(Hamilton) The Tiger-Cats once again gave the Alouettes a hard time Thursday night in Hamilton. These bowed for the 11e times in their last 14 games against the Southern Ontario team, a 24-17 loss.
Updated yesterday at 11:48 p.m.
The Alouettes kept the suspense alive until the very last game, but the scenario of the game was very similar to that of the Eastern semi-finals that the two teams had played in last November, a victory of 23-12 from the Tiger-Cats.
Like last fall, the Alouettes were unable to get things done near the end zone, too often contenting themselves with field goal attempts, and their offensive line was dominated by the dynamic defensive front of the Tiger-Cats, who recorded 5 sacks at the expense of Trevor Harris.
Unlike last year’s playoff game, however, the Alouettes stayed in the game until the end, closing within 20 yards of the pay zone with 8 seconds left. Hit at the end of a run on the previous play, which earned the Tiger-Cats a 15-yard penalty, Harris was taken out of the game by scouts, who suspected he had just suffered a concussion, and so watched the last play on the sidelines.
Since Vernon Adams Jr. was out of uniform with an elbow injury, it was up to Dominique Davis to tie the game on this last play. He threw an interception instead.
The Alouettes and Tiger-Cats are now 2-5 and trailed by the Toronto Argonauts (3-2) at the top of the East. Hamilton and Montreal will meet at Percival-Molson Stadium on August 20. Note that the Argos will face the Tiger-Cats no less than four times in one month (August 6 to September 5). Unheard of in living memory.
One of the three players of the week thanks to his July 21 performance in Ottawa, Harris was significantly worse at Tim Horton’s Field. His final numbers (25 for 41 for 288 yards and a touchdown pass) were fine, but the Tiger-Cats came close to intercepting several of his passes. That’s not to mention the 5 sacks, some of which could have been avoided if he had gotten rid of the ball more quickly.
André Bolduc predicted that it would be very difficult for the Alouettes to make long plays against the Tiger-Cats defense, and he was right. Other than a 45-yard play from Eugene Lewis, the Als generally had to settle for modest gains for most of the night.
Lewis delivered another inspired performance with 8 catches for 154 yards. His catch along the sidelines in a situation of 2e try with 23 yards to go in the last moments of the game was the best play of the game. He now ranks first in the CFL among receivers with 619 yards.
The Tiger-Cats alternated quarterbacks starting second quarter. Staggering early in the game, Dane Evans (13 for 18 for 206 yards and a touchdown pass) played well, while former Alouettes Matt Shiltz led the team with 42 yards rushing and added 44 by the pass. Curiously, it was also Harris who led the Alouettes with 39 rushing yards…
Very generous in its three previous games, the defense of the Als was not bad. Marc-Antoine Dequoy, Rodney Randle Jr. and Tyrice Beverette distinguished themselves with some fine plays, and it was a hard-hitting shoulder from cornerback Mike Jones that prompted a fumble from Steven Dunbar Jr. to allow his team to keep their hopes to the last quarter. The secondary played her best game on the toughness front, tackling with far more conviction than she had typically done so far this season.
After their bad game in Ottawa, the special teams had a very good night. Chandler Worthy rebounded with several good returns and Christophe Normand got a first down on a trick play with a 21-yard run.
The defense and special teams played well, the offense had a few good moments, but in the end, the Alouettes are 2-5, they will end their first half of the season against the excellent Blue Bombers of Winnipeg twice.
The change in the coaching position hasn’t paid off much so far. Two defeats and a snatch victory against a club that have not yet won in 2022. If this continues, the pressure that weighed on the shoulders of Khari Jones will be on those of Danny Maciocia before long.