Alouettes beat Stamps in first of back-to-back games
Heading into the Week 6 matchup between the Montreal Alouettes and Calgary Stampeders, most of the focus was on Tyson Philpot and his twin brother Jalen going head-to-head for the third time in their career. And for the third time, Tyson came away victorious, as the Als beat the Stamps, 37-30, at Percival Molson Stadium on Saturday night.
If you assumed that watching the twins go head-to-head is easy on their mom, you’d assume wrong.
“As their mom, I just want them to have a good game,” Tyson and Jalen’s mom, Colleen Purcell, said after the game.
“I don’t enjoy this game at all. I don’t enjoy this game, and they know that. I’ve told them before: ‘I’m not coming to the game; I’m coming to see you’ (laughs). Because I get to spend time with the both of them together. That’s why I do it.
Once again, Tyson put together a stand-out performance. He finished the night with nine receptions for 132 yards and a touchdown. He added 16 yards rushing. Philpot could’ve had an even bigger day, but a long touchdown was called back because of a penalty.
The 25-year-old is now up to a ridiculous 45 receptions for 719 yards and four majors, which is an utterly insane stat line through five games. That puts him on pace for a ludicrous 2,588 yards.
“Obviously, my goal every week is just to go 1-0,” Philpot said. “If I put up yards and we lose, that’s not something that would sit well with me. I dreamed about being the best – I’m nowhere near that yet. I just have to keep stacking the days and weeks and if we’re having this conversation is Week 21, I’ll pat myself on the back then.”
Update on Davis Alexander:
Alexander was seen entering the locker room in the fourth quarter, but he didn’t miss any action. After the game, he said there were no serious issues physically.
What a debut!
Als first-year defensive end David Perales has been waiting patiently for an opportunity to step on the field.
The newcomer registered a quarterback sack on the second snap of his CFL career when he brought down Stamps quarterback Vernon Adams Jr on second down to force a punt.
“Honestly, on my first play, I had a pass-rush move and I thought it was terrible,” Perales admitted. “The second (play), I felt good. I’m a little rusty because it’s been three years since I’ve played in a game.”
It wasn’t only Perales who had to be patient. The Als also had to wait on the 27-year-old because he broke his hand on the fourth day of training camp.
The former Fresno State star is no stranger to injury adversity. After joining the Pittsburgh Steelers, he suffered a torn MCL before the preseason began. He went on injured reserve for the year.
“I kind of felt like my dream was over,” he said after the win over Calgary. “I kept on training hard. I was hoping for (something to happen) in free agency, and then the Montreal Alouettes gave me an opportunity, so I came out here.”
CFL teams don’t typically keep newcomers around if they suffer an injury in camp unless they feel really strongly about the player. Despite suffering that injury, the Als kept Perales around. That decision paid off on Saturday.
Not only did he register a sack, but he also batted down an Adams Jr. pass on third down with only seconds remaining in the game to force a turnover on downs. That allowed the offence to go into victory formation to close out the night.
“It’s kind of a rotating door at that position right now,” fellow veteran Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund said of the defensive end position opposite him. “We have a lot of guys that are competing – me included. Everyone is competing. Perales really answered the bell. I’m proud of him. He spent a lot of late nights and early morning learning those plays.”
One game doesn’t make a career, but Perales is off to a strong start and he should continue to see action on defence down the stretch.
What’s next?
Well, these two teams will get to do this all over again next Saturday in Calgary.
“It’s annoying (laughs),” defensive back Wes Sutton said of playing the same team in back-to-back games. “I just saw you, you know? Especially when you get the win, I don’t want to play you again. But we have to. That’s what’s on our schedule. On the positive side, we don’t have to put in anything new, per se. We know the personnel and we know what they like to do. You don’t have to take your foot off the gas for that, but you have confidence going against the same people.”
