Week 16 Preview: Hamilton at Montreal

THE CANADIAN PRESS

MONTREAL – With the chase for the all-time CFL passing record now over, it’s the race to secure a home playoff game that has Montreal Alouettes quarterback Anthony Calvillo‘s full attention.

The 39-year-old lived an emotional high Monday when Montreal’s win over the Toronto Argonauts was stopped on the final play of the third quarter for an on-field celebration when he broke Damon Allen’s all-time passing record.

On Sunday, Calvillo hopes to celebrate Montreal clinching a home playoff date when it hosts the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Percival Molson Stadium.

”I didn’t think going into the last game that it was going to affect me the way it did,” Calvillo said Saturday. ”While preparing for it, it didn’t bother me but once I got onto the field there was added stress.”

”But for the next game, you don’t have time to enjoy and think about it any more because you have to move on. We’re in a tight fight going into these next four games and they’re so important for where we’re going to finish. I haven’t had time to enjoy it. I’ll wait till the end of the season. Right now, I’m trying to get focused on the game against Hamilton.”

A win will clinch a home playoff game for Montreal (9-5) while Hamilton (7-7) needs a victory to keep its faint hopes for a post-season contest at Ivor Wynne Stadium alive.

The Ticats will clinch a playoff berth with a win or a B.C. Lions’ victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Sunday.

The Alouettes also need a win to take the season series with Hamilton, which won the first two meetings at home by 34-26 and 44-21 scores but then lost 43-13 in Montreal on Sept. 11. In total points, Hamilton leads 91-90.

Since rejoining the league after a 10-year hiatus in 1996, Montreal has not missed the playoffs and has only twice had its first post-season game on the road — losing both times in 2001 in Hamilton and 2007 in Winnipeg.

It raised some eyebrows in Hamilton this week that the Alouettes have already put tickets on sale for a playoff game at Olympic Stadium.

But that may have just been habit, because the two-time defending Grey Cup-champion Alouettes are not used to having to battle for playoff spots.

”What I told the team was that we’re exactly where we thought we should be and would be at this point in time,” said Montreal coach Marc Trestman. ”It’s just that our journey is different.”

”We’re surrounded now and we haven’t been surrounded before. We need to embrace the opportunity.”

High winds are forecast for Sunday so it could be a tough day for both offences to move the ball and avoid turnovers.

Injuries have left both clubs with only one of the five defensive backfield players that started the season.

Trestman said defensive back Dwight Anderson has been placed on the nine-game injury list with an unspecified ailment, either a hip or a leg problem, after seeing a doctor Friday, but the Alouettes have had to shuffle their backfield all season.

This week, Hamilton dealt one of its downfield threats, receiver Maurice Mann, to Toronto for defensive halfback Dee Webb, who will start along with rookie cornerback Woodny Turenne.

Many eyes will be on the Ticats quarterbacks, as coach Marcel Bellefeuille this week confirmed Kevin Glenn as his starter, but said Quinton Porter would get more playing time through the last four games of the regular season. Glenn may get the hook quickly if the offence sputters.

Bad weather could mean more work for the CFL’s top two rushers, Montreal’s Brandon Whitaker and former Alouettes tailback Avon Cobourne. Cobourne served as a mentor to Whitaker with the Alouettes before he signed as a free agent with the Ticats last off-season.

Since taking over, Whitaker has blossomed into a top rusher. His 1,107 yards on 176 carries leads the league by 276 yards over second-place Cobourne, who has five fewer carries. Cobourne leads in their head-to-head meetings this season with 171 yards on 39 carries while Whitaker has 158 yards on 29 rushes.

”I have only respect for Avon,” said Whitaker. ”He’s still in my eyes the best running back in the league over the last few years.”

”He does it all. I’ve learned a lot from him and I appreciate what he’s done for me. When we play against each other, he’s still big brother, on and off the field. When we get out there it’s war, and after, it’s brotherly love again.”

The former Baylor Bear has a good shot at winning a rushing title in his first year as a starter and third CFL season overall, which would be an accomplishment because the Alouettes don’t run the ball much.

”It would be huge for me, especially with us having so many weapons as far as receivers,” Whitaker said. ”We have the best quarterback in the game and we like to air it out.”

“It makes our job easier. It would definitely be a blessing. I’m working on it.”

The Alouettes also have the CFL’s top receiver in Jamel Richardson, whose 50-yard touchdown catch clinched Calvillo the all-time passing record against Toronto.

Richardson has 91 catches for 1,452 yards and 11 touchdowns, all league-leading marks. Now he’s threatening some team records, including his own of 16 receiving TDs in one season in 2008.

Hal Patterson set the team’s single-season receiving record with 1,914 yards in 1956. Ben Cahoon is the only Alouette to register more than 100 catches in a season, with 112 in 2003 and 107 in 2008.

Richardson’s 43 career TD catches are 22 behind Cahoon, who retired after last season, but are only four behind teammate Kerry Watkins for third place. Peter Dalla Riva had 54 touchdown catches from 1968 to 1981.

”To break something would be great, but I’ll just do whatever the team needs me to do,” Richardson said. ”Ben definitely set the bar high around here.”

Here’s how the two teams stack up so far this season: