Making his first career CFL regular-season start, on the road no less, it came as no great surprise the game potentially would be difficult for Alouettes quarterback Davis Alexander.
And the third-year pro’s mettle was tested with early adversity Friday night against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
On the Montreal’s second offensive series, Alexander fumbled after being hit by nose-tackle DeWayne Hendrix. The ball was recovered by linebacker Trevor Hoyte at the Ticats’ 52.
Although Alexander completed his opening four passes for a modest 19 yards, his first attempt on the opening play of the second quarter — a pass intended for Cole Spieker into a tight window — never should have been thrown. The ball was intercepted by defensive-back Kenneth George and returned 18 yards for a touchdown.
Alexander, only 25, easily could have crumbled at this point, and on the Alouettes’ next possession, he overthrew an open Tyson Philpot on a deep route.
But the quarterback settled down after that, displaying why management thinks so highly of him. The next time Montreal had the ball, Alexander directed the team on a six-play, 80-yard drive that included passes of 19 yards each to Philpot and Reggie White Jr. But Alexander saved his best for last, finding Charleston Rambo for a 24-yard touchdown in between coverage midway through the second quarter.
Alexander was far from perfect — few quarterbacks ever truly are — but was full measure for Montreal’s convincing 33-16 victory before 20,426 spectators at Tim Hortons Field.
He completed 19 of 27 passes for 262 yards, connecting with seven different receivers. He made things happen with his legs, frequently escaping potential tackles, threw the ball with authority and overcame his early challenges.
Not only that, but the 6-foot, 200 pounder displayed his toughness, returning from a vicious helmet-to-helmet tackle in the fourth quarter from Casey Sayles. Alexander should have done a better job of protecting himself, but Sayles, who isn’t considered a dirty player, made no attempt to hit the quarterback below the shoulders. Alexander’s helmet flew off following the hit and it also appeared he injured his lower back on the play.
Sayles was given a 25-yard roughing the passer penalty for spearing, but should have immediately been disqualified — one of several calls referee André Proulx, his crew and the league’s command centre missed. Sayles undoubtedly will be fined for his illegal gesture.
Incredibly, a smiling Alexander returned on the Als’ next series.
“I’m OK, but that was a big-time shot,” Alexander said during a televised post-game interview from Hamilton. “I’ve got to stand in there and deliver a throw. I feel like I did. That’s the price of playing this position. I’ll be all right.
“I just have to play my game. Obviously, the two turnovers early, I can’t fumble that. There was a bit of slippage, but I’ve got to be safer with the ball. I trust our playmakers. We have some of the best playmakers in the league.”
Along with his touchdown, Rambo caught four passes for 86 yards. Philpot was also effective, catching five passes for 82 yards. Tailback Walter Fletcher rushed eight times for 56 yards — including a 26-yard gain — and scored a late touchdown on a five-yard off-tackle run after the Ticats crept to within 11 points.
“It wasn’t as clean a ball game as we wanted, but we still put up 33 points,” Alexander told journalists in Hamilton. “I’ve got to protect the ball a little bit better. I missed a couple of big plays out there. It comes with reps, but there’s absolutely no excuse. I’ll be better next week.”
The Alouettes and Ticats meet again next Saturday at Molson Stadium, and it remains to be determined who will be Montreal’s starting quarterback.
Alexander could obviously play if necessary, while the status of veteran Cody Fajardo is up in the air. Fajardo had been on the six-game injured list (hamstring), only to be removed last week when he returned to practice. He was then placed on the one-game injured list against Hamilton, indicating he’s nearing a return, although he could have remained on the six-game injured list and his contract not have counted against the salary cap.
Fajardo’s return would be timely since it appears Caleb Evans will be sidelined indefinitely with an injury to his right knee.
Evans replaced Alexander following the Sayles hit, immediately lofting a 39-yard touchdown pass to fullback David Dallaire at 9:20 of the fourth quarter, giving the Alouettes a 27-8 lead. It was Dallaire’s first CFL touchdown. Evans also scored on a one-yard run in the third quarter, capping a four-play, 70-yard drive.
But Evans left the game later, just before the Fletcher score, after gaining seven yards on a naked bootleg. Evans attempted to break his run and slide before getting hit, only to land awkwardly. He wasn’t able to put any weight on his right knee while being assisted from the field.
Defensively, the Alouettes made life miserable for quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, attacking him from various angles while making him look confused. Mitchell passed for 240 yards, but was intercepted twice. The Ticats didn’t score an offensive touchdown until 12:19 of the fourth quarter.
Montreal improved to 7-1, equalling a franchise record with its seventh consecutive road victory while returning to the site of last season’s Grey Cup victory. The Ticats had been on a modest two-game winning streak, after starting the season 0-5, but badly failed this litmus test.
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