Montreal Alouettes quarterback Anthony Calvillo looks to throw the ball during the first half of their CFL football game against the Calgary Stampeders in Calgary, Alberta, August 27, 2011. REUTERS/Todd KorolTodd Korol/Reuters
It's a simple defensive strategy for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats when they take on Montreal in the Labour Day game — contain Alouette quarterback Anthony Calvillo.
"When you let him get into a groove and make throws that he wants to make, it's tough to beat them," said Ticat linebacker Jamall Johnson.
"When we're able to get pressure, we've got to make the most of it and not let him get into a groove. Put pressure on him, come out and stop their running game."
A share of second place in the CFL's East Division is on the line with Montreal (5-3) currently in second, two points up on Hamilton (4-4). Hamilton won their first meeting, 34-26 at home on July 29, and the two will meet again next Sunday in Montreal and then again in October.
Calvillo readily acknowledges the Ticats knocked him off his game in their previous meeting, and it's something he is determined to change no matter who comes flying in his face.
"What they did was they got pressure where I wasn't able to finish my throwing motion and I was very upset with myself on how I was not able to step into the ball," he said. "There were times when I could have, but I didn't."
He promised that would not happen again.
"My mind is already made up," said Calvillo. "If I'm going to hit my hand on somebody's helmet, I'm going to hit my hand on somebody's helmet. I can't afford to play like that. There's five or six opportunities where we could have had first downs . . . I'm going to make sure that I'm going to step into every single ball and not waste the play up there."
This is the ninth time Hamilton will play Montreal on Labour Day and the Ticats are undefeated in those previous meetings — winning seven and tying one game in 1962.
Both teams will enter this game trying to atone for mistakes that let wins get away from them last week.
Montreal lost to Calgary 38-31 on the road, with a late Calvillo interception setting up Calgary's game-winning TD in the final minute of play.
Hamilton lost in Winnipeg 30-27 after a turning point in the third quarter when Hamilton receiver Chris Williams was caught from behind by linebacker Joe Lobendahn, who forced a fumble at the one-yard line.
To hear Calvillo talk, you wouldn't think the Alouettes' offence continues to ride at the top of the league's statistics, leading in points scored (253) and most yards (3,308), among others.
He said his offence plans on mixing it up a little more this game.
"We can't just throw it up all the time," he said. "We're going to have some different routes to give guys some opportunities to catch and run after they catch."
So Johnson said the Ticats are going to have to be mindful of the entire Montreal offence, and be ready to react should Calvillo begin to find success.
"We have to create more turnovers on defence," he said. "We have to tackle better. When we do those things, we're in our groove. They might catch a few balls, but we've got to get there and hit them.
"If we have a chance of taking the ball away, instead of us knocking it down or letting them get it, we need to go and take it away from them."