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Alouettes stun Redblacks in last-second victory on road

Saturday night’s clash between the Alouettes and Redblacks was CFL football at its finest. The game isn’t over until it’s over.

The Als dug themselves into a deep hole after the first half, as they trailed 17-3 going into the break. Ottawa managed to score 14 points off an interception and a fumble, and it looked like the Alouettes’ three-game winning streak was going to come to an end.

Things changed in a hurry in the fourth quarter though.

The Caleb Evans Show

Evans threw a pair of interceptions in the first half, and he fumbled a ball deep in Montreal territory, which led to a Redblacks touchdown just a few plays later.

The 25-year-old pivot bounced back in a big way in the second half. His first pass of the third quarter was a 47-yard bomb to Austin Mack. Two plays later, the Als were in the endzone thanks to an Evans pass to Tyler Snead.

Let’s fast-forward to the end of the game. With 1:26 remaining, the Als were down 24-19. Their drive began from their own 38-yard line. Evans, who was playing in Ottawa for the first time since leaving the team as a free agent last winter, converted some key third downs.

The most explosive one came on a 51-yard pass to Canadian receiver Hergy Mayala, which took the Als inside the Ottawa 10-yard line. The second came just a few plays later on a run on 3rd and goal from the three-yard line. Evans managed to get into the end zone to give the Als a one-point lead with just 14 seconds remaining.

“In those moments, I like them the most,” Evans explained. “It’s easier to execute one play at a time. The defence is backed up and they don’t know what you’re going to do. You can hit them short; you can hit them deep, you can run. It’s just about keeping your calm state of mind and going out there and executing and doing what you do…it was a great team win.”

He finished the night with 333 passing yards, two touchdown passes, two interceptions, and a rushing touchdown.

“It’s always good to get a win,” The Als quarterback explained. “I already told you it was going to be a little more emotional. For it to come down to that, in crunch time, and we pulled out with the (win), it’s great.”

Mack & Snead dominate

Austin Mack and Tyler Snead led the way for the Alouettes, as they made big play after big play in this game.

Mack finished with nine receptions on 13 targets for 116 yards, while Snead had seven receptions on seven targets for 98 yards and two receiving touchdowns.

This was the second multi-touchdown game of the season for Snead, as he had three majors during a loss at home to Toronto earlier this season.

“We just stayed cool,” Snead said after the game. “We knew we had a chance to win the game. That’s just all about (working) in practice and being with the guys and that brotherhood and being with the guys and trusting in each other. We knew (Caleb Evans) had us, we knew (Hergy Mayala) could do it, we knew everybody could make plays. It’s just an awesome feeling knowing going down there and pulling that one out.”

D-FENCE

Tyrell Richards made a huge play at the start of the second half, as he forced and recovered a fumble. That led to Snead’s first touchdown of the game, which brought the deficit down to just seven points at the time.

Richards, who was the first overall pick in the 2022 CFL Draft, has dominated on special teams this season, but he played a bigger role on defence tonight, and he performed well.

The most important moment of the game for the defence came late in the fourth quarter when the Als trailed 24-19 with under three minutes remaining. Ottawa managed to gain 20 yards on a first-down run, but the Als managed to force them into a punting situation just two plays later.

The Als offence got the ball back with 1:26 remaining in regulation, and the rest is history. Evans eventually scores and the Als win. Everyone will remember the great job the offence did in the final moments, but don’t forget the work the defence put in.

“We just have to get off the field,” defensive back Wesley Sutton explained. “We didn’t get a two-and-out, but we pride ourselves on getting the ball back to the offence as quick as possible. They needed the ball very fast, so they could have as much time on the clock for them to what they needed to do. I’m just proud of the guys. It’s tough coming into a hostile environment and coming away with a win like that. That’s the definition of a championship team.”

What’s next?

The Alouettes won’t have much down time next week, as they’ll travel to Winnipeg to take on the Blue Bombers on Thursday night.

The next home game will be against the B.C. Lions on Sep. 2. You can get your tickets HERE