OTTAWA — The Montreal Alouettes will have an opportunity to clinch a home playoff game as they travel to the nation’s capital for a Thanksgiving Monday rematch with the Ottawa REDBLACKS.
An 11-point fourth quarter from Ottawa, ignited by a forced fumble from their defence and a goal line score from Caleb Evans, helped lift the team to a 24-18 win over the Als in Week 18. The win also helped the REDBLACKS stave off elimination and remain in contention for a playoff spot in the East Division.
While disappointing, the loss to Ottawa was not detrimental to Montreal’s playoff hopes. With a win over the REDBLACKS in Friday’s rematch, the Alouettes would clinch homefield advantage in the Eastern Semi-Final.
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Despite the loss, Montreal quarterback Trevor Harris had an efficient outing from the pivot spot over the holiday weekend. Harris completed 30 of his 38 passing attempts for 338 yards and a touchdown against Ottawa. However, it was taking advantage of score zone opportunities that proved to be challenging for Harris and the Als offensive unit.
The Alouettes offence, which averages 22.1 points per game this season, managed to score just one touchdown in the loss to the REDBLACKS and were outscored 17-3 in the game’s second half.
Receiver Euegne Lewis was the only Alouettes player to find the end zone in the Week 18 contest, leading the way for the group of Montreal pass-catchers with 108 yards and a score on nine receptions. Lewis has been the top receiving threat for the Alouettes this season and will surely be leaned on for production as the Als playmaker has scored a touchdown in his last six consecutive games.
Additionally, Hergy Mayala has been a large contributor in the passing game when playing the REDBALCKS. In three games this season against the East Division rivals, Mayala has caught 11 passes for 174 yards, including a touchdown in the Week 7 meeting.
With the news that Reggie White Jr. will be sidelined for the Week 19 contest in Ottawa, receivers Kaion Julien-Grant and Tyson Philpot will be relied upon in the Montreal passing attack. The pair of Canadian receivers have combined for 747 yards and four touchdowns on 53 receptions through 2022.
Speaking to team media this week, Montreal general manager and interim head coach Danny Maciocia said that he has been impressed by the recent play of the receivers.
“They can beat you vertically,” Maciocia told MontrealAlouettes.com. “You have a little bit of everything there. Kaion can stretch you vertically. He’ll catch some of those screens too and he’ll knife it (up the field). He’s had a couple of touchdowns on that particular play. You have Mayala that can run good routes. He can line up as an outside guy, he can line up as an inside guy with a waggle. He’s got above-average hands. He’s a guy you can move from the short side of the field to the wide side as an inside receiver or outside receiver. And Philpot is dynamic every time he touches the ball. He’s got that short area burst.”
With Ottawa allowing the second most passing yards per game, the success of the offence will likely hinder on their ability to move the ball in the air.
Star running back William Stanback returned on Thanksgiving Monday for his first game since Week 1, he carried the ball eight times for 20 yards. As he continues to reemerge himself into the team’s offensive scheme, Montreal will remain reliant upon Walter Fletcher to help drive the ground game.
Both Walter and Fletcher should have an opportunity to rebound in Week 19 against REDBLACKS defensive front that has allowed an average of 101.4 rushing yards per game. However, the Montreal backs will have to earn their yardage, Ottawa play well against the run a week a go, limiting Montreal to just 51 yards on the ground.
The Alouette defence surrendered 17 second half points a week ago and allowed REDBLACKS quarterback Nick Arbuckle to complete a jaw-dropping 87.5 per cent of his 32 passes as he helped drive the Ottawa offence with his arm.
Arbuckle has been throwing the football with elite precision as of late. Over his last two games, the Ottawa pivot has completed 80 per cent of his 68 attempts and has thrown 592 yards and a touchdown over the past two weeks.
Ottawa receiver Justin Hardy continued to be a large contributor in the Ottawa passing-game as he works his way back into the Ottawa offence. Hardy suffered an injury early in the season that has kept him off the field since Week 2, since returning to the field in Week 17, the first-year wideout has caught 16 passes for 173 yards and leads his team in receiving yards over the last two games.
With Ottawa receiver Jaelon Acklin sidelined for for the Week 19 rematch with the Alouettes, Hardy will be relied upon to continue his recent pace of play.
Veteran receiver Darvin Adams has been reliable for the Ottawa offence throughout the 2022 season, he is second on the team in receiving yards with 813 yards and has caught 50 passes and two touchdowns. Adams was responsible for a 40-yard connection with Arbuckle in Week 18, Adams will also be leaned up to provide offensive production in the absence of Acklin.
According to the team’s depth chart the REDBLACKS will be without running back William Powell entering the rematch with Montreal. With Devonte Williams on the team’s six-game injured list the bulk of the workload on the ground will go to Jackson Bennett, who carried the ball nine times for an average of 4.6 yards per carry in the Week 18 win.
After helping Bob Dyce earn his first win as the REDBLACKS interim head coach, Ottawa has an opportunity to go 2-0 under Dyce and earn their first home win since Week 9 of the 2021 season. The win would also pull Ottawa into a tie with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for third in the East Division as each team would have 10 points in the standings.
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