Montreal Alouettes' receiver Tyler Snead (85) looks for an opening against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats during their game in Hamilton on Thursday.Barry Gray/The Canadian Press
Tyler Snead picked a great time to have the best game of his young CFL career.
The 5-foot-7, 187-pound receiver had nine catches for 163 yards – both career highs – and a touchdown in Montreal’s 30-27 overtime road win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Thursday night.
Snead helped the Alouettes rally from a 14-point, second-half deficit minus running back Travis Theis, receiver Cole Spieker and centre Justin Lawrence – all starters – after they suffered first-half injuries.
“He’s a grinder,” Montreal starter Davis Alexander said of Snead. “He just has a nose for finding openings in this game.
“When he sees that ball, his eyes light up, and nobody is getting it from him.”
Predictably, Snead, in his fourth CFL season, modestly deflected credit for his role in the victory.
“It just says a lot about this group and the relentless effort we kind of go out there and play with,” he said. “We just kept fighting.
“That was the biggest thing until there were zeros on the clock.”
Robert Kennedy III also figured prominently in the win. The defensive back returned an interception 54 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter to pull Montreal to within 24-17 after Hamilton had scored on receiver Keric Wheatfall’s four-yard run.
Montreal Alouettes' quarterback Davis Alexander (10) makes the throw against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats during their game in Hamilton on Thursday.Barry Gray/The Canadian Press
Then in overtime, Kennedy forced Wheatfall to fumble following a catch. Alouettes cornerback Kabion Ento pushed the ball out of bounds to not only end Hamilton’s threat but also leave Montreal needing just a field goal for the win.
Jose Maltos Diaz delivered the game-deciding 17-yard boot. He forced overtime with a 29-yard field goal on the final play of regulation to cap a clutch 56-yard, 13-play drive that saw the Alouettes convert three third-down situations.
In the first half, Alexander threw a 70-yard completion to Snead on second-and-20. It set up a 19-yard field goal that tied the score 10-10.
Montreal’s offence looked to Snead often last season. The 26-year-old native of native of Raleigh, N.C., led the Alouettes in receiving with 84 catches for 1,129 yards – both career highs – and four TDs.
Snead also posted career highs in targets (119) and yards after catch (461). He registered 52 yards after catches Thursday night.
Snead’s ’25 numbers are impressive given Alexander made just seven regular-season starts last year, his first as Montreal’s No. 1 quarterback. The Alouettes were 7-0 with Alexander but just 3-8 in contests without him as he battled a lingering hamstring ailment.
He returned in time for the playoffs and led Montreal to the Grey Cup, but aggravated the injury late in the Alouettes’ 25-17 championship loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Alexander also had a solid ’26 debut, completing 26-of-38 passes for 336 yards and two touchdowns. He improved his regular-season record to 12-0, extending his league mark to start a CFL career.
“He’s a winner,” Snead said of Alexander. “He goes out there and finds a way to get the job done always.
“We believe in him, and he believes in us. You can always feed off that energy that he brings into the huddle.”
But Alexander isn’t expecting Snead to rest upon his laurels when Montreal (1-0) hosts the Toronto Argonauts (0-0) in its home opener Friday night.
“He thinks he should do that every single week,” Alexander said. “That’s our standard here and if he does not do that every week, he’s going to be disappointed.”
Montreal began a trend last weekend as all three road teams won close games. Two were decided by walk-off field goals, and the average margin of victory was 4.3 points.
An average of 55 points was scored per game, with 16 touchdown drives registered.
“That’s what the CFL is,” said Montreal head coach Jason Maas. “It’s so competitive when you look at the whole landscape of the league.
“Any time you come into a rival’s building and get a win it’s a big deal.”