The Als have never looked more vulnerable

Hamilton Tiger-Cats
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A story from the Montreal Gazette

[url=http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/Alouettes+have+never+looked+more+vulnerable/5671344/story.html]http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/A ... story.html[/url]

[b]As the 2011 season reaches its zenith, it’s becoming more painful to watch Anthony Calvillo, Ham’s replacement more than a decade ago. At 39, Calvillo has remained healthy and relatively injury-free throughout his 18 Canadian Football League seasons. It’s just that, as the Als’ season appears to be unravelling, Calvillo’s shortcomings are becoming more apparent.

Since becoming professional football’s career passing leader on Thanksgiving Monday, at home against Toronto, it seems Calvillo, and the Als for that matter, haven’t been the same. There have been some performances that, on the surface, appeared productive. Calvillo passed for 341 yards and two touchdowns in a narrow victory against Hamilton. Two weeks later, during a loss against Calgary, he recorded a quiet 380 yards and one touchdown.

Bookended around that came two ugly displays - 199 yards and three interceptions at Winnipeg, along with Saturday’s 63-yard embarrassment at British Columbia, during which Calvillo was benched late in the third quarter.

For those of you keeping score at home, this season’s passing leader - and potential East Division nominee as most outstanding player - has thrown for four touchdowns the last five games. It’s as though the only thing motivating him were the records he eclipsed this season, a statement he obviously would dispute.

“He certainly showed his age, along with his inability to withstand any contact,? said a league follower who witnessed Saturday’s debacle. “There were times the Lions waved at him and he fell down. It was the same 10 years ago. If he can’t stand in the pocket, he’ll always be less effective. And he felt the heat quickly.?

Calvillo was sacked four times before being mercifully removed, the Als not faring well in their first outing without injured offensive-tackle Josh Bourke. One time, linebacker Anton McKenzie somehow brought him down with one arm, defying logic.[/b]

[b]We know Calvillo cares, newspaper photographers catching him sitting alone on the bench, his head down and clasped in his hands. But he made a mistake - an obvious display of frustration and fatigue - chewing out backup running-back Dahrran Diedrick in full view of spectators and cameras, at the end of the first quarter. It wasn’t the time or place for that.

The Lions made one of the game’s greatest quarterbacks look confused and rattled, the proverbial deer caught in the headlights. He clearly lost his composure behind an offensive-line that’s falling apart and was overwhelmed.

“He’s got that nervous cat-thing. It’s as if he’s in self-preservation mode,? said another keen CFL observer who must remain anonymous. “This (public display) isn’t something we’ve seen from him. Emotion isn’t part of A.C., especially in the Marc Trestman era. It (the pressure) is getting to him.

“The team looks more human every week. The one thing that has struck me is they’re having trouble coming to grips with their own mortality. They’ve not had a ton of adversity.?

If it’s over, the ride has been grand. Two consecutive Grey Cups and three successive trips to the championship game. But as the Als head into Sunday’s East Division semifinal at Olympic Stadium against the Tiger-Cats, this team has never looked so vulnerable. Montreal limps into the playoffs having lost three straight, outscored 101-53.

The offence is stagnant and predictable. It seems to lack imagination, relying on passes and predictable patterns. It requires a greater variety of formations. Where are the sweeps, screens, reverses, fakes or play-action? This comes squarely back to Trestman and his offensive assistants.

Lions quarterback Travis Lulay, the league’s next rising star, used play-action because of his speed and quickness. His receivers, Simon and Arland Bruce, clearly outplayed Jamel Richardson and S.J. Green.

Defensively, without a pass rush, the Als are dead and their injury-depleted and inexperienced secondary will be further exposed. While there’s too much uncertainty and trepidation back there, any quarterback, given time, will find receivers against coverage that’s not good enough.[/b]

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I would never discount Calvillo. You can bet that you won't see the same horrific performance that they displayed against BC. They will return with a vengeance. The only way the Cats will win is if they come out with the same intensity that they had in the Labour Day game. The Cats should fly in Otis Floyd to give them their pre-game speech.

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That was an interesting article on the Als' weaknesses. They are an 10-8 team and Calvillo and the Als don't appear to be as good as they used to be, though they'll be out to prove they aren't as bad as they recently seemed to be. But after three consecutive losses, are things coming apart there? And yes, I know that things haven't looked so good for us either. In fact, none of the teams in the East have looked good lately.

I think the team that wins the WDF game in BC Place will win again the next week in that same building.

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This writer quotes a league follower* who witnessed Saturday’s debacle.

“He certainly showed his age, along with his inability to withstand any contact,? There were times the Lions waved at him and he fell down.
Does following the league make him a credible expert on the onset of old age?

He makes it seem that A.C. at the age of 39 years was tottering on his last legs
and he was was so feeble the breeze from Lions defenders made him fall down.

What a bunch of crap!

Then, he quotes another non expert in the field of aging, and somehow validates him
as an expert because he is a keen CFL observer [and yet] he must remain anonymous.

“He’s got that nervous cat-thing. It’s as if he’s in self-preservation mode,?
The writer himself gives the real reason that the Offence and Calvillo played so badly.
The Lions made one of the game’s greatest quarterbacks look confused and rattled, the proverbial deer caught in the headlights. He clearly lost his composure behind [b]an offensive-line that’s falling apart [/b]and was overwhelmed.
Then he says..
“[b]The team looks more human every week.[/b] The one thing that has struck me is they’re [b]having trouble coming to grips with their own mortality[/b]. They’ve not had a ton of adversity.?
[i]having trouble coming to grips with their own mortality[/i]?

The writer himself then gives the real reason that the Defence played so badly

an injury-depleted and inexperienced secondary and no pass rush.

Defensively, without a pass rush, the Als are dead and their injury-depleted and inexperienced secondary will be further exposed
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Hi Ron:

So what are you saying about Herb Zurkowsky’s writing?

I saw the article earlier today, as it was linked through the National Post. I also found it quite curious in the way he pointed at things through “anonymous sources”. I, too, don’t understand why these people, as “league observers” have to be unidentified. They were not offering facts or inside information, such as injuries, or strategy. Rather, were just giving opinions. Unless they are afraid of Jim Popp’s rath!

The way Calvillo was jawing at one of his teammates in the middle of the field during that nationally telecast game last weekend does seem quite unlike him. Later, when he was sitting on the bench with his head in his hands, again showed something I don’t remember seeing of him before. The only other time I witnessed this level of frustration from him was this past Labour Day in Hamilton. Their loss against the Lions was not a throw away game, like Hamilton played earlier, but one they needed to win for home advantage and a bye in the playoffs. Not sure if what we saw was an aging quarterbacking legend or one that maybe feels that he should have walked away last year when he had the cup in hand.

Allouette players are complaining, jawing at each other, criticizing their coaching, and sounding and looking very vulnerable, something I don’t recall from recent years.

The end of a dynasty??

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Calvillo + Trestman = Danger to opponents.

Montreal should not be underestimated. After all, Saslatchewan and Toronto looked vulnerable during the last 2 weeks, and the Cats were handed their you-know-whats by both those teams.

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The way the season unfolded. I would not be able to put money on either team. This game could go anywhere and no matter the struggles of either team. To win they will have to bring their game.

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From what I've seen of Montreal losses the last couple of year is that you have to contain them early and hit them with everything you've got. This seems to to really rattle Calvillo and throw the whole offense out of sync. Then keep the pressure on and don't let Calvillo get into any kind of rhythm. He always likes to look calm and collected during these games but eventually even he cracks. Look out he chewed out his reciever in the last BC game.

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.
O.K. - here is my gut feel.
1st - I want Hamilton to win, 4 sure. But to do that will not be easy.
Yes, Montreal is vulnerable. But Statistics don’t lie, even though they r for losers.
1 stat that stands out is this:
in 2011, the Tabbies NEVER won a game, ‘if they are losing ( behind ) going into the 2nd half’.
So, to win, they must have a lead.
And 1 of the reason this fact is true, is because MB is not very good at improvising. He has a game plan, & sticks to it.
But should something go wrong, or a key player get injured, he is not very good at adjusting.
.
The ALS know that, & will play it safe. Even though thry are not that good this year, the ALS know that to win, they can depend on Hamilton shooting themselves in the foot.
Coach MB has to tell his players: ‘don’t fumble; don’t throw interceptions’. If we can do that, we can win.
.

:thup: :thup: :thup: