MONTREAL — For nearly 30 minutes Friday night, the Montreal Alouettes looked nothing like one of the CFL's highest-scoring offences.
After marching effortlessly down the field on their opening possession, Montreal watched a goal-line stand sap its momentum.
The Alouettes also failed to record a single first down on five second-quarter drives, quarterback Davis Alexander misfired on throws he normally completes with ease, and a 12-7 halftime deficit led to growing frustration for the home team.
"I don't think anybody was happy going into halftime," said Alouettes head coach Jason Maas. "As good as our defence was playing, they still were pissed off. Offensively, we said we needed to wake the hell up because we had a great two drives and after that, it was not to our standard."
The Alouettes (10-2) responded with one of their better second halves of the season, outscoring the B.C. Lions 30-18 en route to a 37-30 victory before 22,752 fans at Percival Molson Stadium.
"We keep playing ball here,” said Alexander. “We were able to execute some huge short yardages throughout the game after that. It speaks to our group. We were able to bounce back. It was beautiful.”
Alexander finished 25-for-34 for 297 yards and a touchdown. The 27-year-old’s 25th touchdown throw of the season moved him ahead of Toronto's Chad Kelly for the CFL lead.
Tyler Snead collected both a receiving and rushing touchdown in the win. The Raleigh, N.C., native’s 69 receiving yards in the game also allowed him to surpass his single-season high of 1,129 yards he set last year.
After neither team generated a first down on its opening drive of the second half, Jose Maltos Diaz kicked a field goal before Rourke found Justin McInnis for a 35-yard touchdown that put B.C. ahead 19-10.
Instead of pressing further, Montreal finally settled down.
Alexander answered with a drive highlighted by Tyson Philpot's 45-yard reception that culminated in rookie Liam Talbot punching in his first CFL touchdown.
Moments after another Montreal field goal restored the lead, the Alouettes' defence completely swung the game.
Linebacker Tyrice Beverette intercepted Rourke and returned it 57 yards for a touchdown, giving the Alouettes control for good.
"Third quarter, we turned everything around and it started with our defence," Maas said. "Our defence made those two tremendous stops. We get the pick-six on top of it and then the offence woke up and started to make some plays."
It was the Alouettes’ resilience, however, that particularly pleased Maas.
"It took some mental toughness coming out of halftime to turn it around, us sticking together and believing," he said. "That's the hallmark of this team. It's a team that believes in each other and plays for each other."
For B.C. (6-6), the loss snapped a five-game winning streak despite another productive night from Rourke, who threw for 375 yards and two touchdowns.
The Lions quarterback pointed to his lone interception — the Beverette pick-six — as the game's turning point.
"The turnover was the big moment in the game," Rourke said. "Right now, I'm looking at the score and feeling like that's on me."
Lions head coach Buck Pierce credited Montreal’s play as a catalyst behind them earning their seventh victory in as many home games this season.
"You have to give credit to Montreal," Pierce said. "They made the plays when they had to and we didn't execute the way we needed to in critical times."
The win allowed Montreal to clinch the CFL's first playoff berth this season and guaranteed the Alouettes a home playoff game.
The victory also carried added significance for Montreal as they defeated B.C. for the first time since 2022 after six consecutive losses against their West Division opponent.
"We talked about it at the beginning of the week," Maas said. "It's about time we check that box. We're sick and tired of that happening."
The Alouettes will have a chance to run their winning streak against the Lions to two straight games as soon as Sept. 12, when the teams meet again, this time in Vancouver.
Up next
Lions: Host the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday, Sept. 12.
Alouettes: Visit the B.C. Lions on Saturday, Sept. 12.
