(Picture credit score: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports activities)
It comes with a caveat hooked up to it, however the Montreal Alouettes’ current string of defensive domination is quite spectacular.
Because it prepares for a Saturday street date with the Edmonton Elks, Montreal (9-7) has received three straight, permitting solely 29 factors in that span. In Monday’s 29-3 rout of Ottawa, the Alouettes notched their eighth defensive landing of the 12 months on Tyrice Beverette’s 35-yard fumble return within the fourth quarter.
“That is fairly particular, what these guys have been capable of accomplish,” first-year Montreal coach Jason Maas stated of the protection. “It is enormous. It blows video games open, clearly. Factors are factors. It does not matter the way you get them.”
The one qualifier to the Als’ present stretch of nice protection is that the three wins have been on the expense of 4-12 Ottawa (twice) and 4-11 Calgary. In actual fact, Montreal is 0-7 in opposition to the highest three groups within the league (Winnipeg, B.C. and Toronto) and 9-0 in opposition to everybody else.
If the Alouettes proceed their development of beating up on the weak groups this week, it is going to permit them to clinch home-field benefit for an East Division playoff sport on Nov. 4 in opposition to Hamilton. They lead the Tiger-Cats by one sport with two video games left however have the tiebreaker by advantage of profitable the season sequence.
As for the Elks (4-12), they’re merely fulfilling contractual obligation, their playoff hopes having expired final week after a 35-12 loss in Toronto put them two video games behind Saskatchewan with two video games left and the tiebreakers in opposition to them.
Edmonton moved the ball nicely at instances as quarterback Tre Ford threw for 220 yards and ran for 47. However he additionally tossed a expensive pick-six within the third quarter.
“I assumed we had alternatives at present however we simply got here out within the second half and did not do nicely,” Ford stated. “And plenty of that began with me as a quarterback. I simply do not assume our offense executed at a excessive sufficient degree.
“I threw a pick-six, which clearly does not assist once you’re attempting to win soccer video games. So plenty of it is on me.”
That is the groups’ solely assembly of the 12 months.
