What if we told you that the last time the Montreal Alouettes won five straight games, the quarterback wasn’t Anthony Calvillo…
For the first time since 2014, the Alouettes could start a five-game winning streak by beating the Blue Bombers in Winnipeg on Thursday night. However, the challenge against the leaders of the western section with a record of 8-2 is enormous, especially since the brave Sparrows (6-3) only had a few days to breathe after their spectacular victory in Ottawa last Saturday.
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Despite Caleb Evans’ last two wins, head coach Jason Maas has also opted to rely on veteran Cody Fajardo as the offensive linchpin for the game against the Bombers. He is recovering from a period of inactivity after recovering from a left shoulder injury in recent weeks.
“If I had been in the league in my early years, it probably would have affected me,” explained Fajardo at the end of training on Tuesday. But it’s like coming back after a week’s break… Football is still football when you come back to the game.
Fajardo is the one who started the current four-game winning streak as quarterback for the Alouettes, on July 30 against the Calgary Stampeders and then again on August 5 against the Tiger-Cats in Hamilton.
My name is Jonathan
Of course, even when he’s an important part of offense, the quarterback is never solely responsible for wins. However, it usually takes a very good player to get five wins.
Which brings us back to 2014 and… Jonathan Crompton. In fact, Crompton was the Alouettes’ key quarterback during their winning streak that year, which lasted from September 21 through November 2. There is even talk of a series of six wins.
Calvillo was then retired. The sequence focused on the Alouettes defeating the Saskatchewan Roughriders 40-9 on October 13, 2014, the same day the organization retired its famous number 13 jersey.
Watch out for special forces!
However, a strong regular-season winning streak is no guarantee of success in the playoffs. In 2004, Crompton and the Alouettes defeated the BC Lions 50-17 in the Eastern semifinals before losing 40-24 to the Tiger-Cats in the Eastern finals. Die-hard Alouettes fans will remember opponent Brandon Banks’ various punt returns in this game.
Regardless of the identity of the quarterbacks, it may be the special teams that will determine the winner of Thursday night’s game between the Alouettes and the Blue Bombers. That sometimes happens in the Canadian Football League.
Collaros back
Speaking of the Blue Bombers, you should also bet on a return to quarterback for Zach Collaros, who missed his team’s last game with a neck injury.
In the Alouettes’ camp, running backs Walter Fletcher and William Stanback, both Americans, will be in the squad. Logically, the club from Montreal will have one less American among their passport recipients.
- On July 1, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers handed the Alouettes their first loss of the season, 17-3, in Montreal.
- Average revenue per game rose 26% in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal “compared to the same period last season,” the Canadian Football League announced on Wednesday.