By Richard Obrand,
MontrealAlouettes.com
Montreal – Put on your favourite cowboy hat and boots… the Alouettes are off to Calgary!
Quarterback Anthony Calvillo tied a league record and set a new Als record for most touchdown passes in a playoff game with five and Jamel Richardson had three scores of his own as the Als defeated Casey Printers and the BC Lions 56-18 Sunday afternoon at Olympic Stadium.
With the win, the Als advanced to their second straight Grey Cup where they will face the West Division champion Saskatchewan Roughriders, who came out on top of a 27-17 game this evening in Regina.
In a matchup featuring two of the league’s hottest quarterbacks in Calvillo and Printers, it was Montreal’s pivot who took control of the matinee event. In addition to his five touchdown passes, AC also threw for 312 yards, completing 19 of his 28 passes along the way.
Next week’s matchup will be the seventh Grey Cup appearance of Calvillo’s 13-year career and although the MOP candidate’s numbers may indicate otherwise, he couldn’t have done it alone. Seven different receivers made at least one reception for the Alouettes, with Richardson, Kerry Watkins and Brian Bratton taking on the bulk of the workload for Montreal’s receiving corps.
Watkins – whose first quarter, four-yard touchdown catch gave the Als a 17-3 lead – garnered 113 yards on just three receptions in the win, while Bratton had two receptions, both of which resulted in touchdowns for the Als.
Scoring a lot and often, Montreal’s long offensive drives allowed for their defence to rest up on the sidelines – and did it ever show.
Dominating on D
The Anwar Stewart-led defence limited Printers and backup Travis Lulay to 261 passing yards and had two interceptions in the process. Ramon Guzman, Corey Huclack and Shea Emry each forced one fumble, all of which were recovered by the Als.
Emry’s strip in the first quarter also got things rolling offensively for the Alouettes as just one play later, Calvillo hit Richardson deep in the end zone to give the Als a 10-3 lead – one which they would never relinquish.
Leaving the 53,792 fans in attendance happy, the Als will now look forward to facing the Roughriders and hopefully for Calvillo et al a sixth Grey Cup title and a parade down Ste-Catherine Street in early-December.
Notes
Billy Parker registered his first-career playoff interception… John Bowman scored on a 41-yard interception return… Chip Cox had 10 tackles and a sack… Damon Duval registered 14 points.
