THE CANADIAN PRESS
HAMILTON, Ont. — Adrian McPherson led both the air and ground attack for the Montreal Alouettes in a dominating 27-6 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday afternoon.
McPherson, filling in at quarterback for an injured Anthony Calvillo, threw for 238 yards and a TD and added 121 yards rushing for the win.
"I was just doing what the coach tells me to do," said the 27-year-old who made his season debut for Montreal (7-3) after missing the club’s first nine games recovering from a knee injury. The former Florida State star finished 21-of-37 passing but consistently used his legs to get out of trouble against Hamilton.
"They called the play, I executed the play. I don’t care how we win. I just want to win."
McPherson got the start as incumbent Calvillo missed his second straight game with a bruised sternum. Calvillo was in attendance Saturday but didn’t dress.
"I thought our football team played very well together today," said head coach Marc Trestman. "I thought we were a team that really responded well to the environment and didn’t stop playing until the end."
It was a hostile environment with first-place on the line and with Montreal trying to rebound from an ugly loss to B.C.
"Not only did Adrian step it up, our team stepped it up today," Trestman said, adding ball control was a key component to the victory. Montreal had the ball for 39:27 compared to Hamilton’s 20:33.
"They’ve got a terrific passing game and we wanted to limit their time," he said.
First-half ball control, Trestman added, and the Montreal defence stopping Hamilton twice inside the 25-yard line in the second quarter, "really kind of set the tone."
Damon Duval hit on four of his five field goal attempts for Montreal while Hamilton’s Sandro DeAngelis converted on two of his three tries.
The Ticats (5-5) had their four-game win streak halted and missed an opportunity to move into a tie with Montreal atop the East Division.
"We didn’t execute at all, and they did," said Hamilton head coach Marcel Bellefeuille.
Montreal slotback Ben Cahoon caught a pass late in the second quarter to give him a reception in 137 consecutive games, leaving him tied on the all-time list with legendary Tony Gabriel.
Hamilton’s offence sputtered all day as Kevin Glenn, the league’s second-leading passer coming into the game, hit on just 9-of-23 attempts for 138 yards and one interception before being replaced by Quinton Porter with two minutes left in the third.
Porter didn’t fare better, surrendering an interception to Billy Parker on a pass intended for Arland Bruce III midway through the fourth that led to an on-field brawl between the squads. When the smoke cleared, three of four fouls went against Montreal, which lost defensive back De’Audra Dix to an ejection and was backed up to its five-yard line after being penalized a net 45 yards.
Glenn returned with 1:52 remaining to play. He was sacked at the Hamilton five-yard line on a third-down conversion attempt. That led to a four-yard TD run by Avon Cobourne to put Montreal ahead 27-6.
"I was just trying anything to give a spark to our offence," Bellefeuille said about switching the QBs. "Just trying to change it up. Hopefully something good would happen."
When things weren’t happening with Porter, he said he decided to go back to the experienced Glenn.
Glenn was sacked and fumbled on Hamilton’s opening possession in the third quarter. Montreal recovered at the Ticats’ 45-yard line but had to settle for Duval’s 12-yard field goal for a 16-6 lead.
"We’re still exactly where we were," Glenn said of the loss. "It was one game. It’s not the end of the season."
Montreal increased its advantage to 20-6 on a Duval single, then another 12-yard field goal in the fourth.
The Alouettes led 13-6 at halftime after dominating play with 11 first downs (compared to five for Hamilton) and 207 total yards (113 for the Ticats). McPherson’s 11-yard TD pass to Kerry Watkins gave Montreal a 10-0 lead barely six minutes into the contest.
Hamilton got two field goals in the second to pull to within 10-6 before Duval countered with a 19-yard boot.
