Ferguson: Time for Calvillo to take the reins off the Als’ offence

To me there is one word which most accurately defines the Montreal Alouettes’ offence over the last twenty years: Identity.

For 15 glorious years Anthony Calvillo was the identity of that offence. Not just his name and ever-increasing stature in the Canadian Football League — sure, that was was enough to get by — but it was his on-field performance which created the identity of the Alouettes.

Laser shots over the middle to Ben Cahoon on long downs and distances; quick throws underneath to shifty international receivers; and timely runs gashing defensive lines already exhausted from endless pass rush attempts without success all created a certain unmistakable brand of Alouettes football.

That same term – identity – is exactly what I see wrong with the modern Alouettes. I see none.

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Duron Carter remains one of Kevin Glenn’s favourite targets, leading the team with 564 yards (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)

This seems counter intuitive as the ring master from the 2000’s Alouettes remains the same in Jim Popp while the offensive coordinator is now Anthony Calvillo — yes, the same man who once orchestrated one of the most dangerous offences in recent CFL memory.

So what is the problem with the Alouette offence which averages a league-low 18.6 points per game through Week 8? The easy answer is injuries.

The Alouettes were devastated early in the season with the loss of S.J. Green, Tyrell Sutton and Kenny Stafford. However, injuries should not change your team identity or approach to preparation. There is certainly more than just the team’s six-game injured list affecting its production.

We will get to the X’s and O’s in a second, but first to dance through the stats which paint the picture of this opportunistic, yet sometimes painful to appreciate offence.

The Alouettes have just seven touchdown passes in 2016, that’s four below the CFL average of eleven. The team has two wins in seven games this year due in large part to averaging one scoring pass per game.

Looking for an offensive statistic which the Alouettes don’t reside at or near the bottom of right now is like searching for a kicker who can lead your team in special teams tackles — it’s difficult to find. The few categories Montreal rates relatively high in have to do with rushing.

The Alouette offence ranks in the top half of the league in rushing yards per game, rushing attempts and average gain per rushing attempt. While this is a positive development in an offence looking for answers, the reality is that the CFL, as currently constituted, does not reward ground gains the same way it does aerial attacks. That is unless the ground game is dominant and consistent. Neither of these words describe Montreal so far in 2016.

Despite being able to run the ball effectively at times, the Alouettes are eighth in the CFL in time of possession. They have also allowed the second most sacks in the CFL with 21 given up and lead the league in giveaways with 17 while converting a league low 42.5 per cent of their second down situations.

All of these things add up to a unsuccessful offence at any level from tyke, through junior, to high school, college and right up to the pros. So what is leading to all these deplorable stats?

I blame predictability. I see a lack of imagination in the Montreal offence right now. Kevin Glenn has had his interception issues this year but it is much worse to handcuff a veteran quarterback with a basic offence than it is to see him take chances in a forward thinking attack.

I can’t remember the last time I saw a double move, a trick play to serve as warning that anything is possible, or a deep shot over the middle which didn’t look like a heave and hope to Duron Carter. For all the questions about Carter’s character and decision-making, one thing is sure: he is more than just a jump ball threat.

Part of the problem could be that Calvillo was so good at the basics in his historic career that he sees no need for trickery and deception. The reality for this team is that it has no true variance in receiver skill sets and the raw talent on the current skill position depth chart just isn’t what it used to be. Add in the injuries to the dynamic playmakers who have been sidelined for weeks and you get, at maximum, a six win season.

If the Alouettes want to salvage their offensive output over these final 11 games they need to trust Kevin Glenn more than ever, protect him much better than they have so far in 2016, find more creative ways to use their dynamic playmaker Carter and stop turning the ball over.

It might be a lot to ask but much of this changing of the course must be approved by Popp. If he loosens the reigns and finds solutions to the answers at hand I believe the Alouettes will be back in the end zone sooner rather than later and depending on the performance of their East Division foes the Alouettes could graduate from regular season party spoiler to playoff road warriors.

Time will tell.