Alouettes' loss tough to swallow, QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson says

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Friday’s loss to Hamilton has long since ended, but the knot in the stomach of Alouettes quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson remains.

“I still have an upset stomach. There’s no digesting that and it was a frustrating night,” Bethel-Thompson said Tuesday, when the team resumed practising at Stade Hébert. “The offence didn’t move as we had planned to. We definitely stubbed our toe a bunch. There were a lot of self-inflicted wounds and too many turnovers. Obviously, it was a very frustrating night.”

The Als lost for the first time this season, 35-17, to the Tiger-Cats in their third straight road game. It was the first career Montreal start for Bethel-Thompson, who turns 37 on Thursday. He was replacing the injured Davis Alexander, still recuperating from a left hamstring injury suffered during the third quarter at Edmonton on June 19.

While Alexander was on the field Tuesday, his activity was limited, meaning Bethel-Thompson will probably get a second consecutive start on Saturday night against B.C., when the Als play their first game at Molson Stadium in a month. The Als will have a bye week after hosting the Lions.

“He (Alexander) still isn’t quite where we want him to be and we don’t want to rush him back,” head coach Jason Maas said. “If he’s not out there in the next couple of days, he ain’t going to play. We have a bye week after and we know he’ll be ready (at home against Toronto on July 17). If he’s good by the end of the week, he’ll play. If not, Bethel-Thompson gets the start.”

Bethel-Thompson and the entire Als’ offence struggled against a desperate Hamilton team that won its first game. He completed 24 of 41 passes for only 203 yards and was intercepted twice. The Als didn’t score their first, and only, touchdown until 10:50 into the fourth quarter on a five-yard pass to Cole Spieker.

That score pulled Montreal to within eight points, and the visitors had an opportunity to tie the game with 2:27 left in regulation, albeit faced with having to complete a 103-yard drive. But on first down, Bethel-Thompson fumbled the snap. The ball was recovered in the end zone by Hamilton’s Julian Howsare.

Of the two interceptions, the final one deflected off Als tailback Travis Theis and was returned 36 yards for a touchdown by Devin Veresuk, a Canadian rookie middle linebacker.

“It doesn’t matter how it’s done, it goes on my scoresheet,” Bethel-Thompson said. “I take the blame for it. I take the blame for the turnovers. I don’t have a problem taking that responsibility.

“It’s unfortunate the way the night went … especially on that (final) drive. We had a chance to tie it up. We had the momentum and just had an awesome drive. It was very frustrating. As much as we didn’t play well, the bounces also went against us. It wasn’t a fun night.”

Maas, a former CFL quarterback, said Bethel-Thompson is being too hard on himself.

“He did some really good stuff and some things he’d like to have back,” Maas said. “They’re all correctable. We didn’t start out well, having a second-and-12 and second-and-15 on the first two drives. We didn’t help anybody playing quarterback. Obviously, the two turnovers for touchdowns hurt.

“There are things he can improve on and, ultimately, our offence can improve on. It’s never just one guy. The quarterback gets too much credit and too much blame. That was probably the case in that game.”

While the Als dressed three tailbacks for the first time this season, they ran only 10 rushing plays — three each by Bethel-Thompson and short-yardage QB Caleb Evans. Sean Thomas-Erlington had two carries, while Theis and Stevie Scott III had one each.

“We didn’t run it enough, obviously,” Maas said. “But that’s misconstrued. More running plays were called but in our (run-pass option) game, we pick it up and throw it at times. Obviously, we were off schedule (trailing), so you’re not going to run the ball as much. Ultimately, that wasn’t the game plan going in, when you have three running backs on the roster.”

Note — On Tuesday, the Als signed veteran CFL receiver Alexander Hollins, who was released by Edmonton after training camp. He spent three seasons with B.C. He was a West Division all-star in 2023, when he caught 78 passes for 1,173 yards and scored nine touchdowns.