Nye: Alouettes, Eskimos still have a lot of room for improvement

EDMONTON — Amid internal drama surrounding the Montreal Alouettes and talk of panic in Edmonton, the two teams proved there is a lot of work to be done for both sides.

Thursday was a chance for someone to show they are on the right track and are a team that is set to be reckoned with in the back half of the season.

The Edmonton Eskimos were the favourites, they were in the game for all their losses. The Alouettes had something to prove after some stories leaked out of their locker room with strife.

What did they show us? They had fumbles, drops, missed tackles and in the case of Kevin Glenn late – untimely interceptions.

At least for the Eskimos they have a much better feeling following a 23-12 win. But don’t let the score fool you. It was 13-12 with three minutes left in the game until Glenn started throwing interceptions that helped the Eskimos seal the deal.

The good news for Edmonton is at least the defence has something to build off of. Last year’s feared Eskimos defence has been tame so far. They’ve been lacking turnovers and allowing too many points and late.

They’ve blown leads and it started to have that eery feeling as the Alouettes marched the ball down the field to make it a one point game in the final quarter.

On this night, however, there was finish. There were turnovers. And when Deon Lacey returned the interception for a touchdown with just seconds on the clock, then came the somersaults, their signature move, that I’ve mentioned before have been few and far between for the Eskimos in 2016.

Now they need to back it up with a strong game next week.

Offensively it was the same old same old. Derel Walker and Adarius Bowman going over 100-yards, Mike Reilly throwing for 300 but it was the little mistakes at crucial times that prevented the Eskimos from putting the game out of reach.

Derel Walker fumbled on the one yard line and John White did the same at the two yard line. Subtract the four points that came on the safeties following those two mistakes, it’s 10 points off the scoreboard. Those 10 points make this game look a lot different and much more comfortable in the fourth quarter for Edmonton.

That brings me to Montreal. If the Eskimos weren’t a little more careful with the football, the score doesn’t flatter them as much as it did.

Not to say there weren’t some bright spots. A young secondary allowed some yards but played the Eskimos tough. It was very much a defensive battle and the Alouettes held their own.

Adarius Bowman had nine receptions for 107 yards in the Eskimos’ win (The Canadian Press)

However, on offence, there needs to be more if Montreal is going to chase down the three other teams in front them in the East Division standings.

They blew the Roughriders out of the stadium two weeks ago with 41 points but everybody has been able to score against Saskatchewan. You take away that game and the Als are averaging a dismal under 15 points per game in their other six. Yes, you can blame the injuries to some key receivers like S.J. Green and Kenny Stafford, but look at the injuries to receivers in Winnipeg and you know the Bombers don’t have much sympathy.

Anthony Calvillo’s rookie season as a full fledged coordinator is going as a well as his early years at the quarterback position.

Veteran quarterback Kevin Glenn wasn’t helping matters when he throws two interceptions. One with the Alouettes threatening to score late with the ball in Eskimos territory. JC Sherritt than gave them life by fumbling the return. Two plays later, game over as Deon Lacey took another interception into the end zone.

The Alouettes script seems to be following the same pattern as the other years since Calvillo left the huddle. They have a competitive defense, but their offence is lagging behind.

Where as in Edmonton, it’s been the opposite, and after Thursday there is some hope for the green and gold that their defence may be catching up.