Leave it to the Alouettes’ “Grave-digger” to prove the East won’t be buried alive by the West this year.
Overlooked in the win over Calgary – Montreal’s second against a Western opponent this season – was Alan-Michael Cash, who was a force in the trenches and recovered 2 fumbles – the first two of his CFL career.
The 27-year-old defensive tackle from Richmond, Virginia has already doubled his sack total from all last season, from one to two and counting. He celebrated the feat by clearing dirt with an imaginary shovel for his newest victim. Cash can surpass his tackle total from last season by burying some REDBLACKS ball-carriers this Friday night.
The contract extension that Cash signed just before Christmas 2013 is the gift that keeps on giving for GM Jim Popp. Not bad for a guy whose pro football career seemed dead and buried almost before it started.
The barrel-chested 6’2, 292-pound load was schooled in football at North Carolina State where he coincidentally crossed paths with an offensive assistant named Marc Trestman.
He fought through blocks for nine sacks in college, 19.5 more tackles-for-losses and even one pick back in 2007.
But when his football evolution stopped him in his tracks and left him with no NFL or CFL options, A-M joined the Richmond Revolution of the Indoor Football League and his life changed.
That club had a defensive coach still active in the CFL who still ball-hawks for the Alouettes: Billy Parker.
Parker suggested Alan-Michael brings his determination from the obscure indoors of Arthur Ashe Sports Centre in Virginia to the wide open fields of Canadian football.
He cashed out at camp in 2011, but returned for another shot in 2012 and made the Als. He went on to register six sacks that season, a hefty total for a nose tackle.
Last season Cash, who uses a throwback to his college jersey number on twitter where he’s known as @RichBoy49, had surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow, but was back in the lineup four weeks later in time for the playoff push.
In part because of Cash’s presence, the Als finally have a winning record when taking the Turnover Battle (3-2, while the rest of the CFL is a daunting 36-4!).
Only Calgary, Edmonton and Saskatchewan have scored more points off turnovers – a sign that Jonathon Crompton is not only rallying the offensive huddle, but also winning recognition from his defensive teammates.
Cash digs in alongside Scott Paxson or Jermaine McElveen, and all three are kept fresh by second-year Alouette Michael Klassen (injured in the win over the Stampeders).
That group has generated more than its fair share of sacks and turnovers.
In week 2, Paxson came up with his first career pick and coolly rugby-pitched it to speedy linebacker Chip Cox for a defensive touchdown. The major spurred the Als’ to their only other win against a Western opponent this season – a 24-9 decision over B.C.
With the interior linemen clogging up the middle, other Alouettes have also been able to resume their quarterback-hunting. Montreal has shot up to third place in the CFL (+7 to lead all East teams) in what I like to call The Sack Exchange – the difference between QB sacks made by the defence and those allowed by the offensive line.
While the Alouettes are getting after passers, Jonathon Crompton is proving to be darned elusive. His sack rate of only four per cent is almost half that of Ricky Ray’s this season – the Argo QB who has the accumulated wisdom of 180 more regular season starts.
“J-Cro” has been sacked only five times in 136 passing attempts and has not been shy to execute the QB draw or chug out of the pocket. By comparison, Troy Smith has been sacked 15 times (eight per cent or double Crompton’s sack rate) behind the same offensive line.
So, are the Alouettes truly the same 4-8 team they’ve been all year? Or the squad riding a 3-1 streak that is seemingly peaking in time for football’s real season?
I know one D-tackle with a blue collar work ethic who will answer they’re the latter as he digs graves for other quarterbacks and puts other team’s playoff hopes six feet under.
