Moffat: “Win the play” mantra paying off for Alouettes

It was a plain sheet of paper on the wall near the opening to the showers. Three simple words summed up the season for a team that had been in some ways so much less than the sum of its parts.

“Win The Play.”

So it meant a change of only two letters from the popular Trestman Era mantra that former Alouette Keron Williams turned into inspirational t-shirts, bearing a stylized “WTD”.

Coach Higgins is proving all the little things add up to serious Coach of the Year consideration. Not just because of the epic 8-1 turnaround, but because of the 1-7 stumble start.

Jean-Paul Sartre never won any games in the CFL, but on the eve of their regular season home finale, Tom Higgins revealed his deepest existentialist thinking when asked about the Als’ struggles, including an embarrassing blowout at Percival Molson Stadium at the hands of the Argos.

“That team no longer exists.”

Higgins may as well have said: I win, therefore I am.

There are few personal mementos from his decades in the CFL. Just another plain sheet of paper taped up behind his desk above the easel board.

On the blue painted wall of stone in his Spartan office, Coach Higgins this summer shared the “Definition of ACCOUNTABILITY”.

“An obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions.”

It’s true, Ryan Dinwiddie took too much of the blame during the struggles and not enough credit during the turnaround.

Of course, Jeff Garcia has made a difference. Turk Schonert’s input has been important as well.

But Tom Higgins took their additions to the staff, not to mention The Don’s consultancy, as graciously as possible. When some voices in the room were whispering “too many cooks”, Higg refused to get out of the kitchen and has proven he can stand the heat, never wavering from his ultra-positivity.

He’s got gadgets and he insists on using them, witness a fake punt call into the wind vs. the Argos (albeit stopped a yard short).

Fitting the Alouettes clinched their 19th consecutive playoff spot with their first fourth-quarter comeback victory of the year, not to mention their first victory of the season when losing the turnover battle.

For this team, what is sometimes the hardest thing — holding onto your beliefs and faith in eachother — now seems to be the easiest thing.

Things you didn’t realize about the Higgins Als:

– They’ve won the turnover battle nine times; only Calgary has done that more often.

– A win on Saturday at Tim Horton’s Field would give Montreal as many road wins as the rest of its division COMBINED.

– Though the offence is still only eighth in the country in first half scoring, the defence trails only Calgary and Edmonton in first half points against.

– After Halftime adjustments are made, third Quarter points against (54) are the lowest of ANY CFL team in ANY quarter. If only Noel Thorpe could pick lottery numbers for us.

– The ‘D’ has given up only 30 big plays all year, the lowest total in the nation. That’s DON’T bend and don’t break.

– The Als are now running the ball on first down more than any other East team, closer to the Prairie plowing of Saskatchewan than they are to the CFL average. As former Head Coach Dave Ritchie once said: “When the frost is on the pumpkin, you have to run the football.”

– The Als have hit it big on the sack exchange, tying Calgary for top spot for the first time all season at plus-19. I’ll let you in on a little secret: it’s one of the reasons I voted for two offensive linemen in BOTH the Outstanding Canadian AND Outstanding Linemen category: Josh Bourke and Jeff Perrett.

– Stop means stop: Coach Higgins last week joked his players needed to see minor hockey-style “STOP” signs on opponents’ backs, but they finally avoided penalties on the return team and are no longer number one in Special Teams infractions (I’m looking at you BC).

– Less is more. You know “J-Cro” still has yet to throw for 300-plus yards in a game, but did you notice he still has not hit 30 passing attempts in any of his 10 outings? For all bafflement with the playbook, Troy Smith in just six starts had three 30-plus games, including two with over 40.

– Slow is the new fast. Jonathon Crompton has only two rushes for two yards his last two games, but the numbers say he’s also the most elusive quarterback to bring down via sack. Crompton has been forced to kiss the carpet only nine times (three per cent of passing attempts), while divisional rival throwers Ray and Collaros have been drilled into the rug a total of 87 times (Ray at twice the rate, Collaras almost four times as often).

So are the Alouettes truly an 8-1 juggernaut? That’s the existential question for Coach.

Truth is they only exist if they keep on winning.