Explosive offence, shaky defence: Alouettes edge Argonauts in home opener (& seven other thoughts)

Photo: Raphael Williams-Claudio/RWC Photography/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

After a successful trip to Hamilton in Week 1, the Montreal Alouettes returned home for their opener against the Toronto Argonauts on Friday night. It wasn’t a perfect performance, but in the end, Montreal found a way to win 37-30.

Below are my thoughts on the game.

Streak is alive

Davis Alexander has yet to lose a regular-season game in the CFL. He extended the league record with his 13th straight win as a starter. Who is going to stop him? The answer might be himself.

Statistically, he was outstanding once again, going 30-of-42 for 441 yards with two touchdown passes, including several highlight-reel throws while escaping pressure. Alexander was once again the best player on the field in the fourth quarter, when the game was on the line.

However, he will want a few throws back. There was some apparent miscommunication with his receivers that stalled drives and created frustration. We all know Alexander is an expressive quarterback, but on Friday night, he was more visibly upset after missed connections. I wonder if his expressiveness will haunt him eventually in an important game.

His receivers didn’t help with a few drops and a costly fumble, but knowing Alexander’s competitive spirit, he will take it upon himself to be better moving forward.

Calvillo’s offence was ready, Thorpe’s defence not as much

The Argos won the coin toss and chose to defer, giving the Als the ball to start the game. Anthony Calvillo, the team’s offensive coordinator and play-caller since the end of last year, came out aggressive with some explosive play calls.

After a run that put Montreal in a manageable second-and-three, he brilliantly called a pass against a cover-zero look as Jerreth Sterns pushed the Als past midfield. Calvillo followed it up with a perfectly timed flea flicker that resulted in a Tyson Philpot touchdown, catching defensive back Tarvarus McFadden flat-footed.

Defensively, it was a different story. The starters had a shaky preseason outing against Ottawa, and the trend continued. Bo Levi Mitchell moved the ball easily in Week 1, and Chad Kelly had similar success early in this game. The difference this time was the points allowed. Thorpe’s unit can thank Kelly for missing a few open targets.

Too aggressive in first half

The Argonauts entered the game with a new defensive coordinator, Greg Quick, formerly of the Alouettes’ coaching staff. With several new pieces in the secondary, Calvillo chose to attack aggressively.

It paid off on the opening drive with the Philpot touchdown, but that remained the only Als touchdown of the first half.

Miscommunications between Alexander and his receivers led to missed scoring opportunities, and Philpot’s fumble proved costly. Montreal’s offence looked like a team capable of moving the ball at will, but one that forgot the basics: finishing drives with seven points.

The result was a slim 14–13 lead heading into halftime.

Defensive struggles and injuries

At first glance, the Als looked relatively healthy on defence, with Najee Murray as the lone player on the injured list. However, Tyrice Beverette was limited in practice all week and was clearly not at full strength.

Arthur Hamlin was tasked with replacing Murray at strong-side linebacker, a tough assignment given Murray’s consistency in recent seasons. Hamlin showed flashes, particularly against the run, but was beaten cleanly by Kevin Mital on a 63-yard touchdown.Thorpe responded by making adjustments, briefly inserting Robert Kennedy III at the position.

Beverette eventually left the game in the second quarter, forcing further reshuffling across the defensive unit. The secondary never looked fully comfortable, allowing Kelly to gain confidence as the game progressed.

In truth, the Als were helped by Kelly missing multiple open receivers. However, when it mattered most in the fourth quarter, Montreal’s defensive backs made key plays, beating Argos receivers to the ball.

Newcomer impact

Jason Maas’ offensive schemes haven’t changed much, but with Charleston Rambo gone, many of those designed looks now seem to go to Jerreth Sterns.

While Sterns may not have Rambo’s top-end speed, his hands were on full display Friday night. After a quiet Week 1, he finished with nine receptions for 114 yards in Week 2.

With Montreal trailing by six in the fourth quarter, Sterns came up clutch, hauling in three consecutive passes to move the ball down to the one-yard line. The first two catches were particularly difficult, and he delivered when it mattered most.

Philpot shines again, thanks to his offensive line

Tyson Philpot delivered another impressive performance, finishing with 193 yards on nine catches. He was simply too much for McFadden in one-on-one coverage and added another highlight-reel grab to his résumé.

Much of his success came on deeper-developing plays, and he can thank the offensive line for that. For a second straight game, the unit gave Alexander plenty of time in the pocket. Last year, the unit struggled in important games, but the improvement has been notable this year.

Good news for Toronto

If there are Argos fans reading this, there are reasons to be optimistic. Kelly looked sharp in his return, playing behind a significantly improved offensive line compared to last year.

Yes, he missed a few key throws, especially in the second half, but he still finished with 445 passing yards.

Janarion Grant remains a dangerous returner, and the defence managed to force two turnovers. There is still work to be done, particularly on defence, but Toronto looked much better than expected.

What’s next?

The Montreal Alouettes head to Edmonton to face the Elks on Saturday, June 20. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. ET.

Pablo is an Alouettes and CFL reporter based in Montreal.