of his 20 passes completed for 171 yards and a touchdown in nearly three quarters of action. Besides his excellent completion percentage, he exploited the Winnipeg defence with short passes and was also able to stretch the field when he needed to.
Fajardo completed a long pass to Cole Spieker that opened things up for the Als at the beginning of the third quarter. It’s the kind of throw he wasn’t making consistently in the last few games.
The veteran QB got his wish to play more than a half granted by his head coach, who was satisfied with the results.
“I liked that he battled,” Maas said. “The beginning wasn’t as good as the end, but he stayed the course.”
Dominant offensive line
Dominant hasn’t been a word I’ve used to describe the offensive line performance over the last two years. However, the unit was ready to go Saturday and offered their best performance of the season facing one of the greatest defensive lines of the CFL.
They did it without Jamar McGloster, the right tackle, who couldn’t dress due to a hand injury. Donald Ventrelli subbed in and did a very good job lining up against Willie Jefferson for most of the game.
Fajardo and Davis Alexander had the necessary time to deliver the ball, and the running backs had space to run through the middle. Sean Thomas-Erlington had a big 30-yard run because the offensive linemen won their battles and created a lane for him.
I’ve been critical of the big boys up front throughout the season but in this game, they showed encouraging signs heading into the playoffs.
The return of the good old Als
As a whole, the Als played their best game in a long time. They acted like they had something to play for and that’s encouraging for November 9.
The poor level of execution has been worrying over the last few weeks. Although the games didn’t matter for the standings, they mattered for momentum and the Als had none coming into Saturday’s game.
This week, all three phases battled head-to-head with the Bombers, who were desperate for the win. They didn’t win, but they have a lot of good things to build on.
Maas had a quick response when asked if the performance reassuring for the team.
“Look, I will say this: I know nobody has confidence in us because of the last six weeks. If I’d asked you who you would bet on, it wouldn’t be us. We’re the ones in here that believe, that one percent”.
Defensive issues
Defensively, it was a tale of two halves. The first one was a signature Noel Thorpe performance with some yardage allowed but just nine points allowed. The second looked like the previous games, where the Als secondary was exploited.
At the beginning of the season, few teams attempted deep shots against Montreal for two reasons: the blitz was getting to the quarterback or the coverage was almost perfect. That wasn’t the case in the second half of the year and this is not the first time I’ve said this.
The defensive linemen aren’t winning one-on-one battles and neither are the defensive backs when extra pressure is brought. Teams anticipate the blitz and any respect they had for the Als secondary is gone. That must be addressed by Thorpe before the East Final, especially if it’s the Argos coming to town.
Still waiting
Joining a CFL team mid-season after an NFL training camp and having an immediate impact is not an easy task. Nathan Rourke’s struggles in B.C. prove that and Austin Mack and Lwal Uguak haven’t been at the top of their game for the Als either.
Both have worked through injuries, which hasn’t helped them be as dominant as they were last year, especially in the Grey Cup game. On Saturday, Austin Mack had three catches for 21 yards, and Lwal Uguak had only one tackle.
If the Als want to run the table once again this year, they will need both players to be more involved. The good news is they’ll have an extra week to rest before the playoffs.
What’s next?
The best time of the year is coming as the Als will host an East Final for the first time since 2012 on Saturday, November 9. The kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. EDT and the opponent will be determined next week in Toronto.
