Calvillo rallies Als past Bombers

On a night of big-time performances, Anthony Calvillo stood far above the rest.

Calvillo erased a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter, guiding the CFL East-leading Montreal Alouettes to a 44-40 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday night in front of 26,154 stunned fans at Canad Inns Stadium.

The 17-year veteran was simply amazing when it counted most, completing 36 of 54 passes for 477 yards and five touchdowns.

"Our leader, Anthony Calvillo, showed why he's the best in the business at what he does," said Montreal head coach Marc Trestman.

"He's what glues this team together and they all stepped up their play because he kept his play so high throughout the game."

No score was bigger than the final one that put away the Bombers. On a third-down gamble with less than two minutes remaining, Calvillo launched a pass to receiver Brian Bratton, who ran past two Winnipeg defenders for a 48-yard touchdown and his second score of the game.

"It's up to the receivers and the offensive linemen to do their jobs," the 38-year-old QB said of the winning score. "I got a good ball off, there was no people in front of me and Brian made a huge play for us."

"The offensive line, they do what they do and they give us time," said Bratton, a fourth-year player who had one TD entering the game.

"[Calvillo] always does what he does and puts the ball out there and gives you a chance. The ball was out there and I just had to go run and get it.

"Just to know that we can have our backs against the wall and we can just come out fighting. We fight to the end and we fight together, regardless of the situation or the circumstance. I just think it does a lot for this team confidence-wise, camaraderie-wise."

Calvillo guided Montreal to an 84-yard, seven-play winning drive, a possession that included Ben Cahoon's 1,000th career reception.

Milestone for Cahoon

Cahoon joins Terry Vaughn (1,006) as the only CFL receivers to reach the milestone.

Damon Duval added a 19-yard field goal to seal Montreal's victory.

At 9-3, the Alouettes hold a comfortable lead in the East Division over both Toronto and Hamilton, who both have 6-5 records.

The loss was especially crushing for the Bombers (3-9), who begin a home-and-home series against the B.C. Lions next week.

Quarterback Steven Jyles threw for 328 yards and four touchdowns. Two of those scores went to receiver Greg Carr, who caught four passes for 185 yards.

Carr was spectacular in his CFL debut, scoring both TDs on 74- and 71-yard plays before a shin injury in the third quarter sidelined the Florida State grad for the remainder of the game.

"We were one play short," Jyles said. "You have some games that go like that. All we can do is just keep getting better and keep fighting and press on."

Reid injured

Fred Reid, the league's leading rusher, also left the game in the fourth quarter with an apparent right knee injury. Reid had rushed for 63 yards on nine carries before he got hurt.

Down by nine points on its first drive of the second half, Montreal cut Winnipeg's lead to two midway through the third quarter.

Calvillo marched the Als on a seven-play, 90-yard drive, hitting receiver Bratton on a 19-yard TD.

The Bombers responded, going up 33-24 when Jyles found receiver Aaron Hargreaves on an 11-yard score.

Penalties costly

But the Als wouldn't go away. Aided by a pair of penalties, Calvillo rifled a seven-yard TD throw into the waiting arms Andrew Hawkins with 5:12 left in the third.

The Bombers defence provided the next score, giving Winnipeg a 40-31 advantage early in the fourth.

After defensive lineman Odell Willis stripped Calvillo of the ball, Joe Lobendahn picked it up and returned it three yards.

Duval's 27-yard field goal midway through the quarter cut the Bombers' advantage to six points.

Carr scored both his touchdowns in the first half, while Montreal receivers Terrance Edwards and S.J. Green each caught a TD pass.