19-12 victory against the Rouge et Noir | The Alouettes in playoff mode

Fall means a playoff game in the Canadian Football League.

The Alouettes have not conceded any majors. Only four field goals, including three inside the 20 yards in the second half. The Montreal defense left nothing for quarterback Jeremiah Masoli during these only three visits to the pay zone. The only time the Ottawa pivot almost won, trying to reach Andre Miller on the left side of the end zone, defensive back Wesley Sutton knocked down the pass with his hand.

Just a few moments later, on a long pass from Masoli, Sutton once again asserted himself by intercepting the Ottawa quarterback’s throw. Sutton’s first interception this season only led to a Jose Maltos field goal, which was perfect in four attempts. But this action adds to the already well-stocked list of sequences allowing the Alouettes to believe that no matter the moment, no matter the play and no matter the situation, a player will rise up to contribute to the team’s success.

“Every victory helps us in the end,” Sutton said. It’s contagious. We had to get back on the right path after what we did last week [à Toronto]. »

Indiscipline sinks Ottawa

Before arriving at Fenway Park du Nord – such is the nickname that a member of the Alouettes staff has already given to the McGill University stadium – the Rouge et Noir dominated the other teams in the Canadian League in terms of penalties received.

If this calming mid-October day was perfect for preparing an apple crisp while listening to Alexandra Stréliski, the Ottawa players showed, once again, an aggressiveness and indiscipline which harmed their progress throughout the match .

After the first 30 minutes of the match, the officials had thrown their handkerchiefs on 10 occasions to punish Ottawa. The visitors lost 107 yards due to their poor behavior. They finished the game with losses of 122 yards.

Considering that the Rouge et Noir are fighting with the Toronto Argonauts for second place in the division and home advantage in the playoffs, this kind of data does them a lot of harm.

Ottawa was punished in all situations: on offense, defense and on special teams.

This kind of offering, for a team as hungry as the Alouettes, quickly turned into poison. “We are a disciplined team,” Maas boasted. We constantly tell ourselves: no matter what the other team does, nothing will make us play differently. We play physically. […] We don’t want to react to the way the other team acts. We have done it in the past and we have learned from our mistakes. »

In fact, Ottawa generated 25 more yards of offense than Montreal, in addition to making an additional sack, but in these end-of-season duels, only the most disciplined and best-prepared team can triumph. .

“It’s part of the training,” Sutton insisted. These types of games must be eliminated. We have worked on this aspect. We were an undisciplined team before. It’s a question of preparation. And you have just seen what it creates when there are too many penalties on your side. »

Alexander always perfect

Alongside his wife to witness the birth of his second child, Cody Fajardo did not put on the tricolor uniform to help his team consolidate its place at the top of the Eastern division.

Already assured of hosting the division final on November 9, the Sparrows turned to Davis Alexander. The 25-year-old quarterback started four games to make up for the loss of Fajardo in mid-summer and came out on top each time.

Even if no spectator present at the stadium will recount Monday’s match with nostalgia and truculence to his descendants, Alexander was able to return home with a still perfect record. He was the only Alouettes player to score a touchdown, on a six-yard run, giving his team a 13-3 lead at the start of the second quarter. He was also the victim of an interception late in the first half.

“I had to fix my mistake during the match. There was a bit of miscommunication, but it happens. Our defense stood up today,” said Alexander, who completed 14 passes on 24 attempts for 208 yards.

If all the elements were there to favor ground plays and short passes, Alexander was reckless in distributing the ball to almost all his receivers early in the match, over more or less long distances.

Fajardo will most likely see action again between now and the Eastern final, but as Alexander will become a free agent at the end of the campaign, the American has shown a great calling card this season to the Alouettes and other teams in the league. Without being particularly exceptional, on Monday, he led his team to victory in a hotly contested match and in weather conditions that were far from ideal.

The Alouettes won a 12^e victory in the season for the first time since 2010 – the year in which they won a second consecutive Gray Cup after the 2009 conquest. It is difficult not to draw any parallels with this 2024 season, while the Alouettes are slowly, but surely, heading towards the defense of another title.