Sep
Als blow out Bombers 33-14
Courtesy Montreal Gazette:
The Alouettes continue being powered by their defence while their offence performs sporadically and searches for an identity.
Montreal allowed an early Winnipeg touchdown Sunday afternoon at Molson Stadium, and then kept the Blue Bombers off the scoreboard until early in the fourth quarter. The result was a methodical 33-14 victory before the usual capacity crowd of 20,202.
The Als remain undefeated at home in six games this season and improved their East Division-leading record to 9-2 heading into Friday night’s game at Hamilton against the 6-5 Tiger-Cats, the only divisional rival within breathing range of Montreal.
The Bombers, meanwhile, are now 3-8 and lost for the 15th time in 19 games at Montreal.
Winnipeg running back Fred Reid opened the scoring with a four-yard touchdown run barely more than six minutes into the game. The score came following a 33-yard pass to newcomer Dudley Guice. But otherwise Reid, who required 92 yards to reach 1,000 for the season, proved to be a non-factor.
The Als started slowly on offence. Damon Duval kicked a 64-yard punt single at 8:47 of the first quarter and then added a 27-yard field goal after John Bowman sacked quarterback Michael Bishop and recovered the fumble.
Montreal finally scored its first touchdown near the end of the opening quarter, marching 67 yards on four plays, capped by a 20-yard pass from Anthony Calvillo to Avon Cobourne at 14:43.
The Als scored their second touchdown just before halftime on a one-yard run by Cobourne following a 21-yard pass to Ben Cahoon. Cahoon, limited to one catch in each of the last two games, was more productive against the Bombers. His reception, on the Als’ first offensive play, marked the 120th consecutive game in which the veteran slotback has caught a pass, moving ahead of Craig Ellis into third place.
Montreal, however, couldn’t find the end zone again – not even after a Jerald Brown interception and long return gave the team a first down at the Bombers’ 6-yard line.
Instead, the rest of the afternoon belonged to Duval. He kicked three more field goals, giving him five for the day. He connected from 33, 15 and 13 yards out. He also added another punt single. Mike Renaud conceded a safety for the other Montreal points.
Bishop was replaced by Casey Bramlet late in the opening half. Bramlet, a former Cincinnati Bengals draft choice, became the fifth pivot to play for the Bombers this season. His second pass in the CFL, however, was intercepted by Billy Parker.
Bishop returned early in the fourth quarter, only to be intercepted twice. He nonetheless engineered one scoring drive, connecting with Adarius Bowman for a 55-yard pass-and-run touchdown at 1:12 of the final quarter. Bowman broke several tackles on the play.
Bombers receiver Terrence Edwards, a former Alouette, left the game in the fourth quarter after a violent collision with middle linebacker Shea Emry.
