By Jack Bedell
MontrealAlouettes.com
Pre-Season Game A Wrap-Up
Last Thursday’s pre-season game against the Blue Bombers went almost exactly like I expected.
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Rashaud Slaughter carried the ball well in late-game action Thursday |
Considering not only the fact that the Alouettes had been in training camp for less than two weeks, but also that they left an all-star team off the field in Anthony Calvillo, Jamel Richardson, Anwar Stewart, and Kerry Watkins, the team played a relatively clean game and moved the ball efficiently under back-up pivots Adrian McPherson, Ricky Santos, and Josh Neiswander.
Aside from keeping an eye on tempo and precision however, the real interest for me lay in watching how the young players performed, particularly in situations where they were being asked to play the role of lead contributors instead of supporting cast.
Receivers Brandon London and Bo Bowling both had eye-opening performances, Seth Williams did a fine job in coverage, and Rashaud Slaughter carried the ball well in late game action.
It was also nice to see veteran special teams ace Walter Spencer back on the field making plays.
The rest of the game was played pretty close to the vest, and amounted to a good exercise in one-on-one match-ups for the Alouettes’ young players.
What a Difference a Week Makes
During this week’s road game against the Ticats though, the tenor of the game will be a little different.
The second pre-season game is a chance for the Alouettes’ veterans to take part in a bit of a dress rehearsal before the regular season begins June 30. With projected starters taking the field all over the roster, productivity and continuity in the system will be key considerations.
Since the Alouettes’ offence had a tough time finishing drives last week against Winnipeg, the element of Wednesday’s game which I’ll be most focused on is the performance of Montreal’s veteran offensive core against a quick, opportunistic Ticats defence. New Hamilton defensive coordinator Corey Chamblin has made it priority one to install an aggressive defensive system, and his group of physical defensive backs should make for a very tough test for the Alouettes’ receivers.
Getting Back to Work
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AC is expected to be back against the Ticats Wednesday |
With the return of Calvillo, Watkins, Kerry Carter, Scott Flory, and others to the Alouettes’ offence, it’s imperative that the team avoids two-and-out possessions and builds some offensive rhythm before heading into the regular season.
Last week, the Ticats’ defence had trouble slowing the Argos’ first two offensive units, allowing Double-Blue pivots Cleo Lemon and Dalton Bell to combine for 319 yards and two TDs. Hamilton also failed to generate much of a pass rush and could not turn the ball over. You can bet they’ll be looking to turn that around with many of their defensive starters taking the field this week at home against Montreal.
The addition of top-shelf players like Markeith Knowlton, Jamall Johnson, Stevie Baggs, Justin Hickman, and Matt Kirk to the defensive front seven is sure to up the level of the Ticats’ performance this week. That’s a group of players known for their ability to generate pressure and tackle well to limit gains.
Montreal’s o-line has to keep the pocket clean for Calvillo, so the ball can come out quickly and accurately. That will move the chains, and it will set up openings for Brandon Whitaker, Yvenson Bernard, Emmanuel Marc and the other running backs vying for carries that simply weren’t there last week. I’d also love to see the Alouettes’ receiving corps find some space in the secondary after catching the ball to pile up some YAC yards.
For at least a half, this week’s game should feel like the real deal, and I’m eager to see all of the Alouettes’ offensive talent on display.
Tune in to RDS, TSN, CKAC, or CJAD at 7PM ET on Wednesday, June 22, to catch every play of the Alouettes’ final tune-up before the regular season.
