The Alouettes in 2006: CFL.ca
By Josh Bell-Webster,
CFL.ca
The Montreal Alouettes season was played out in three different acts in 2006.
Act I
In typical Alouettes fashion, the team stormed out of the gate in the early summer, reeling off seven straight wins to begin the year. It was the third time in club history that the Als began a season in such a manner. The first two times Montreal went on to win the Grey Cup.
Quarterback Anthony Calvillo set some personal milestones during this stretch, surpassing the career 45,000 passing yard mark and the 35,000 yard mark as an Alouette. He passed for his 250th career touchdown in a June 24 meeting against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Calvillo enters 2007 with 49,442 career yards as he is set to become just the fourth pivot in CFL history to surpass the 50,000 plateau.
Rookie defensive back Chip Cox made quite an impression in the early going, picking off two passes in his first career game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in a 27-17 season opening win. He also blocked a punt resulting in a touchdown in a July 6 win against the Ticats. The Als swept their three-game set against Hamilton.
The most dominant performance by the Als came in Week 8 at home against the Toronto Argonauts. Robert Edwards rushed for 138 yards and two touchdowns, while the Montreal defence did not allow the Argos to pass midfield in a 31-7 rout. The Als had a three-game advantage in the loss column over the second place Bombers, and five over the Argos.
Act II
The Als suffered their first defeat of the season on Aug. 12 against the Calgary Stampeders on a last-second field goal. It was the pin that popped Montreal’s balloon, as the Als proceeded to lose six-straight contests.
The Argos rebounded from their humiliating loss one week later, as their defence intercepted six pass attempts in a 31-6 outcome. During this stretch the Als lost two games to both the Stampeders and B.C. Lions, giving up 12 sacks to the latter in a 36-20 defeat in Week 14.
After their sixth loss courtesy of the Bombers, Montreal and Toronto were tied on top of the East Division with 7-6 records, with Winnipeg trailing by one game in the loss column.
The Als got back on track on Sept. 29 in a 23-20 win against the Bombers. It turned out to be significant in many ways, as it was Don Matthews’ final game as Als head coach. Matthews, the all-time winning coach in CFL history, stepped down due to health reasons.
Act III
General manager Jim Popp took over on the sidelines, having just two career CFL games under his belt as a head coach, both losses. With Montreal now in the thick of a race for first place, the Als won in Popp’s first game, but continued to spiral, losing two straight.
But Montreal came through when it counted most. Need a win in their regular season finale in Toronto to clinch first place, the Als scored 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter for a 24-20 win. In the rematch two weeks later in the Scotiabank East Championship, Edwards rushed for 137 yards and a touchdown, while Mark Estelle contributed with a 78-yard interception return for a major in a 33-24 win.
It may have been an unexpected route back in August, but the Als returned to the Grey Cup for the fifth time in seven years. Facing a strong Lions team, the Als limited B.C. to one touchdown. Montreal looked to be robbed of a touchdown of its own when B.C. quarterback Dave Dickenson appeared to fumble the ball, which was recovered by Cox who had nothing but daylight to the end zone. Dickenson was ruled down before the losing the ball. Instant replay corrected the play, but did not provide the Als a major. B.C. won the championship 25-14.
Epilogue
It marked the 11th straight year the Alouettes made the post-season, the longest active streak in the CFL, trailing only the Detroit Red Wings (14) and the New York Yankees (12) for the longest in professional sports.
Damon Duval set a Montreal regular season record for field goals, kicking 51 in 2006, surpassing Terry Baker’s mark of 47 set in 1998.
Ben Cahoon continued to show why he is one of the best receivers in the CFL, becoming the first player in Alouettes history with 1,000 receiving yards or more in five consecutive seasons. He is currently 10th all-time in CFL receptions with 664, and eyes a move into the Top 10 in receiving yards in 2007.
Edwards became the first running back since the legendary Mike Pringle (2000-2001) to rush for over 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons. Edwards led the CFL in touchdowns with 17.
Montrealers continued to throw their support behind the Alouettes, selling out Percival Molson Stadium for all eight home dates in 2006. It marks 70 consecutive games at McGill that the Als have played in front of a full house.
Popp will remain on the sidelines for the 2007 season. In a couple of significant moves, Popp replaced Kevin Strasser with Marcel Bellefeuille as offensive coordinator. The team also traded free safety Richard Karikari to the Argos for kick returner Keith Stokes.
