With a 34-13 win over the Ottawa Redblacks Friday night the Montreal Alouettes demonstrated exactly why they are the best in the East.
The Alouettes (7-1) were solid from start to finish, while Ottawa dropped to 0-7 for its worst-ever start to a season.
Davis Alexander had an impressive outing going 22-for-30 for 420 yards and three touchdowns.
Jake Maier had a decent outing finishing 34-for 41 for 311 yards and one interception but it’s tough to compete when you’re unable to convert in the red zone. Ottawa was 1-for-5 while Montreal went 4-for-4.
The Redblacks trailed right off the opening drive and never managed to close the gap.
The Alouettes scored on their first two possessions, Alexander connected with Cole Spieker on a six-yard pass and on their second drive needed just four plays to get down field before Travis Theis ran in a three-yard touchdown.
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Ottawa managed to get in the red zone on its opening drive but settled for a 13-yard field goal.
The Redblacks caught a break late in the first quarter while driving downfield when a Grade 2 roughing-the-passer penalty against Najee Murray moved the ball to the Montreal one-yard line. Ottawa was stopped on its first attempt, but Daniel Adeboboye punched it in on the opening play of the second quarter to cut the Alouettes’ lead to 14-10.
The Alouettes extended their lead early in the second quarter. Alexander hit Spieker deep in the Ottawa end zone for an 11-yard touchdown pass making it 21-10. Alexander appeared poised to pick up his third touchdown of the night but a Montreal holding penalty negated the play and the Alouettes settled for a 35-yard field goal.
Ottawa made it back to the red zone late in the second quarter but was once again forced to settle for a 14-yard field goal and trailed 24-13 at the half.
Looking to find a way to get back in the game, Ottawa gambled on third and three early in the second half and it paid off when Justin Hardy was able to get the Redblacks to Montreal’s two-yard line. But Maier was then sacked and lost three yards, couldn’t connect on the second down and Ottawa gambled again on third and five, but wasn’t so lucky with Maier getting picked off by Joshua Archibald.
Montreal made it 31-13 when Tyler Snead pulled in a pass and ran in a 19-yard touchdown late in the third quarter and Jose Maltos Diaz rounded out the scoring with a 42-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter.
UP NEXT
Alouettes: Host the Edmonton Elks on Saturday, Aug. 8.
Redblacks: Visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Friday, Aug. 7.
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