Alouettes 13 – Red and Black 19 | Five observations from the last preparatory match

The Montreal Alouettes played their second and final preseason game on Friday evening for the season which will begin Thursday in Winnipeg. Even if 31 starters were out of the lineup, certain observations stand out. Here are five observations following this 19-13 loss to the Ottawa Redblacks.

The genius of Noel Thorpe

We talked at length about the success of the different players who made the 2023 season a real fairy tale. Despite everything, the colossal work of defensive coordinator Noel Thorpe struggles to be recognized for its true value. In this preparatory match, the Alouettes sent their B, or even C, team onto the field. However, the Rouge et Noir was banking on its starting players. And the Ottawa attack was anemic. Thorpe was able to lead a secondary brigade capable of making a regular formation look bad. Ottawa did not score any offensive touchdowns. Darnell Sankey, Shawn Lemon and Marc-Antoine Dequoy didn’t even step on the field.

Who is James Morgan?

Although Caleb Evans started the game, James Morgan took the majority of reps. He showed up at the start of the second quarter and stayed until the end. Morgan signed with the Alouettes in mid-January, but the signing had flown under the radar. However, a few years ago, the 27-year-old pivot still cherished the hope of playing in the NFL. Morgan was the seventh quarterback drafted in the 2020 auction. The New York Jets selected him in the fourth round. Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert, Jordan Love, Jalen Hurts were ahead of him. Without breaking everything, he still did well in his first game with the Als, with 15 passes completed in 22 attempts, for 146 yards.

Charleston Rambo, the sequel

Regulars of these pages undoubtedly know how impressive the camp of the flamboyant receiver Charleston Rambo is. Fresh out of the University of Miami after trying out for two NFL organizations, Rambo was once again the most visible and notable offensive player of the night. He was the most targeted receiver. Even though he caught only three of the seven passes thrown his way, each of his completed catches was spectacular and crucial at the time of making it. There’s a bit of Calvin Johnson and Julio Jones in the 24-year-old’s playing style.

The other ball carrier

The Montreal Alouettes have a well-stocked backfield with Walter Fletcher, Jeshrun Antwi and Sean Thomas Erlington. The first named should be the starter in the inaugural match. However, the arrival and outfit of Stevie Scott III could disrupt medium-term plans. The 24-year-old American joined the Alouettes in February, following unsuccessful tryouts with the New Orleans Saints, Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals in the NFL. Similar to William Stanback in the way he plays and runs, he ran nine times for 61 yards against Ottawa.

Another busy evening for Cantin-Arku

Geoffrey Cantin-Arku was in all the fights during the team’s first preseason game last week against the Toronto Argonauts. He was a little less spectacular in his second match in the French uniform, but he still showed a good performance. A linebacker doesn’t need to be the most visible to play effectively. He must have his nose in the traffic. The Quebecer ensured a constant presence in the trenches in addition to exerting regular pressure on the opposing quarterback. The Alouettes’ first pick in the last draft finished the game with four tackles, second on the team in this regard.