We haven’t talked a lot about football this week in the Alouettes’ entourage. And the way they played, they would surely have preferred not to mention their game Friday night against the Ottawa Redblacks.
Posted yesterday at 11:06 p.m.
Despite coming off two big wins and able to join the Argonauts at the top of the East with a third in a row, Danny Maciocia’s side were flat all night, losing 38- 24, ahead of a team playing their second away game in a week. Remember that the Alouettes were coming back from a break week.
A lot had happened since the Birds’ previous game two weeks ago. There was the story involving Jean-Christophe Normand. The removal of minority owner Gary Stern from the day-to-day operations of the club. Then the exchange for Vernon Adams Jr. All this in a little over a week.
Is that why the Alouettes played so softly in front of a meager crowd of 15,303 spectators at Percival-Molson Stadium?
“What happens off the field will always have an impact, but that’s not why we lost,” said Eugene Lewis.
“I don’t think that’s why, that’s not what I felt. Unless some players were living it inside, ”said Marc-Antoine Dequoy.
One thing is certain, the attack as the defense will want to forget this part as soon as possible. Trevor Harris and the offense forced four turnovers and did nothing worthwhile all night except for a long streak that ended with a Lewis touchdown (lucky he’s there, the one there…) and another of Jake Wieneke in a lost cause.
The defense did not manage any turnovers or sacks; missed many tackles; and gave several long plays to Nick Arbuckle, who had one of the best games of his career. Once again, the Alouettes’ secondary didn’t look good at all.
“We have work to do. Their long games hurt us, it had been a long time since we had been tested like that, ”analyzed Dequoy, who is one of the many players of his team to have missed tackles, including on a game of 64 yards from Jaelon Acklin, who shone with 7 catches for 159 yards.
“We played badly collectively,” summarized Maciocia, who however did not want to blame one or more players in particular.
“What disappointed me the most was the way we showed up because we didn’t show up. And we paid for. […] We were not ready, neither mentally nor physically. I hope we take the next two days to look in the mirror. »
Maciocia doesn’t believe off-field records are to blame for his team’s underperformance.
“If so, I’m very disappointed. You have to be able to face adversity. We knew that there were several things happening off the field and we talked about it at the start of the week. »
PHOTO PHILIPPE BOIVIN, THE PRESS
Trevor Harris (7), Landon Rice (55) and Tyson Philpot (81) during the game between the Alouettes and the Rouge et Noir
Adams son and the Lions
Days after Adams Jr. was traded to the BC Lions, Harris suffered two interceptions, and fumbled and lost the ball near his side’s end zone, a turnover that led straight to Ottawa’s first touchdown.
“I wanted to change hands and I dropped it,” Harris explained.
“You can’t win by committing so many turnovers and that’s on me. »
Running back Jeshrun Antwi committed the other turnover, a fumble.
“Our attack must play better and I am the first responsible. When we find our rhythm, it will be hard to stop, but those are just words,” added Harris.
Next Friday, Adams Jr. and the explosive Lions will be at Percival-Molson Stadium, a match that should be intense and emotional. If the Als don’t raise their level of play and intensity a few notches, it’s going to be tough against a team that’s 8-2.
At a time when the Alouettes seemed to be on their way and flirting with the first place in their division, this loss against the Rouge et Noir has just changed the situation considerably. They let slip a great opportunity to add 2 points to the standings and suddenly allowed the Rouge et Noir to get back into the race, they who are only 2 points behind the Alouettes and 4 on the Argonauts and the first rank. Everyone is alive in the East.