Wrong guys, Marcus
Stamps QB tosses four INTs
By DAN TOTH -- Calgary Sun
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Calgary Stampeders quarterback Marcus Crandell fires a pass during first quarter CFL action against the Alouettes in Montreal Thursday, July 15, 2004.(CP PHOTO/Ryan Remiorz) |
MONTREAL -- The cowboys are back home ropin' and ridin' but Calgary's football team came all the way to Montreal just to get trampled in a stampede.
Marcus Crandell, in his fourth season as the Stampeders' starting pivot, appeared flustered again last night against the aggressive pass rush of the Montreal Alouettes, serving up four interceptions in a 42-23 loss.
Crandell was almost flawless on the opening drive, completing four of five passes, topping it off with a 20-yard TD toss to Denis Montana.
Then frustration and confusion set in once again, as the Stamps turned the ball over five times.
Like we've seen so often before, disaster unfolded, scripted in part by Crandell's poor judgment, as Montreal posted the next
35 points in a blowout win.
As expected, Montreal blitzed relentlessly with Crandell failing to find an open receiver or react prudently by throwing the ball away or giving up a sack.
The turnovers led to 21 Montreal points with Crandell making ill-advised passes under pressure.
"(Their defence) came out different than what we expected," Crandell said.
"They did some things up front that were different than what they had been doing and we had trouble handling it. We didn't attack their defence the way we should have.
"The first interception, I was trying to throw away ... There were a few times I was trying to throw the ball deeper than it went and the ball just kind of hung up in the air and they made the plays."
Wane McGarity also fumbled a kickoff return at his own 32, resulting in a Montreal field goal.
Crandell completed 20 of 41 passes for
250 yards, although much of that success came after the outcome had been decided.
Als cornerback Almondo Curry picked off two, while cornerback Davis Sanchez and safety Barron Miles both grabbed one pick apiece.
"We were shooting ourselves in the foot," said head coach Matt Dunigan. "Started off, couldn't ask for anything more (on the opening drive) and then it went downhill from there very quickly. Montreal asserted themselves. We tried to continue staying aggressive and before we knew it, turnovers, penalties and mistakes put us in a big deficit we couldn't crawl out of today.
"We'll have to look at the film and see if (Crandell), in fact, had time to hit receivers or if he didn't."
Added McGarity: "The change we had from that first drive to the rest of the game was unbelievable. We went out there and everything seemed real simple. We did everything the way we were supposed to and then everything broke down after that."
Montreal starting quarterback Anthony Calvillo pieced together a tremendous night, completing 29 of 40 passes for 349 yards and three touchdowns.
He threw TD passes of nine yards to Jeremaine Copeland, back after missing two weeks with a sore hamstring, and 19 yards to Kwame Cavil before running back Autry Denson also scored on a nine-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter.
"It comes down to our game plan and execution and we were right on target with it tonight," said Calvillo. "Our defence created a lot of turnovers and opportunities."
Denson reversed his field to score from six yards out in the second quarter as the Als opened a 31-7 lead at the half.
Despite the loss, the Stamps remain tied for first in the CFL West Division with a 1-3 record, while the Alouettes sit atop the East Division standings with a 5-0 record.
Stampeders running back Victor Ike punched in a 13-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter with the game out of reach, while Sulecio Sanford caught an eight-yard TD pass with just four minutes remaining.
