Jul
Als blow away Eskimos in home opener
Courtesy Montreal Gazette:
Raise your hands, all those of you who expected the Alouettes to hold the high-powered Edmonton Eskimos’ offence and Ricky Ray to only touchdown?
Ray, one of the Canadian Football League’s premier quarterbacks, required a road map to find Montreal’s end zone. The Als prevailed, 50- 16, in their home opener last night before the customary 20,202 spectators at Molson Stadium. The game was a rematch of last November’s East Division final, won by Montreal.
On this night, the Eskimos failed to score a touchdown until the game’s final moments – after Ray had been replaced by Jason Maas. Arkee Whitlock scored on a one-yard run.
The final margin was deceiving; the Als scoring 31 consecutive fourth- quarter points.
The Als remain perfect this season, improving to 2-0. It also marked their second consecutive victory against a West Division opponent. The Eskimos are now 1-1. Edmonton had won its last five Thursday evening games but has failed to beat the Als in a Montreal home opener since 1968.
For the second consecutive game, the Als scored on their opening possession. A six-play, 79-yard drive culminated in a 28-yard touchdown pass to Kerry Watkins, who beat cornerback Jonte Buhl on the play at 3:32.
The Als squandered an excellent opportunity to go ahead 14-0. Ray fumbled on the next play, after being hit by John Bowman. The ball was recovered by Keron Williams at the Edmonton 11. But Montreal was called for intentional grounding on the series and Damon Duval missed a 37-yard field goal to the left for a single point.
Montreal finally produced its second touchdown of the game just before haltime – a four-play, 60-yard drive that ended with Calvillo’s four-yard run up the middle. The score was set up by a 26-yard pass to Watkins.
The Als failed to find the end zone again until early in the fourth quarter. A six-play, 71-yard drive was capped by a 21-yard touchdown pass to S.J. Green, filling in for the injured Jamel Richardson. Larry Taylor also scored on a 68-yard punt return eight minutes into the quarter. Avon Cobourne scored on a one-yard run at 12:27, while backup linebacker Cory Huclack intercepted Maas’s pass, returning it 38 yards for a touchdown at 12:58. It was Huclack’s first career score.
Duval kicked a pair of field goals, from 11 and 24 yards, but also missed a 40-yard attempt. The miscues were his first this season after making all six attempts against the Stampeders.
Noel Prefontaine accounted for the remainder of Edmonton’s scoring, kicking field goals from 22, 15 and 14 yards. Numerous Montreal defenders stood out, led by Keron Williams and Anwar Stewart. Williams had two sacks and a pair of fumble recoveries while Stewart forced a fumble and had a quarterback sack.
The Als’ next game is July 18, at Saskatchewan.
