By Jack Bedell,
MontrealAlouettes.com
Hammond, LA – I’m as big a fan of the sports cliché as anyone, but there’s one I’ve just never gotten my head around: “A win is a win is a win.”
While it’s certainly true that all wins post two points in standings, that’s just about where the similarities stop.
Some wins are dead ends, leading nowhere. Either they are the result of freak occurrences or of emotional highs – like Notre Dame’s famous win “for the Gipper,” that simply can’t be repeated.
Some wins can even set a team back weeks, such as a W that comes at the price of a long injury list.
Then there are those wins that boost confidence and build the kind of momentum you can base an entire season on.
I’d definitely put both the Alouettes’ big road win in Calgary and their home domination of the Eskimos into that latter category.
Given the fact that there was so much talk about avenging last year’s Grey Cup loss in Week 1 and all the concern over the East Division’s performance against West Division clubs rearing its head in Week 2, there was some serious pressure on the team’s shoulders to get the season off to a good start in July.
The Alouettes couldn’t have responded much better to that adversity, jumping all over the Stamps to open the season, and then making plays in all facets of the game to obliterate the Esks.
In both weeks, Anthony Calvillo and the Als’ offence were phenomenal. The O-line has kept the quarterback clean and has opened some nice holes for Avon Cobourne to gash out a combined 172 yards on 29 carries.
A little O…
For his part, Calvillo has distributed the ball to nine different receivers with great efficiency in his first two performances of the year. He’s been exceptionally crisp and accurate on his short throws to receivers like Ben Cahoon and Brian Bratton, and he’s delivered several nice long balls as well. That beauty of a catch by Kerry Watkins against the Stamps is going to be play-of-the-year candidate without a doubt.
And a lotta D…
On defence, the front seven has gotten some great disruptive pressure on premier pivots Henry Burris and Ricky Ray, dropping them a combined nine times and forcing turnovers to seal the games down the stretch. Those guys have also locked the run game down, holding Joffrey Reynolds to 19 yards and keeping Edmonton’s Arkee Whitlock under 30.
And while there were a few glitches in punt protection and kick coverage, special teams have more than held up their end to get the wins with Damon Duval booting a super-human six field goals in Week 1 and keeping the Als on the plus side of field position with deep kickoffs so far this season.
All in all, the team has shown the kind of excellence in its performances that’s going to pay dividends over the next 20 weeks. You can bank that.
Looking ahead
The Als now head to Regina for a battle of the CFL’s last two unbeaten teams.
The Roughriders’ defence has been a real force the first two weeks of the season, leading the league in sacks. No doubt, the Als’ offensive line with have some work to do to keep Anthony Calvillo upright and firing the ball.
Look for Montreal’s front seven to do some damage of its own Saturday, though, and tilt the field the Als’ way.
The Alouettes next face the Roughriders at Saskatchewan’s Mosaic Stadium this Saturday, July 18 at 3 p.m. (RDS HD, TSN HD, CKAC SPORTS, CJAD 800 AM, 98,5 FM).
