Herb Zurkowsky
The Gazette

MONTREAL -- Jamel Richardson had a good season for the Alouettes. Problem was, he wasn't great; not nearly as spectacular. Then again, the veteran receiver set the bar so high in 2008, it was unrealistic to expect a repeat performance

But the playoffs are here, and Richardson said he has a two-game opportunity to make amends. And he has vowed that will occur, starting with Sunday's East Division final against British Columbia at Olympic Stadium.

Richardson has a healthy dislike for the Lions, dating to his four seasons with Saskatchewan when the two teams were bitter West Division rivals, often hooking up for postseason honours.

"I have no love for them," he said. "I feel I can beat (their defensive backs) on every play."

And, just to reinforce his point, Richardson added this for good measure: "I will make the difference. Every time I get the ball (I'm going to try) and take it the distance.

"Nobody can cover me one-on-one. Nor can they match my intensity or my mindset. The red zone (scoring territory) is still my zone."

The 6-foot-2, 224-pounder remains the Als' big-play threat and most explosive player on offence - probably why teams don't attempt to cover him one-on-one. He caught 85 passes for 1,055 yards along and nine touchdowns - the most by a Montreal receiver.

Considering he missed two early-season games with a shoulder injury, Richardson can hold his head high. He was the Als' second-leading receiver, behind Kerry Watkins.

Richardson just wasn't as spectacular as a year ago - his first with Montreal - when he caught 98 passes for 1,287 yards and 16 touchdowns, leading the team in the last two categories.

"I felt like I had a good season. Teams didn't let me get off, like last season. There wasn't a lot of one-on-one coverage," he said.

"But had I been healthy, it would have been a lot different."

Richardson was late being cleared to participate in training camp after a bout of pneumonia. And there was the shoulder problem.

"It took me a while to get in shape ... get that chemistry back with A.C. (quarterback Anthony Calvillo)," he said. "They all say they don't need training camp, but you need it. In this offence, with all the running you do, you've got to be conditioned."

Richardson said it wasn't until just before the Als' bye week, at the end of August, that he felt back in form. True enough, he returned to record consecutive 100-yard games against the Lions - his only 100-yard games this season. He also scored three touchdowns in a Thanksgiving Day game against Calgary.

"I felt like I had to step up. I wasn't helping my teammates make plays," Richardson said. "I came back (from the break) hungrier and focused. My mentality changed. At the beginning of the season, I was forcing it, trying too hard to do what I did last year."

Richardson said he has never won a championship at any level of football. Losing last season's Grey Cup to Calgary only renewed his vigour.

"We worked so hard to go 15-3. Why not go 17-3 and go down as one of the best CFL teams?" Richardson asked. "It would be a storybook finish."

Courtesy: www.montrealgazette.com