OTTAWA, ON – Caleb Evans couldn’t have asked for a better finish against his former team.
The Montreal Alouettes (6-3) quarterback scored the winning touchdown in a wild come-from-behind 25-24 victory over the Ottawa Redblacks (3-7) Saturday night.
Evans, who played the 2021 and 2022 CFL seasons in Ottawa, had a rough first half but came up huge when needed.
Trailing 24-19 Montreal took possession at its own 38 and on third and four Evans connected with Hergy Mayala for a 51-yard pass.
Montreal failed to get across the goal line on its first two attempts and with the game on the line Evans made the decision to run.
“I was looking to throw it, but they kept backing up, I guess because of the last play, and I said to myself I could get this running if I run it,” said Evans. “So my mind changed to go get the touchdown and that’s what it was.”
Evans finished the game 24 for 36 for 333 yards, two TDs and two interceptions — and the winning rushing TD.
After his late game heroics Evans could be seen running along the sideline rubbing his fingers together indicating a money sign. Asked about the meaning he admitted he had just watched the Johnny Manziel documentary and the image came to mind.
“It’s money time,” said Crum with a laugh. “That’s all it was and it just felt good.”
Montreal head coach Jason Maas gave Evans full credit.
“That whole final drive sequence that he did was phenomenal,” said Maas. “Finding the right guys at the right time. Sometimes you draw it up and other times you have to make it happen and he’s very capable of that.”
The loss was an especially difficult one for the Redblacks, who are now mired in a four-game losing streak. They had led every minute up to that final Als’ drive.
Ottawa has yet to beat a division rival this season and now has a 15-game home losing streak against East Division teams.
Redblacks coach Bob Dyce was at a bit of a loss for the turn of events and admitted this one stung a little more.
“As a team we didn’t finish,” said Dyce. “We had opportunities on special teams, big returns, opportunities to get first downs then we had opportunities to get them off the field, so all three phases we have to be better.”
Ottawa’s Dustin Crum finished the game 14 for 17 for 130 yards and rushed for 42 yards and one TD.
“We know we had opportunities to go and win that game so whenever that happens obviously it’s a little more frustrating,” Crum said. “But you have to deal with it because there’s a lot of close games in this league and you have to be able to handle the ups and downs of it and keep getting better.”
Ottawa has five games remaining against East Division rivals which will be key heading down the stretch.
Maas gave full credit to his team for resetting after a disappointing first half that resulted in just three points.
“We know when we play ball we’ve got to do it for 60 minutes, or whatever it takes,” said Maas. “We need to compete for all of those 60 minutes and what I love about our team is that they’re willing to do that.”
Trailing 24-13, Montreal made things interesting after Evans was able to connect with Tyler Snead for a 20-yard TD, but fell short on the two-point convert to trail 24-19 with 2:33 remaining.
Ottawa was its own worst enemy in the third taking a number of penalties, but extended its lead five minutes into the fourth quarter.
After a solid drive to lead his team to the 13-yard line Crum, seeing no great passing lane, opted to run in the TD and with a Lewis Ward convert took a 24-10 lead in front of 19,475 spectators.
Montreal’s David Cote connected on a 50-yard field goal with just over five minutes remaining to make it 24-13.
Trailing 17-3 Montreal was able to make things interesting after Evans connected with Snead for a seven-yard touchdown pass early in the third quarter to make it a one-score game.
A solid first half allowed the Redblacks to jump out to a 17-3 lead.
Leading 7-3 Ottawa’s Cleyon Laing, who had three sacks on the night, recovered a fumble at Montreal’s 25-yard line midway through the second quarter. After Nate Behar had a nine-yard gain, Tyrrell Pigrome came in for a short yardage play and ended up running in a 16-yard TD, his second of the game making it 14-3.
Ward connected on a 39-yard field goal with 37 seconds remaining in the second quarter to put Ottawa up 17-3.
Pigrome was instrumental earlier in the game as well.
Late in the first quarter Evans threw an interception and Ottawa’s Damon Webb returned it for 67 yards to Montreal’s 34-yard line. Six plays later Pigrome picked up his first CFL touchdown on a one yard rush.
Cote had a 10-yard field goal for its only scoring of the opening half.
