Alouettes aren't the same team without injured QB Davis Alexander

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The Alouettes better hope Davis Alexander, their 26-year-old starting quarterback, is a quick healer. They’re simply not the same team without him.

And unless Alexander recovers quickly from the hamstring injury he suffered June 19 at Edmonton, this team is in serious trouble.

Through one game, at least, McLeod Bethel-Thompson isn’t the answer, despite everything he has accomplished in his career. As good and as accurate as the 36-year-old was in practice during the week, he was unable to duplicate any of that against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ swarming defence on Friday night.

The Alouettes suffered their first loss of the season and were badly outplayed in this ugly 35-17 setback before 20,911 Hamilton Stadium spectators.

Perhaps it was the effects of three successive road games catching up to Montreal? But, more than likely, it was the absence of Alexander that derailed a team that started the season with a 3-0 record. The Ticats, coming off a bye in the schedule, won for the first time in three games — and exposed the visitors in the process.

The Als, who entered this contest having scored a CFL-leading 105 points, failed to penetrate Hamilton’s end zone for more than 55 minutes until completing an eight-play, 64-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown pass to Cole Spieker.

Until that point, Montreal’s scoring consisted of three Jose Maltos field goals and a Joseph Zema punt single. Bethel-Thompson and the Alouettes couldn’t score a touchdown despite scrimmaging from the Hamilton 4 in the third quarter.

There was no chemistry between Bethel-Thompson and his receivers. Tyson Philpot, who should have been counted on heavily because of the absence of injured Austin Mack, didn’t make his first catch until just before halftime. Indeed, that was the first time Bethel-Thompson attempted a pass to him.

Spieker was Montreal’s leading receiver, with six receptions for 57 yards. Tyler Snead also had six catches, producing 55 yards. Charleston Rambo, arguably the Als’ most-dangerous deep threat, had five receptions for 49 yards, while Philpot had four catches for 41 yards.

Montreal’s longest passing play was 17 yards — a feat accomplished three times, by Spieker, Snead and Philpot.

When the Alouettes decided Alexander was their quarterback of the future, they traded Cody Fajardo to Edmonton last winter for Bethel-Thompson, a two-time Grey Cup champion who has passed for more than 17,000 yards and 94 touchdowns in his career.

Bethel-Thompson, making his first start for Montreal, completed 24 of 41 passes for 203 yards, but also proved to be his own worst enemy and was intercepted twice. Granted, he could be excused for one of the turnovers. A third quarter attempt deflected off rookie tailback Travis Theis and into the hands of rookie Canadian middle-linebacker Devin Veresuk. Veresuk, selected second overall in this year’s Canadian college draft, returned the ball 36 yards for a touchdown.

Incredibly, the Alouettes trailed only by eight points following Spieker’s touchdown and a defensive stop. But with 2:27 remaining in the fourth quarter and Montreal scrimmaging from inside its 10, Bethel-Thompson fumbled Justin Lawrence’s snap — one that was slightly off centre, but one he, nonetheless, got his hands on. The ball was recovered in the end zone by Hamilton’s Julian Howsare, which put the game out of reach.

For the first time this season, the play selection of head coach Jason Maas was bizarre to say the least. Although the Ticats had allowed a league-high average of 145.5 yards rushing, Maas called only 10 running plays — three each by Bethel-Thompson and short-yardage quarterback Caleb Evans. Sean Thomas-Erlington had two carries. Theis and Stevie Scott III each had one.

Theis’s one carry in the third quarter produced an 11-yard gain, yet he never was utilized again. It made no sense.

“We, as a team, didn’t perform well enough to win a game in all three phases,” Maas said in Hamilton. “It’s not a one-person game. But I’m sure there’s things (Bethel-Thompson) would like to execute better.”

It was a contest that screamed for the Als’ defence to make a play. And while they tried valiantly, they couldn’t produce a game-defining moment. They did create a turnover on downs on Hamilton’s opening possession. And the Ticats required three plays from the Montreal 1 before Kenny Lawler scored on a pass from Bo Levi Mitchell before halftime.

Safety Marc-Antoine Dequoy had Montreal’s only sack, while linebacker Geoffrey Cantin-Arku forced and recovered a Jevoni Robinson fumble in the first quarter. But more was required.

“We gave up the two turnovers for touchdowns, which didn’t help us on the scoreboard,” Maas said in Hamilton. “Our defence wasn’t on the field for those. We need to do a better job protecting the ball and not giving up those plays, allow our defence to play the way they’re accustomed to playing.”

The Alouettes were threatening to run away with the East Division, but now could be tied for first place with Ottawa should the Redblacks win at home against Toronto on Sunday night.

Montreal finally returns to Molson Stadium next Saturday night, when it entertains B.C.