Montreal Alouettes

Tim Tebow was released by the New York Jets following the NFL draft. As a result, he's a displaced player looking for a new place to call home.

While his CFL rights currently belong to the Montreal Alouettes, Warren Moon believes Tebow would be a bad fit in a CFL system.

Moon, a Hall of Fame quarterback in both the CFL and NFL, said (via the NY Daily News):  

“You have to be able to throw the ball up there if anything and they throw the ball a lot. There are only three downs so the passing game is much more important up there. You have got to be able to throw it and I think that’s his biggest problem, just being [able] to complete passes, be an accurate passer. I think he’s a really good athlete playing the position but I don’t think that’s enough sometimes.”

Statistically speaking, Moon might be right.

Last year in the CFL, quarterbacks averaged 33.2 pass attempts per game and 21 completions. Anthony Calvillo, Montreal's pivot since 2002 and the CFL's all-time leader in passing yards, pass completions and touchdown passes, threw 555 times last year.

By contrast, when Tebow was a starter for the Denver Broncos in 2011, he attempted just 271 passes in 14 games and completed only 46.5 percent of them. That's almost half of the CFL average for pass attempts per game and 17 percent lower than the normal success rate.

His college numbers at Florida paint a similar picture. His busiest passing season was his sophomore year in 2007 when he threw 317 passes, completing a very solid 68.5 percent of them and earning the Heisman Trophy. Still that was just 22.6 pass attempts per game, well short of the CFL average.

Calvillo is signed with the Alouettes for two more years and is showing few signs of slowing down. He was second in the CFL in attempts, yards and passing touchdowns last year, and fourth in QB rating. Were Tebow to sign with Montreal, he could reasonably expect to be playing second fiddle to Calvillo until 2015, which means taking on a similar role as he had in New York.

He could, however, be used more frequently in short-yardage situations and stunt plays, where the CFL game lends itself to more creative play-calling.

Picking up first downs in 3rd-and-inches scenarios could become a common role for him, and his size and running ability would also give him a significant advantage over Calvillo in quarterback keeper plays and give him a handful of opportunities each and every game, something he did not have with the Jets.

Likewise, dropping Tebow into a fullback role on a regular basis would give the Alouettes some interesting options-play possibilities, which could spread defenses paper thin and open up holes to exploit.

In the meantime, two years behind one of the all-time great quarterbacks in CFL history could pay significant dividends in terms of giving the kid a chance to develop his throwing abilities up to a CFL standard.

The CFL entry draft happens on Monday, May 6, with Montreal owning the third and fifth picks overall. Whether or not they opt to add more depth in the quarterback position will say a lot about whether they have an interest in signing Tebow to a contract.

If they don't select a quarterback with one of their eight picks, it could mean there is room for Tebow to sign with the Alouettes and try to earn a roster spot north of the border.

Follow me on Twitter @calgaryjimbo 

A common adage in professional football is that the game is a great sport but a terrible business.

Anwar Stewart, who has spent the better part of the past decade wreaking havoc on opposing offenses for the Montreal Alouettes in the CFL, recently learned firsthand just how tough the business side of football can be.

“[Montreal] had other plans—they wanted to go young—so there was nothing that I could really do,” offered Stewart, 36, who was released by the Alouettes earlier this year.

“I felt like I fought my butt off, you know? I took the backseat and let them, you know, start guys and take pay cuts and stuff. I did some things that I know other players wouldn’t have [done]—taking pay-cuts and the way they treated me at times ... I was loyal to them—and I thought maybe they would do the same thing for me—but I wasn’t in their plans. So what can you do?”

Stewart emphasized that if he had his way, he would’ve preferred to finish his football career in Montreal and would’ve taken another pay cut to do just that. But the two-time CFL All-Star insisted that he is, despite having his run with the Alouettes cut short, satisfied with what he was able to accomplish during his run with the Als.

“I feel awesome, man—I really do,” said Stewart, who boasts a resume that includes 66 sacks, 10 interceptions and three defensive touchdowns—which is  to say nothing of his three championship rings.

“I feel so blessed to have done the things that I’ve done [in Montreal]. I look back at some of the records that I have here—with the sacks and the interceptions for touchdowns—and I look at that and I’m like, ‘You know what, man, that is awesome,’ ... Who can say that they’ve won three Grey Cups and been to seven or eight Grey Cups in 10 years?”

Despite the fact that Stewart is yet to strike a deal with a CFL club and is thus unsure if he will have a chance to fulfill his goal of playing in the 100^th Grey Cup, he is nevertheless preparing as if he will be making his living on the gridiron in 2012.

“I’m training like crazy—I’m in great shape,” Stewart said. “I’m dieting and everything is still going. I’m still planning on playing somewhere.”

Wherever “somewhere” ultimately is, Stewart insisted that he feels he still has a lot to offer a professional football franchise—both on, and off, the field.

“I’m still productive—I’m still out there making plays,” said Stewart, who claimed seven sacks and an interception during the past season. “I’m smart, I’m a team-player, I’m a student of the game. I have a lot of knowledge and wisdom to teach young guys. And, you know what? I have a lot to teach them when it comes to pass-rushing and defenses and how to read offenses before the ball is even snapped.”

“Off the field, I’m a people’s person—I’m a very community-oriented guy. I really like to get in the community and represent the organization to the fullest and really get that brand out there...I think, at the end of the day, organizations need guys like that.”

Ed Kapp is a Contributor for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained first-hand.

The 2011 Canadian Football League Draft has come and gone and the teams have made their final selections.

Teams will now make the final preparations before training camp opens in 26 days.

A quick recap of the 2011 Draft have the Alouettes selecting kicker Brody McKnight, eighth overall in the first round. The team would then select offensive lineman Anthony Barrette in Round 2.

Rounds 3 and 4 would see offensive lineman Phillip Blake, followed by both Renaldo Sageese and Reed Alexander.

Finally, defensive lineman, Vaughn Martin would go in round five and Blaine Ruttan, a linebacker, in Round 6.

Looking back on the 2010 season, the Alouettes were nearly flawless throughout their 22 games, starting off with the remember-able Canada Day game versus the Saskatchewan Roughriders, that ended in a three-point win for the Roughriders.

Anthony Calvillo put on another clinic last season, as expected, and put up another batch of numbers such as 4,839 passing yards combined with 32 touchdowns, up from the 2009 season.

Calvillo did this all while seemingly keeping a big secret from the rest of the world, that he was facing a cancer scare on his throat and surgery would be required. Luckily, and from all reports, the surgery was a success and Anthony is well on his way to full recovery.

There will be some noticeable changes to the line-up this season as well, such as Ben Cahoon retiring, eventually taking up a job at BYU, his alma mater, as a receivers coach.

As well, star running back Avon Cobourne was left unsigned by the Alouettes and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats wasted little time snatching up the great back, adding immediate depth to their running game.

This season, the Alouettes will most likely rely heavily on newly-signed Ahman Green, formerly of the Green Bay Packers, to fill the void left by Cobourne.

Meanwhile, expect Prechae Rodriguez, S.J. Green, Kerry Watkins and the rest of the receiving core to step up in the absence caused by Cahoon's retirement.

This is no easy task, and both Carson Walch and Scott Milanovich will have their hands full.

As for defense, the retirement of Matthieu Proulx couldn't have come at a worse time, as the team will undoubtedly need to address the lack of depth at safety.

Expect Luc Brodeur-Jourdain to increase his game this season, after Bryan Chiu retired last season. The 28 year old was put in a very trying position and handled himself well, and I expect minimal changes there this season.

Once again, Adrian McPherson will return another season as Anthony Calvillo's back-up, but that doesn't mean the Alouettes can sit calmly on Calvillo, as he clearly only has one, two seasons max left under his belt.

Expect Marc Trestman to once again initiate his simple, tested and tried system of keeping football down to the basics.

The Alouettes are always a scary team and can explode at any point of the game.

In closing, not since the Edmonton Eskimos' amazing five-peat, has a team been able to pull off a three-peat and the Alouettes will do what they can to get back to the big game, on top, for a third-straight year.

The path set will not be an easy one and they will have a target on their back all season, but if they can handle themselves, I predict nothing less than a second place finish in the East.

In a game where big mistakes are costly, the Saskatchewan Roughriders learned the hard way that this saying is all too true. Though the Riders were underdogs to the opposing Montreal Alouettes, they proved themselves, leading the game for all but the last second. After leading by as many as 16 points, the Roughriders fell short in the 97th Grey Cup at McMahon Stadium in Calgary.

With just over 30 seconds left to play in the fourth quarter, Anthony Calvillo threw two game—making passes to Jamal Richardson and Kerry Watkins. With the clock at :00, Damon Duval attempted a 43—yard field goal to win the Grey Cup for the Al's. Duval missed the uprights to the right and the sea of green went wild in the stadium.

However, penalty markers went down as soon as the play started. As fans watched nervously waiting for the call, there seemed to be a glimpse of hope for Duval and the Alouettes.

Montreal coach Marc Trestman and his Als had hope as Rider's coach Ken Miller stood in disbelief that the Roughriders had 13 men on the field. This moved the Als closer to victory, and Duval made the clutch field goal to put the Als up over the Riders, 28-27 the final score.

Riders special teams co—ordinator Kavis Reed took all the blame on himself and refused to name the player who cost his team the loss.

"The player's name is not important," Reed said. "What's important is that a mistake was made and ultimately I think I'm responsible for that mistake.

During the post-game report, there was an interesting question asked that caught my attention: Did the Als win or did the Riders lose?

Though everyone may think the Riders lost, I have to disagree with this. With the astounding difference in energy and commitment to playing that the Als had in the second half compared to their worst first half of the season, I think the Als deserved to win.

With the kind of skill it took for Anthony Calvillo to throw such on—target passes in possibly the highest stress levels in sports, and the level of playing the Als offence showed during their final drive, I firmly believe the Als deserved to win this football game.

Notes:

Avon Colbourne won the Grey Cup MVP Award

Ben Cahoon won the Most Valuable Canadian Award

The Saskatchewan Roughriders face a daunting task if they want to emulate the celebration in the above photo from 2007 at this year's Grey Cup.

They face a much tougher opponent in the Montreal Alouettes this time around, a team that led the CFL statistically on both offense and defense.

The Alouettes showed last week that they can make a game get out of hand for an opponent early.  They are full value for their 15-3 record including two convincing wins over Saskatchewan.

Since the Roughriders are stepping on the field, they do have a chance.  It goes without saying that quarterback Darian Durant must play at least the equal of his counterpart Anthony Calvillo.  The Alouettes have too much in their favor to add a bad quarterbacking performance by their opponent as well.

Durant may be untried, but he has won games consistently for the Roughriders since he joined their roster last year.  It will be a learning experience, but he has shown he can play competently in big games.

But the Roughriders will have to have more than good quarterbacking to win this time.  The other key element is line play.

Durant may try to play his best, but he won't do it if he is under the type of pressure Casey Printers was under in last week's semifinal.  Printers had played good too since he returned to the CFL, but he was made to look ordinary by the Alouette's defense.

The Roughriders' offensive line must keep Montreal's front four away from Durant and also open up holes for their running game.

On the defensive side, the same scenario applies.  Saskatchewan's defensive line must outplay Montreal's offensive line. 

Anthony Calvillo must be put under consistent pressure.

For the Alouettes, they are swinging between two extremes; thoroughness and choke.

On the positive side, most opinions say that this year's Alouettes are better than last year's version that barely lost the Grey Cup.  The best word to describe their improvement is thorough.

Marc Trestman believes that somehow the Alouettes failed to win the Grey Cup last year because it slipped through some undetected holes.

This year, the team won every game at home and won more of their away games in the tougher Western Conference. 

Trestman hopes that the few holes that he felt came to light when the Alouettes lost last year have finally been patched up.

Based on last week's game, their regular season record, and their dominating statistics, few will disagree.

Still, there is the choke factor...

Montreal has been to the Grey Cup again and again this past decade but has only one victory to show for it.  Somehow their opponent has always found a way to win.

But this is the first time there has ever been a Montreal-Saskatchewan matchup.  There are no hexes—yet.

Montreal should win.  With all they've accomplished this year, it would be a shame if they don't.

Still, as long as Saskatchewan is willing to step on the field, there is a crack of light.

Prediction:  I'll be rooting for Saskatchewan, but my head says something else.  Montreal will win...

The most certain factor the current CFL season is that Montreal is the bench mark of the league and the team to beat for the Grey Cup. 

Since returning from Baltimore in 1996, the Alouettes have had a competitive team every season. The only problem is that they are the Atlanta Braves of the CFL—lots of playoff appearances and little to show for it. Their only Grey Cup has come in 2002.

They'll never have a better chance to win it than this year. After last week's demolishing of Hamilton, they have little to fear from their eastern rivals—two bad teams and one up and coming developing one.

Even better is that their western opposition is weaker. Saskatchewan is still learning to win under Darian Durant. Calgary is not the Calgary of last year. Edmonton is a threat when Ricky Ray is on—when he's not, the Eskimos suffer because they have the worst defence in the league. Finally, B.C. lost too much talent to be a threat.

The Alouettes are the best team on both sides of the ball, boasting the fewest points allowed and most points scored. It's tough to beat that combination.

Anthony Calvillo is having another outstanding season. Ben Cahoon leads a fleet set of receivers, the offensive line is solid, and Avon Cobourne is as good as any running back in the CFL.

The defence has been equally good and so have the special teams, led by Larry Taylor.  It seems that Montreal has all the pieces of the puzzle not only to win this year, but for several years in a row.

Still, there is the choke factor. For some reason, Montreal almost always seems to let the Grey Cup slip through its fingers. This year, even getting to the Grey Cup would be a failure. The Alouettes must win it all.

The only way the Alouettes can be stopped is for somebody to get hot. Nobody else has put together a long win streak like the Alouettes did. 

No other team has righted itself to play consistently well. It would be better for the CFL if another team reached up to the Alouettes level instead of Montreal playing down to everybody else.

So, the Alouettes are the betting man's choice for the Grey Cup. But remember Tom Brady and the Patriots before you wager.

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Ricky Ray completed 23 of 27 passes for 363 yards, three touchdowns and an interception as the Edmonton Eskimos ensued in their recent hot streak with a 33-19 win over the previously unbeaten Montreal Alouettes Thursday at Commonwealth Stadium.

The Eskimos, who were left for dead when they trailed Saskatchewan, 22-0 after the first quarter last Saturday, managed to pull out a tight win against the Roughriders and remained solid as they rolled up 425 yards against what has been a stingy Montreal defense this season.

Despite their defensive struggles, though, the Alouettes managed to pull within 26-19 in the fourth quarter on a 31-yard Damon Duval field goal.

However, Edmonton eschewed a conservative game plan on their next possession and put the game on ice when Ray hit Fred Stamps (4 receptions, 109 yards, 2 TD’s) on a 48-yard strike.

Still, the loss had some bright spots for the Alouettes, as ex-Utah State star Anthony Calvillo surpassed the 60,000-yard mark in the first quarter.

Calvillo became only the second quarterback in CFL history to exceed 60,000 passing yards when he found Kerry Watkins for a 12-yard hookup and in so doing has joined some elite company.

The only other quarterbacks in professional North American history to surpass 60,000 yards are Damon Allen , the all-time CFL passing leader with 72,381 yards, Warren Moon, who in the NFL and CFL, passed for 70,533 yards, Brett Favre and Dan Marino.

The Alouettes fell to 4-1 with the loss, while Edmonton improved to 3-2.

There is a legitimate argument that Montreal Alouette quarterback Anthony Calvillo is the best quarterback in the history of the CFL. Calvillo currently sits second all time with 335 career touchdown passes, and is 34 yards away from being the second quarterback in the history of the CFL to reach 60,000 yards passing and is just over 12,000 yards away from being first. Now you might think, well, wouldn't the person who is first in both of these categories be the best ever? Well maybe, but considering Damon Allen has played 7 more seasons than Calvillo and has attempted over 2,000 more passes, I don't think so.

There are other people in the equation that you could consider: Doug Flutie, Dave Dickenson, Warren Moon, Ricky Ray, Ron Lancaster and Jeff Garcia to name a few. Warren Moon and Doug Flutie probably are the two best quarterbacks to ever play in the CFL, but both had the majority of their careers in the NFL so can't really be considered the best ever CFL quarterbacks.

The three main ones in the debate are probably Anthony Calvillo, Damon Allen and Ron Lancaster. Anthony Calvillo just broke Ron Lancasters record for second most all time touchdown passes, but Calvillo has played one less season and currently has 210 less interceptions. The most touchdowns Lancaster has had in a season was 25, for Allen it was 34 and for Calvillo it was 43. Interception wise, for Lancaster it was 28, Allen it was 31 and Calvillo it was 21 in his second season in the league. With these stats it surely looks like Calvillo is the best, but like Rider legend Ron Lancaster said himself "Stats are for losers". 

Anthony Calvillo and Ron Lancaster each have on Grey Cup while Damon Allen has 4. That and having almost 12,000 rushing yards in his career are the biggest arguments for Damon Allen being the best. However, considering how good Calvillo and the Alouettes are right now, it's fair to say that Calvillo could win 2-3 more Grey Cups as the Alouettes are currently the obvious favorites to win tis years Grey Cup.

Now I can't predict the future, but Anthony Calvillo could easily beat Damon Allen's passing yards and passing touchdown records with three or four more good seasons, but he is getting old and no one knows if his arm will hold up for that long. My pick, is Anthony Calvillo but the debate continues and we will have a much better idea once his career is over.

Last night's game was great for a Ti-Cats fan, if you only watched the first quarter.

At first, the Tiger-Cats dominated Montreal. At the end of first quarter, they lead 6-0 as a result of two field goals.

Montreal did not score in the first quarter for the first time all season.

Unfortunately for Hamilton, they didn't have the lead for long.  When the clock hit 11:01 left in the second quarter, Montreal scored a touchdown, and shortly after, the Alouettes converted their extra point, taking a 7-6 lead.

Montreal continued their success, taking a 18-6 lead into halftime.

The Tiger-Cats stuck with QB Quinton Porter after he took a big hit to his abdomen, which required the attention of trainers.

Due to league rules, backup QB Kevin Glenn had to replace Porter for three plays.  After that, it was quite evident that Porter was uncomfortable in the pocket. The Tiger-Cats should have allowed Glenn to finish the game; he did, in the previous game, lead the Ti-Cats to victory.

As my dad says, they should alternate QBs at the half. No matter the circumstances, Porter plays the first half, and Glenn plays the second half. 

Not much happened in the second half except good defence.

Montreal scored another field goal in the third quarter to go up 21-6, and in the third quarter, the Tiger-Cats scored two points on a safety.

As a result, Montreal won 21-8.

On the plus side, Hamilton held Montreal to under 30 points, as before last night, the defence has given up 44.7 points per game.

Due to this loss, the Tiger-Cats dropped to 2-2 on the season.

Hamilton's next game is against the British Columbia Lions at Ivor Wynne. Hopefully, they win, since I am going to Ivor Wynne to watch the game.