Larks | Adarius Pickett: “We don’t have to beat the referees anymore”

This is the story of the Alouettes’ season. When you think they will bow to a tough opponent, they win. And when you expect an easy victory, they go crazy.

Miguel Bujold
The Press

The Birds led 15-7 after 30 minutes Monday afternoon and seemed on track to materialize the presentation of a playoff game in Montreal, which they would have done by winning. They were instead dominated by a team that had won only three times in 2022 after the intermission and lost 24-18. It was their second home loss of the season against the Ottawa Redblacks (4-11).

” It’s frustrating. Everyone knows we should have won this game. We always place ourselves in positions where we play at the level of our adversaries. We know what we are capable of, but you have to know how to execute well. We did not play at a high level, ”commented William Stanback, who was playing his first game since the broken ankle he suffered during the first part of the season, June 9. He got 20 yards on 8 carries.

If Danny Maciocia said he was satisfied with Stanback’s game in general, we can certainly not say that he was impressed by the effort of his flock.

“It’s very disappointing. I don’t think there are many people in the stands who weren’t disappointed with our performance. It shows that we have to show up for all our games, we can’t take anything for granted. I don’t think we introduced ourselves today [lundi]. »

First place in the Eastern Division could very well be decided in the last two games of the season between the Alouettes (7-8) and the Toronto Argonauts (9-6). Maciocia doesn’t believe her team looked too far ahead, though.

” I hope not. I hope they knew we had a great opportunity, in front of a big crowd (21,824 spectators, a peak in 2022) and when it was a good day, to continue our good streak. I can’t believe they were already looking towards those two games against Toronto.

“It’s between the ears. Whether it’s against Ottawa or any team in the CFL, you have to show up and always play at our level, and today I don’t think there are many of our players who played at their level. . »

Pickett castigates refereeing

After the game, linebacker Adarius Pickett made no secret of his displeasure with the referees. More specifically about a penalty that canceled a fumble and a long return from Tyrice Beverette.

Both Micah Awe and Pickett solidly hit receiver Jaelon Acklin, who lost the ball, recovered by Beverette. The scarf came late, but there’s no doubt Acklin was the victim of not one, but two blows to the head. Pickett, however, disagreed.

“It’s a game that changed the look of the game. It was a legal tackle. I told the referee that if we hadn’t tackled him, Acklin would have scored a touchdown and they [les officiels] wouldn’t have stopped the game.”

Pickett feels that officiating has been very inconsistent since the start of the CFL season. “It happened throughout the season, especially at the end of the match.

“It’s hard enough to beat our opponents, you don’t have to beat the referees as well. »

Pickett also criticized the referees’ decision not to crack down on Patrick Levels in the final minute of 4^e quarter as the Alouettes trailed 24-18.

The linebacker clearly interfered with receiver Jake Wieneke’s work, but was not punished. Because the Alouettes had no more time out, Maciocia could not contest the play. The officials had however consulted the CFL office several times during the game, but did not do so during this sequence.

Lack of opportunism

The Alouettes may have been right to point the finger at the referees, but the fact remains that their offense missed too many chances near the end zone. In six occasions inside the Rouge et Noir’s 20 line, they only scored one touchdown and had to settle for 4 field goals of 25 yards or less from David Côté.

“You can’t be satisfied with short field goals, you have to score touchdowns,” admitted Trevor Harris, who completed 30 of 38 passes for 338 yards.

Meanwhile, receiver Reggie White Jr. and center Sean Jamieson suffered knee injuries, and Maciocia said he wasn’t very optimistic for either player.

Next game: Alouettes vs. Rouge et Noir, Friday (7 p.m.) in Ottawa