Alouettes looks for ways to avoid getting ‘stuck in the mud’ in the second half

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For a little over 37 minutes, and after scoring 31 points, it almost felt like the days when Anthony Calvillo was the Alouettes’ quarterback and not just the offensive playcaller.

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There was a lot to like last Thursday against Edmonton during Calvillo’s first game, but second stint, as the coach responsible for calling the plays. That the Als finally imploded, losing to the Elks 32-31, was no cross for Calvillo, aside from the fact that Montreal failed to produce a point in the final 22 minutes of the game.

But the Als scored four touchdowns, bringing their total to 10 in five games, rather than repeatedly having to settle for David Côté’s short field goals. Still, it was obviously far from a perfect game, with Montreal committing three turnovers, including two interceptions by quarterback Trevor Harris.

“There were a few things we wanted to focus on: scoring touchdowns in the red zone,” Calvillo said after Tuesday’s practice. “We also wanted to improve our efficiency on the second try, especially on the second and long. There were a lot of positives overall, especially with the (coaching) changes that happened and the moves that we added to the offense. I was happy with that, but disappointed with the turnovers.”

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The Als certainly were far from dominant, generating a modest 17 first downs against Edmonton along with 316 yards of net offense. And his possession time was just 26:39. However, they scored enough points to win and showed occasional signs of aggression, trying to stretch the field by shooting shots downfield. It was refreshing to witness.

“We’re going to take our shots,” Calvillo promised. “We have our running game, our short and middle (walk) game. When you make your shots downfield, you have a potentially big play. It lets our guys know that sometimes we’re going to be aggressive. You never know what can happen in those deep balls; there have been many pass interference penalties called. We feel confident with the guys we have for these balls”.

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While no offensive player stood out individually, Harris distributed the ball among eight receivers. Eugene Lewis, Montreal’s leading receiver this season, caught six passes for 78 yards, scoring his first touchdown this season, while Reggie White Jr. added four receptions for 56 yards, but also fumbled after the Als completed a side kick.

If the timing of that play, midway through the third quarter with Montreal leading by 19, seemed odd, interim head coach and general manager Danny Maciocia said he was also trying to send a message to his players.

“We knew they were going to take the ball,” he said. “We were going to try to force them to go two and out. They got a first try. Then we were going to try to score. If we score, we will give the dagger with the side kick. It almost played perfectly, but we know what happened on the next play.”

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While the Als did score a touchdown in the third quarter, most of their offensive damage came during the first half, taking a 24-12 lead into halftime. It often seemed like the Als didn’t make adjustments at halftime, one of many contributing factors to the firing of former head coach Khari Jones. It still remains one of the many mysteries behind the team’s struggles in losing four of five games this season.

“We have to have more urgency,” Lewis said. “Coming out of halftime has basically been our problem. That third quarter, we got stuck in the mud. We have to find a way to get out of that and love him more. In the red zone, we have to score touchdowns. When we go out after half time we have to keep our foot on the gas. We cannot become complacent or comfortable.”

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But Lewis can’t explain why it keeps happening, since last season.

“It’s not on purpose,” he said. “We just have to be more focused and want it more. We have already talked enough about it. We are right there. we are close. Right now, we have to do it.”

Unlike his first stint as offensive coordinator in 2015-16, shortly after his retirement and when he was unprepared for the job, Calvillo has become the responsibility while emphasizing that he is more than a one-man show.

“In the past, I would tell guys not to talk to me, like I was a player,” he said. “Let me focus on this. But I also realize that I might be missing something. Let’s communicate, so we can come up with the best move. We are going to improve as a coaching staff”.

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