(Montreal) The Montreal Alouettes will surely have nightmares because of their poor performance against the Ottawa Rouge et Noir, who won 19-18 on their very last game of the game.
After Jeshrun Antwi’s second fumble of the game, Caleb Evans led the visitors’ attack on 95 yards to top off the push with a one-yard sneak to score his second touchdown of the game. He then joined RJ Harris on the two-point conversion to prevent the Alouettes (7-7) from playing a home playoff game next week.
The Alouettes have only them to blame. Leading 18-3 in the second quarter, Khari Jones decided to leave his MVP, running back William Stanback, on leave.
This decision possibly cost its owner millions of dollars.
The Alouettes’ offense did not produce anything thereafter and Antwi, No. 2 in the backfield, was directly responsible for the two touchdowns for the Rouge et Noir (3-11) in the second half, scored after his two fumbles, recovered each time by Devon Coleman.
PHOTO PASCAL RATTHE, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Jeshrun Antwi (left)
On their first play of the second half, Jeshrun Antwi – Stanback’s substitute – dropped the ball deep into his zone. The Rouge et Noir resumed at the 36-line and five plays later Evans took a short yard to make it 18-11 after a two-point conversion.
The Alouettes had taken the lead on two touchdown passes from Trevor Harris to Jake Wieneke, on 14 and 21 yards. These two passing touchdowns put the Alouettes wide receiver in first place on the league with 11 this season, two more than his teammate Eugene Lewis, who did not take part in the game. A very small consolation.
David Côté contributed with two field goals, 44 and 47 yards. But a transformation from a failed point turned out to be very costly at the end of the game. The Alouettes also missed a two-point conversion in the game, on Wieneke’s first touchdown.
This loss for the Alouettes means that the Hamilton Tiger-Cats will welcome them next Sunday for the Eastern semi-final. If the Alouettes had been able to maintain their lead, they would have forced the Ti-Cats to win their duel against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The formation of Orlondo Steinauer now has the leisure to rest its key elements.