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It marks the second time in 9 days Montreal defeated Hamilton, who’re final within the East Division at 2-7 after shedding their opening 5 video games.
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There’s nonetheless half a season to be performed, however the Alouettes clearly are the CFL’s greatest workforce. In fact, on this loopy league, that doesn’t essentially imply Montreal would be the final workforce standing come November.
Not solely does its league-leading 8-1 report state the plain, this membership has proved no impediment is just too onerous to beat.
Cody Fajardo suffered a hamstring damage on July 11 and the workforce has continued profitable with Davis Alexander behind centre, going 3-0. On Saturday night time, it was Canadian Tyson Philpot, the Alouettes’ main receiver, who suffered a lower-body damage on the workforce’s second offensive sequence.
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Many groups might need crumbled following such a devastating loss, however not Montreal. As an alternative, import rookie receiver Charleston Rambo elevated his recreation. He caught six passes for 124 yards together with two touchdowns within the Alouettes’ 33-23 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats earlier than 22,137 Molson Stadium spectators.
It marked the second time in 9 days Montreal defeated the woebegone Ticats, who’re final within the East Division at 2-7 after shedding their opening 5 video games.
Whereas the extent of Philpot’s damage wasn’t instantly identified, he left the dressing room together with his left foot in a strolling boot for precautionary causes. Extra can be identified following an MRI within the coming days, however non-import receivers Nate Behar and Shedler Fervius seem able to step in. The Alouettes seemingly by no means miss a beat.
“I might by no means concede one loss. That’s not in our mentality,” head coach Jason Maas stated. “Our mentality is to work and we really feel like, with the group we now have, if we’re capable of put the work in, the expectation is we win. We have now an excellent connection, an excellent locker room and our guys compete each single day.”
Highway to the Cup
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Regardless of producing 33 factors on the Ticats for the second consecutive contest, this recreation belonged to Montreal’s defence — a unit that has now been with out veteran rush-end Shawn Lemon for 5 video games. Lemon has been suspended by the CFL for playing on CFL video games in 2021 whereas with Calgary, together with one through which he performed. He’s awaiting an impartial arbitrator’s choice following his latest listening to.
And don’t be fooled by Saturday’s ultimate rating; Hamilton couldn’t get into the tip zone till the fourth quarter, when the guests scored two touchdowns, the ultimate one coming with 80 seconds remaining.
“We simply need to go on the market and set up that we’re the most effective defence within the league,” middle-linebacker Darnell Sankey stated. “We play with our head excessive and know what we’re able to. Because the chief on the defence, I need to go on the market and make it identified to my workforce I’m all in. Each single play, I’m all in.”
Montreal’s defence set the tone from the opening play when Sankey compelled fullback James Tuck to fumble and the ball was recovered by Avery Ellis on the Ticats’ 34. Tuck, you’ll bear in mind, fumbled final week as properly, solely to have the play unbelievably overruled by the command centre. A minimum of lightning didn’t strike a second consecutive time.
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On Hamilton’s subsequent possession, Sankey intercepted Bo Levi Mitchell’s go over the center, which put an finish to the veteran quarterback’s night time. Mitchell was changed by second-year professional Taylor Powell.
Whereas Alexander accomplished 17 of 24 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns, it was an inconsistent offensive efficiency by the Alouettes, who had bother finishing drives.
Alexander related with Rambo for a 51-yard landing on the finish of the primary quarter to present Montreal a 15-0 lead. However the Als struggled at instances within the second interval, producing little offence following the intermission, and had been held to 9 performs and one first down within the third quarter.
Thoughts you, the ultimate play of that interval was a 48-yard display pass-and-run to Fervius, who broke tackles all the best way to the Ticats’ eight-yard line. Two performs later, newly signed short-yardage quarterback Dominique Davis scored on a one-yard run, giving Montreal a 26-9 cushion.
Whereas Hamilton lastly scored a landing on its subsequent sequence, Alexander then directed an eight-play, 80-yard drive, capped by Rambo’s 10-yard rating. He made a pleasant reception in opposition to middle-linebacker DQ Thomas following a fairly 11-yard reception whereas straddling the sideline earlier.
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Rambo gained a job out of coaching camp, making Tevin Jones, a free-agent addition final winter, expendable. Rambo began the season slowly, seemingly an afterthought in Montreal’s offence, however has been extra productive of late. This was his first 100-yard effort after catching 4 passes for 86 yards at Hamilton. Rambo now has 31 receptions for 410 yards, together with 4 touchdowns.
“We noticed it in coaching camp, we noticed it in pre-season. He makes play after play after play,” Alexander stated of Rambo. “For those who give him the possibility, you realize he’s going to come back down with the ball. That’s what he’s confirmed.
“We had some actually good area place in that first quarter,” Alexander added. “For no matter purpose, we couldn’t discover a technique to get six. I’d say that’s an excellent signal. We’ve received so much left to indicate off. You’re not going to be excellent and we left some factors on the market. It doesn’t matter in regards to the (statistics). So long as we come out with the win, I’m the happiest particular person on Earth.”
The Alouettes start the second half of their schedule Friday night time at Saskatchewan. Whereas Fajardo is a former Roughrider and absolutely would like to play, he stays uncertain for the encounter. And why rush him again? All Alexander does is win.
hzurkowsky@postmedia.com
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