Johany Jutras/CFL.ca
It’s been a familiar refrain for the Montreal Alouettes for two seasons and now a portion of a third. If they want to turn their early season fortunes around, they’ll need to find an answer for it, pronto.
The problem? Offence. Moving the ball with regularity. Giving their exceptionally capable defence something to work with.
Protecting a lead would be a bit of a novel concept for the Montreal defence, which has spent an awful lot of time on the field attempting just to keep the Als in it on a nightly basis. On Friday night, when they play host to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the Alouette offence will have another chance to say thanks to the D by offering them the gift of some points.
On a short week, with injuries to overcome and an improving Saskatchewan Roughriders squad to face, that Montreal offence is in need of some big things to happen.
A spark of some sort.
The offensive drought in Montreal has been a long one, basically dating back to the day Anthony Calvillo decided to retire after the 2013 season. The following year, the team averaged just 18.2 points per game on offence, last in the league. In 2015, the Alouettes bumped it up only slightly, to 19.7 points per game. That was good for just second worst in the CFL. The problem for Montreal in those two seasons was the passing game, a unit that ranked second-worst in 2014 and then worst in 2015.
2016 hasn’t been much better. Not yet, anyway.
Alouette offence before and after Calvillo
| YEAR | RECORD | OFFENCE AVG. | FIRST DOWNS | PASSING AVG. | COMP PCT. |
| 2011 | 10-8 (2nd in East) | 403.8 (1) | 429 (1) | 309.0 (1) | 62.0 (5) |
| 2012 | 11-7 (1st in East) | 370.5 (4) | 365 (3) | 293.2 (2) | 60.1 (6) |
| 2013* | 8-10 (3rd in East) | 322.5 (7) | 323 (7) | 249.4 (6) | 55.7 (8) |
| 2014 | 9-9 (2nd in East) | 294.5 (8) | 302 (9) | 210.2 (8) | 53.9 (9) |
| 2015 | 6-12 (4th in East) | 323.7 (7) | 338 (7) | 225.5 (9) | 63.7 (7) |
| 2016** | 1-3 (4th in East) | 334.5 (8) | 82 (9) | 285.5 (8) | 70.9 (6) |
* Calvillo attempted 196 passing attempts in 2013 before retiring
** 2016 numbers through four games
This season, the Alouettes find themselves, once again, mired at or very near the bottom of so many offensive statistical categories; 286 passing yards per game (only Toronto’s 257 is worse). Five touchdowns scored is a league worst. With 56 total points scored by the offence in four games, the Als are averaging just 14 points per game, not even enough to beat the average losing team this season (20.5 points) never mind the average winning one (31 points).
A total of 12 giveaways means Montreal is just one better at protecting the ball on offence than the league-worst Winnipeg Blue Bombers heading into Week 6. And that’s having played one fewer game than the Bombers.
“It goes back to the old cliché of don’t turn the ball over, don’t take penalties,” said Montreal quarterback Kevin Glenn, just after Monday night’s 30-17 loss in Toronto. “Just play smart football. I think if we play smart, positive football, we’ll get a different outcome. It sounds cliché but it’s the truth.”
Glenn, who went 24 of 28 for 285 yards with a touchdown pass as well as an interception against the Argos, gives Montreal a chance to make things happen — we all know that. The points he hit upon must be sources of frustration for him and Head Coach Jim Popp, including the penalty troubles. The Alouettes are very nearly the most penalized team in the league, averaging 13.3 flags against per game, just a little better than Ottawa’s 13.8.
The REDBLACKS have the firepower to overcome such things. Montreal’s margin for error is quite a bit thinner than theirs.
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The Alouettes and Riders get set to square off on Friday Night Football at 7 p.m. ET (CFL.ca)
Another category in which the Alouettes are flailing is that of field goal productivity. With five field goals on 12 attempts, Boris Bede – who nailed 36 of 40 attempts in 2015 – needs to discover the tonic that will make him a money kicker once again. After an oh-for-three night against Toronto it would be big for both Bede and his team if he could begin splitting uprights with great regularity once again (Side note: Bede has successfully converted all five of Montreal’s touchdowns this season).
All in all, it’s been another frustrating start for the Montreal offence, save for the very fist game of the season when it showed a great deal of promise as Glenn threw for 332 yards in a victory in Winnipeg.
Perhaps things would be looking just a little bit different right now if receiver S.J. Green hadn’t gone down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 2. Running back Tyrell Sutton (knee) and receiver Kenny Stafford (toe) were also injured in that game and haven’t played since. Glenn missed the Week 4 loss to Hamilton due to an eye infection.
Despite the struggles and despite the key offensive losses in Green, Stafford and Sutton, the Als do have the machinery capable of scoring some points and, despite the short week, get a good chance to prove that statement correct against the Roughriders. Running back Brandon Rutley has filled in well whenever called upon and this season has not been an exception. He’s a lot like Sutton, with great abilities both out of the backfield and in the flats where he can take short passes and make defensive backs and linebackers really earn their keep.
“I think we’ve got the talent,” said veteran receiver Nik Lewis in the aftermath of Monday’s loss. “You can see what some of our receivers can do.”
Yes, you can, especially when it comes to Duron Carter, one of the most explosive long ball threats in the league. Glenn showed how tantalizing his connection with Carter can be when he hit him for a 45-yard gainer against the Argos, followed later by 61-yard pass and run touchdown.
Lewis, himself, has shown he still has the right stuff (eight catches for 81 yards against Toronto) and after popping off about the struggles of the offence after the loss to Hamilton, he was much more positive in the wake of Monday’s disappointment.
“Everybody’s making plays,” he said. “It’s just about being consistent.”
While the Als still struggle with their status when measured against other CFL offences, there is a sign of growth and reason to believe for the faithful. While the Montreal passing attack is, indeed, ranked eighth in yards per game, that number is healthier than it was in the previous two seasons. The 286 yards it’s averaged in 2016 is a fair bit better than the 226 in 2015 or the (yikes) 210 it averaged in its first season without Anthony Calvillo at quarterback.
The pressure’s on in Montreal. The Alouettes’ offence has to quit grinding those gears. There have been signs it might be able to grab some traction. Despite the struggling, despite the injuries and despite the short turnaround from a Monday night game, is this the night for a breakthrough?
