By Canadian Press

Alouettes clinch home playoff date with 24-12 win over Redblacks

Sep 21, 2024 | 4:40 PM

OTTAWA — The Montreal Alouettes remained unbeaten on the road and clinched a home playoff game with a 24-12 win over the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday afternoon.

Montreal (11-2-1) improved to 6-0-1 on the road and was the first team to beat Ottawa (8-5-1) at TD Place this season.

The Alouettes snapped the Redblacks home unbeaten streak (6-1-1) in front of the largest crowd of the year at 23,530.

A win would have clinched a playoff spot for Ottawa for the first time since 2018, but they instead dropped back-to back games for the first time this season.

Dru Brown started the game for Ottawa, but an ankle injury sidelined him with 4:08 remaining in the first half. He was 8-for-16 for 69 yards with two interceptions.

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Jeremiah Masoli finished the game going 17-for-26 in passing for 218 yards and one touchdown.

Montreal’s Cody Fajardo completed 16 of 27 pass attempts for 226 yards and scored a rushing touchdown.

Alouettes kicker Jose Maltos scored field goals from 17, 13 and 30 yards. Ottawa’s Lewis Ward kicked field goals from 18 and 46 yards.

A 30-yarder by Maltos midway through the fourth quarter stretched Montreal’s lead to a dozen points.

Masoli connected with Justin Hardy on a 25-yard touchdown pass, but fell short on the two-point conversion to start the second half. Hardy’s fourth TD of the season of a career high for him.

The Redblacks trailed 20-6 at halftime.

Brown’s two early interceptions set the tone, with Montreal’s Dionte Ruffin returning one for a 79-yard touchdown. Brown was picked off again on his next drive.

Ottawa finally got down field, but settled for an 18-yard field goal to trail 7-3 after the first quarter.

Montreal then scored a punt single and Fajardo followed it up with a one-yard dash to score, followed by 17-yard field goal by Maltos.

Ward kicked a 46-yard field goal for Ottawa and Maltos countered from 13 yards in the second quarter.

UP NEXT

Both team are on the road next Saturday. The Saskatchewan Roughriders host the Redblacks and the Toronto Argonauts are at home to the Alouettes.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 21, 2024.

Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press