The Montreal Alouettes are preparing to begin their playoff journey and will look to return to the top for the first time in more than a decade.
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This Saturday, the Als at Percival Molson Stadium hosts the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the semi-finals of the Eastern Section of the Canadian Football League. Here is the Belle Province club’s recent history in one-on-one games:
2022
Last year, general manager Danny Maciocia’s team won the playoffs for the first time since the 2014 season. The Alouettes experienced the joy of defeating the Tiger-Cats in the semifinals. They won in front of their fans 28 to 17. However, the “Als” journey ended the following week with a 34:27 defeat against the Argonauts in Toronto. The Queen City Club then won the Gray Cup.
2021
A year earlier, the Alouettes finished third in the East in the regular season and met the Tiger-Cats in the semifinals on home soil. The Montreal club only managed one touchdown in a 23-12 loss. This was Maciocia’s first season as the team’s GM.
2019
This season was incredible for the Alouettes as head coach Mike Sherman left his position after two preseason games. Khari Jones got the interim job and quarterback Vernon Adam Jr. proved to be his right-hand man. The Quebec team had a 10-8 record and hosted the Edmonton Eskimos in the Eastern semifinals. The “Als” scored three majors in races but were never able to win through the air. In the end they lost 37 to 29.
2014
This season was the Alouettes’ first without quarterback Anthony Calvillo behind center. The team maintained a 9-9 record and finished second in the East. They defeated the British Columbia Lions 50-17 at Percival Molson Stadium, but the celebration was short-lived. The Sparrows’ season ended with a 40-24 loss to the Tiger-Cats in the Eastern final.
2011, 2012 and 2013
Those three campaigns all ended in the Eastern Semifinals, twice against the Tiger-Cats (2011 and 2013) and once against the Argonauts (2012).
2010
We have to go back 13 years to retrace the Alouettes’ last win in the Gray Cup. In 2011, the Marc Trestman-led team finished first in the East with a 12-6 regular season record. The “Als” then defeated the Argonauts in the Eastern final with 48 to 17 and the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the grand final with 21 to 18. For the “Als” it was the second championship in a row. Pass receiver Jamel Richardson secured the title of MVP of the last duel. The American caught eight passes and gained 109 yards. Calvillo also shined with 29 completions on 42 attempts for 336 yards.