The early results of the Montreal Alouettes’ newly-rebuild defense proved dismal Sunday evening as the birds were stampeded 38-10 in Calgary.
The Calgary team got off to a roaring start, taking an 18-0 lead in the first quarter, starting with a field goal just four minutes in.
Soon after Alouettes’ Jamel Richardson coughed up the ball, which was then returned for a fumble recovery TD by Stampeder Keenan MacDougall.
Soon after, Stamps’ QB Drew Tate tossed a TD pass to Jon Cornish.
“We were pathetic,” said Alouettes’ Quarterback Anthony Calvillo.
He acknowledged that the impressive offensive numbers the team racked up in the past don’t change what’s happened in the opener. “What we did last year doesn’t matter.”
The Alouettes replaced half of their starting defensive squad this year after being beaten in the Eastern semi-final.
However, Calgary QB Drew Tate tossed completions seemingly at will, going 27 for 37 for 322 yards.
Nik Lewis scored one TD for the Stamps, while Running Back Jon Cornish ran 86 years with two TDs in 18 carries.
Former Concordia Stingers Rene Parades heaped onto the damage with runs of 38, 22 and 32 yards.
The once-feared Alouettes’ offense – which lead the league with 515 points last year - did not impress in their 2012 opener as QB Anthony Calvillo frequently tossed his passes short into the turf at McMahon Stadium.
Calvillo was 16 for 31 with 174 years and was intercepted twice.
His only TD pass was a 37-yarder to Brian Bratton early in the second quarter.
The Als will seek to even their record Friday at home against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
- With a file from The Canadian Press
