Alouettes remain unbeaten by topping Edmonton

Jul 29, 2006, 5:35 GMT

Edmonton, AB - In a rematch of last year's Grey Cup, Robert Edwards ran for two touchdowns, including a go-ahead 13-yard score, to lift the Montreal Alouettes over the Edmonton Eskimos, 21-13.

Edwards finished with 99 yards rushing for the Alouettes (6-0), who remained unbeaten on the season while avenging a 38-35 overtime defeat to Edmonton in the 2005 Grey Cup.

Montreal is the CFL's only remaining unbeaten squad. The team's best start came in 2002, when they started 8-0 before going on to win the Grey Cup.

Anthony Calvillo threw for 276 yards on 25-of-38 passing while Thyron Anderson and Ben Cahoon each caught six passes. Anderson ended with 69 yards receiving, while Cahoon racked up 59 yards.

Ricky Ray completed 29-of-43 passes for 266 yards with a touchdown strike and an interception for the Eskimos (2-4), who have lost three of four. Derrell Mitchell caught 10 passes for 78 yards while Mike Maurer finished with a touchdown reception.

Troy Davis ran for 49 yards on five carries in the loss and hauled in six passes for 52 yards.

The game featured just four field goals and a single heading into the fourth quarter, with Montreal holding a 7-6 lead.

The Eskimos, however, jumped ahead 13-7 early in the fourth on the game's first touchdown. At the Montreal 13-yard line, Ray faked a handoff and rolled to his right. He then found a wide open Maurer, who leaped over a defender at the goal line for the score.

The Alouettes came right back with a touchdown of their own to regain the lead at 14-13 as Edwards broke off a 13-yard run that ended in the end zone with under nine minutes to play.

Montreal drove into Edmonton territory late in the fourth, but the Eskimos came up with a big stop on Mike Vilimek on third and inches to halt the advance. The Alouettes challenged the spot of the ball, but the original ruling was upheld.

Edmonton, though, was forced to punt on its resulting possession and Montreal put the game away courtesy of a five-yard TD run by Edwards with under 1 1/2 minutes to play.

After a scoreless first quarter, Sean Fleming's 30-yard field goal early in the second staked Edmonton to a 3-0 lead.

The frame saw only four more points after that as Montreal's Damon Duval connected on a 37-yard field goal and the Alouettes added a single to take a 4-3 lead into the half.

Fleming missed a 47-yard field attempt late in the second frame.

Each team added three points in the third quarter as Montreal maintained its one-point lead.

With under five minutes to go in the third, Duval made good on a 33-yard field attempt, but Fleming countered with a 47-yard conversion to make it 7-6.

Game Notes

Edmonton fell to 2-2 at home while Montreal is 3-0 on the road.

Ray rushed twice for three yards.

Edmonton's Ed Hervey had four catches for 24 yards.

Kerry Watkins made five catches for 65 yards.

Edmonton lost its second straight home game.

This was the first western opponent for the Alouettes this season. Their first five games were against Winnipeg or Hamilton.

© 2006 The Sports Network