Zurkowsky: Turnovers dash Alouettes’ Grey Cup hopes in loss to Argonauts

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When a team loses a game — especially a playoff elimination match — it’s easy to look back and contemplate what might have been.

Did the Alouettes attempt a two-point convert too prematurely early in the fourth quarter? Did Montreal’s defence fail to make critical stops when it mattered most? Did this team peak too early and lack momentum? And couldn’t backup Toronto quarterback Nick Arbuckle have been exploited better after starter Chad Kelly suffered a fractured tibia with more than one quarter remaining?

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But the plain truth is the Alouettes won’t have an opportunity to defend their Grey Cup title next Sunday in Vancouver because they couldn’t hold onto the ball.

Montreal officially committed five turnovers — but truthfully six — during its 30-28 loss to the Argonauts in the East Division final Saturday afternoon before 23,035 Molson Stadium spectators. That included four fumbles and one interception thrown by quarterback Cody Fajardo. He was pilfered a second time on the Als’ second two-point convert attempt late in the fourth quarter, but it officially is omitted from the turnover total because it didn’t effect possession.

The Argos extracted revenge after losing last season’s division final to Montreal at home, squandering a 16-2 regular-season record in the process. Just as the Alouettes’ 12-5-1 record this season is now rendered moot. Montreal entered the playoffs on the heels of two consecutive defeats, three in four games and had a 2-4-1 record down the stretch.

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“Unfortunately, it was just one of those days,” said tailback Walter Fletcher, who committed one of the four fumbles early in the game at the Toronto 35 following a 14-yard run. A first-quarter pass also deflected off Fletcher’s hands and was intercepted by Benje Franklin, who returned it 23 yards to open the scoring midway through the period.

“Those Toronto guys attack the football,” Fletcher said. “Unfortunately, it was just one of those days where we had turnovers. Turnovers equals points. That’s what happened today.”

It could be argued the Argos didn’t win this game as much as it was lost by the Alouettes, who dominated and controlled much of the contest. Montreal had 25 first downs and 470 yards’ net offence while running 63 plays.

“You can’t turn the ball over that many times in a playoff game and expect to win,” said Fajardo, who passed for 330 yards and three touchdowns — but also fumbled deep in Toronto territory in the third quarter. “Especially where our turnovers were. We had a tipped (interception) that went for a touchdown. We gifted them a lot more points than we wished. We were still able to almost overcome it and win. That’s how talented this group is. We were a two-point conversion away from overtime. It’s just unfortunate that we didn’t play our best ball tonight.

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“You can point out so many plays … that changed the course of this game. It feels like a nightmare. A lot of uncharacteristic fumbles. Where the fumbles were hurts more. There were some throws I missed that I normally make that I’m very frustrated with. I thought we moved the ball extremely well. It was uncharacteristic for me to fumble. I just hope I become a better quarterback because of it.”

The Als were leading 16-7 with less than six minutes remaining before halftime when things started to implode. Janarion Grant returned a punt 71 yards for a touchdown at 13:32 of the second quarter. Then, following a Cole Spieker fumble, Toronto engineered a five-play, 76-yard drive, capped by a 20-yard touchdown pass to Damonte Coxie on the final play of the half. Two third-quarter Argos field goals increased the lead to 27-16. The first of those two field goals came after Toronto scrimmaged from its three-yard line.

The Alouettes almost came back in the final period, scoring two touchdowns. Fajardo passed 15 yards to Austin Mack at 2:47 and 22 yards to Fletcher at 13:04. Montreal unsuccessfully attempted two-point converts following both scores; the first would have reduced its deficit to three points. Had head coach Jason Maas gone for a conventional one-point convert after both, the game might have gone to overtime.

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“Those discussions happen on our sideline after we score,” Maas said. “Do we want to go for two? Go for one? Sometimes it’s your psyche. I think that’s going to be the least of our concerns … rather than just protect the ball a little bit better throughout the game. Maybe that would make the outcome different and more in our favour.

“You can’t explain those turnovers. We’re not an offence that does turn over the ball very often. To turn it over the amount of times that we did … and in the (score) zone on a number of those. Those things just don’t happen when you win games. We protected the ball poorly and that’s something we pride ourselves on.”

Kelly suffered his injury after it appeared he got his cleats stuck in the turf. He underwent surgery in Montreal on Saturday night and will require between six and nine months to recover. Arbuckle, the 31-year old veteran now on his fourth team, attempted only 100 passes this season, but will start the Grey Cup game.

But when it counted most, following Fletcher’s score, Arbuckle completed a 21-yard pass to David Ungerer, and Montreal never got the ball again.

hzurkowsky@postmedia.com

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