MONTREAL REMAINS UNBEATEN IN CFL WITH WIN OVER HAMILTON

The Montreal Alouettes used their league leading defense to turn back the challenge of a scrappy Hamilton Tiger Cats team on Thursday night, remaining undefeated in the young CFL season by virtue of a 21-8 home victory.  The score was more lopsided than the game itself, with the Als’ offense held scoreless in the second half by an opportunistic Hamilton defense.

Sports bettors who took the +14’ with the underdog TigerCats were rewarded with a pointspread victory—Montreal’s first ATS setback of the year.  The 29 combined points went well UNDER the posted total of 55.  Hamilton improved their record to 2-2 SU/3-1 ATS.  Three of the Ti-Cats 4 games this season have gone UNDER the total while the Alouettes’ O/U record is even at 2-2.
 
After the contest, Montreal coach Marc Trestman commended Hamilton on their strong effort in a losing cause:

"We knew there'd be resistance tonight. Everyone has this picture of how things are going to turn out, but the fact is you have to play the game and this was a highly competitive game."

Anthony Calvillo threw for 404 yards including two TD passes that moved him into sole possession of 2nd place on the all time CFL rankings for that category.  He had tied Saskatchewan Roughriders’ great Ron Lancaster last weekend—ironically, against Lancaster’s old team.  He’s now 59 TD passes behind the league’s all time leader, Damon Allen who finished with 394 TD passes in 23 seasons of play.

Despite his record breaking day and the victory, Calvillo wasn’t particularly happy with his team’s play:

“We turned the ball over on downs early, we had an interception and those are things that in a close game are going to come back and hurt us. We have to do a better job of taking care of the ball. I feel we haven't improved in that area -- leaving points on the field."

Hamilton QB Quinton Porter was pulled in the 4th quarter, more out of frustration by the coaches at the Ti-Cats inability to penetrate the stout Montreal defense.  Kevin Glenn took over in relief and though he was able to move the ball a bit wasn’t able to put any points on the board.  Hamilton only managed two first half field goals and a conceded safety late in the game. Porter addressed the suffocating Montreal stop unit and the ‘quarterback controversy’ in his postgame comments:

“They get good pressure on the quarterback and they play a tight man-to-man on pass coverage. That's something we have to get better at. I don't think you'll see anything horrible on the tape, but that interception I threw was my fault. I lost the safety and threw it right to him, so that's something I've got to correct. If I play, I'll be the guy out there and if not, I'll be rooting Kevin on."

Montreal will head to Edmonton next Thursday night as they try to stay undefeated against the Eskimos.  Hamilton, meanwhile, will return home to host the BC Lions on Thursday night.