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By Richard Obrand, Montreal – The ghouls and other ghastly creatures roaming the earth Friday night must have had their sights set on the Alouettes. In a season finale definitely worth forgetting, backup quarterback Marcus Brady showed some moments of hope in his lone start of the now completed 2008 regular season. Brady threw for just under 200 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 37-14 loss to the Eskimos at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium. With players like Most Outstanding nominee Anthony Calvillo, receiver Kerry Watkins and running back Avon Cobourne watching on the sidelines, the Eskimos took advantage. Quarterback Ricky Ray completed 23 of his 25 pass attempts for 302 yards and two touchdowns, while receiver Maurice Mann made eight receptions for 117 yards and a score. The Eskimos broke the ice with an opening-drive field goal by kicker Derek Schiavone, but the Alouettes did what they most often do and capped off their opening drive with a seven-yard Brady-to-S.J. Green touchdown toss, the first of Green’s career. That was as close as the Als would get, however, as Mann’s 38-yard touchdown catch put the Eskimos up 10-7. Following another Schiavone field goal to increase their lead to six, Ray connected with receiver Kelly Campbell to increase their lead to 13. A.J. Harris then got his sixth major of the year, running one in from three yards out to bring the Eskimos ahead by 20 in the third quarter. Cobourne’s replacement, Mike Imoh, who has also been enjoying success in the backfield cut the deficit back to 13 with a highlight-reel catch out of the backfield. But the Esks answered back with Schiavone’s third field goal of the night, then completed their scoring clinic with a Calvin McCarty touchdown. With a first-round bye to start the playoffs, the Alouettes will have to wait until the Nov. 8 matchup between the Eskimos and Blue Bombers in Winnipeg to find out their opponent will be for the East Division Final on Nov. 15 at Olympic Stadium. The Alouettes next host either the Winnipeg Blue Bombers or the Edmonton Eskimos on Nov. 15 at Olympic Stadium in the CFL’s East Division Final. (RDS, TSN, CKAC SPORTS, CJAD) |
