ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½

Alexander initially showed rust with a costly interception in his return from missing two games with a hamstring injury, but bounced back for 303 passing yards, one passing touchdown and his game-winning score for Montreal (4-2), which had lost two in a row without him.

The Alouettes trailed 25-7 before they started a comeback late in the third quarter.

Cole Spieker and Sean Thomas-Erlington also scored touchdowns, while Jose Maltos kicked two field goals and Joseph Zema added a single before 19,354 at Molson Stadium after a rainy day in Montreal.

Nick Arbuckle threw two touchdown passes and one interception, going for 242 yards in his sixth consecutive start for defending champion ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ (1-5) while 2023 outstanding player Chad Kelly remained injured.

Damonte Coxie, Deonta McMahon and David Ungerer III scored touchdowns for ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½. Lirim Hajrullahu kicked a 45-yard field goal while John Haggerty added a single.

The Alouettes claimed the season series after winning 28-10 over the Argos on June 6. The East Division rivals meet for one more regular-season matchup Sept. 19 at BMO Field.

ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ took a 25-7 lead six minutes into the third quarter when Arbuckle found Ungerer alone with a 14-yard end-zone pass, capping a 76-yard drive.

Late in the quarter, the Alouettes responded with their first touchdown off a gutsy play on third down as Spieker hauled down Alexander’s 10-yard pass for a score, cutting ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½â€™s advantage to 25-14.

Spieker then caught the ball and ran for a 38-yard gain in the fourth quarter before Thomas-Erlington rushed three yards into the end zone to make it 25-20. Montreal missed the two-point conversion.

Then came a number of momentum swings.

On Montreal’s next possession, Alexander fooled the Argos defence with some play action and found Spieker for a 47-yard reception. Spieker, however, fumbled the ball just before crossing into the end zone.

Arbuckle then fumbled the ball at the ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ 21 after a sack from Lwal Uguak, leading to a 10-yard TD rush from Alexander, who injured himself on the play.

The Alouettes took a 26-25 lead with 1:46 remaining after another missed two-point conversion, but Kabion Ento sealed the win with an interception.

The first half featured a slow opening 20 minutes for both offences, but ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ finally broke into the end zone twice in a short span in the second quarter.

Arbuckle hit Coxie on a five-yard TD strike with 5:16 remaining in the first half, capping a 10-play, 70-yard drive in which the quarterback completed passes to four different receivers.

On the ensuing drive, ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ defensive back Tarvarus McFadden picked off Alexander and returned the ball 38 yards to the Montreal 15, setting up McMahon’s two-yard run for a score as the Argos took a commanding 18-4 lead with 2:46 left.

A second Maltos field goal cut it to 18-7 before halftime.

Neither side reached the red zone in the first quarter. The Alouettes — who didn’t run the ball until 2:40 remained in the second quarter — totalled only 142 yards in net offence in the opening half.

Their best chance at a touchdown came four minutes into the second quarter when Alexander tried to create some magic with a deep ball to Austin Mack, but McFadden broke up the pass.

NOTES: Alouettes receiver Tyson Philpot was a late scratch due to a knee injury. Daniel Oladejo took his place in the lineup. … Montreal signed veteran defensive lineman Shawn Lemon to a contract through the rest of the season before kickoff. The CFL reinstated Lemon from a gambling suspension Wednesday. The 36-year-old still needed to serve a two-game suspension after testing positive for a banned appetite suppressant.

UP NEXT

Alouettes: Visit the Calgary Stampeders next Thursday.

Argos: Host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on July 26.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2025.