1996 Montreal Alouettes season

{{Infobox NFL season

| logo =

| team = Montreal Alouettes

| year = 1996

| record = 12–6

| division_place = 2nd, East

| owner = Jim Speros

| general_manager = Jim Popp

| coach = Bob Price

| stadium = Olympic Stadium

| playoffs = Lost East Final

| uniform = Image:CFL MTL Jersey 1996.png

| previous = 1987

| shortnavlink = Alouettes seasons

}}

The 1996 Montreal Alouettes finished in second place in the East Division with a 12–6 record in the franchise's first full season in the Canadian Football League since 1986. Unlike the lean years from 1981 to 1986, the revived Alouettes were going to be competitive, especially since most of them had won the Grey Cup in the previous season as the Baltimore Stallions. They had some nice talented offensive players from that team, such as Tracy Ham, Mike Pringle, kick returner Chris Wright, slotback Chris Armstrong, and two great defensive players in Irvin Smith, and Elfrid Payton. After a slow start they rebounded to finish strong and after defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, they traveled to Toronto, where they were defeated in the East Final by the eventual Grey Cup champions, the Toronto Argonauts.

Offseason

=Start of a new franchise=

Starting in the 1993 CFL season, the league began expanding into the United States with hopes of boosting revenues and saw five US-based teams in 1995, including the dominant Baltimore Stallions. Prior to the 1996 NFL season, Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell, announced his intentions to move the Browns to Baltimore (to be reborn as the Ravens, meaning there would be two professional football teams in the city. Stallions owner Jim Speros realized that the Stallions could not realistically compete with an NFL team and decided to move the team elsewhere. He looked into moving the team to Houston, Texas (which would lose their NFL team, the Oilers by the end of that same year), but after a deal could not be resolved, he decided to move the team to Montreal as the third (and current) incarnation of the Alouettes.

Stallions General Manager Jim Popp came with Speros to Montreal, but he had to build the team from scratch since the CFL did not allow the team to retain its Baltimore legacy. It was, however, allowed to reclaim the history and records of the old 1946–86 Alouettes (and the Concordes from 1982 to 1985). According to official CFL records, Speros is reckoned as having canceled the Stallions' franchise and reactivated the dormant Alouettes franchise. The Alouettes are now reckoned as having suspended operations from 1987 to 1995.

While all Baltimore players were released from their contracts, Popp was able to resign future Canadian Football Hall of Fame quarterback Tracy Ham and future Hall of Fame running back Mike Pringle, who would go on to become the CFL's all-time leading rusher. Both Ham and Pringle, along with other former Baltimore players re-signed by Popp, would play large roles in the success of the reborn team. The new Alouettes played their first regular season game on June 27, 1996; almost ten years since their last game in the city of Montreal.

=CFL draft=

style="background:#072764; color:#c6011f; width:15%;"\| Round ! style="background:#072764; color:#c6011f; width:15%;"\| Pick ! style="background:#072764; color:#c6011f; width:20%;"\| Player ! style="background:#072764; color:#c6011f; width:15%;"\| Position ! style="background:#072764; color:#c6011f; width:20%;"\| School/Club Team
class="wikitable sortable sortable"
align=center\| 1	9	Denis Montana	WR	Concordia University
align=center\| 2	18	Bryan Chiu	DT	Washington State
align=center\| 3	27	Adam Cassidy	OL	Alberta
align=center\| 4	36	Tom Hipsz	DE	Toronto
align=center\| 6	53	Adrian Rainbow	QB	British Columbia
align=center\| 7	62	Marc Charles	DT	Morgan State

https://www.cfl.ca/canadian_draft/list?year=1996 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902061536/http://www.cfl.ca/canadian_draft/list?year=1996 |date=2012-09-02 }} 1996 CFL Canadian Draft

Preseason

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1996\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Game ! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1996\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Date ! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1996\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Opponent ! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1996\|border=2}};" colspan=2 \| Results ! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1996\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Venue ! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1996\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Attendance
scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1996\|border=2}};" \| Score ! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1996\|border=2}};" \| Record
style="background:#ddffdd" ! A \| June 13 \| vs. Ottawa Rough Riders \| W 38–7 \| 1–0 \| Olympic Stadium \| 11,215
style="background:#ddffdd" ! B \| June 20 \| at Hamilton Tiger-Cats \| W 43–39 \| 2–0 \| Ivor Wynne Stadium \| 16,346

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Montreal Alouettes|year=1996|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Game

! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Montreal Alouettes|year=1996|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Date

! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Montreal Alouettes|year=1996|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Opponent

! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Montreal Alouettes|year=1996|border=2}};" colspan=2 | Results

! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Montreal Alouettes|year=1996|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Venue

! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Montreal Alouettes|year=1996|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Attendance

scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Montreal Alouettes|year=1996|border=2}};" | Score

! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Montreal Alouettes|year=1996|border=2}};" | Record

style="background:#ddffdd"

! A

| June 13

| vs. Ottawa Rough Riders

| W 38–7

| 1–0

| Olympic Stadium

| 11,215

style="background:#ddffdd"

! B

| June 20

| at Hamilton Tiger-Cats

| W 43–39

| 2–0

| Ivor Wynne Stadium

| 16,346

Regular season

= Season Standings=

class="wikitable" \|+ East Division ! Team !! GP !! W !! L !! T !! PF !! PA !! Pts
style="text-align:center;" \| style="text-align:left;"\|Toronto Argonauts	18	15	3	0	556	359	30
style="text-align:center;" \| style="text-align:left;"\|Montreal Alouettes	18	12	6	0	536	467	24
style="text-align:center;" \| style="text-align:left;"\|Hamilton Tiger-Cats	18	8	10	0	426	576	16
style="text-align:center;" \| style="text-align:left;"\|Ottawa Rough Riders	18	3	15	0	352	524	6

{{cite web |url=https://www.cfl.ca/standings/1996/reg |title=1996 Regular Season Standings | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League |publisher=CFL.ca |accessdate=2012-11-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090715074133/http://www.cfl.ca/standings/1995/reg |archive-date=2009-07-15 |url-status=dead }}

=Season Schedule=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1996\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Week ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1996\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Game ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1996\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Date ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1996\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Opponent ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1996\|border=2}};" colspan=2 \| Results ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1996\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Venue ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1996\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Attendance
style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1996\|border=2}};" \| Score ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1996\|border=2}};" \| Record
style="background:#ffbbbb" ! 1 ! 1 \| June 27 \| vs. Toronto Argonauts \| L 24–27 \| 0–1 \| Olympic Stadium \| 24,653
style="background:#ffbbbb" ! 2 ! 2 \| July 5 \| at Edmonton Eskimos \| L 13–16 \| 0–2 \| Commonwealth Stadium \| 26,211
style="background:#ffbbbb" ! 3 ! 3 \| July 10 \| vs. Calgary Stampeders \| L 22–62 \| 0–3 \| Olympic Stadium \| 19,362
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 4 ! 4 \| July 19 \| at BC Lions \| W 44–24 \| 1–3 \| BC Place Stadium \| 21,855
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 5 ! 5 \| July 24 \| vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers \| W 36–10 \| 2–3 \| Olympic Stadium \| 20,302
style="background:#ffbbbb" ! 6 ! 6 \| Aug 1 \| at Toronto Argonauts \| L 31–40 \| 2–4 \| SkyDome \| 20,302
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 7 ! 7 \| Aug 7 \| vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats \| W 29–22 \| 3–4 \| Olympic Stadium \| 25,210
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 7 ! 8 \| Aug 11 \| at Saskatchewan Roughriders \| W 32–20 \| 4–4 \| Taylor Field \| 21,997
8 ! 8 \| colspan="7" \| Bye
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 9 ! 9 \| Aug 23 \| vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders \| W 23–16 \| 5–4 \| Olympic Stadium \| 26,511
style="background:#ffbbbb" ! 10 ! 10 \| Aug 30 \| at Ottawa Rough Riders \| L 6–17 \| 5–5 \| Frank Clair Stadium \| 28,451
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 11 ! 11 \| Sept 7 \| vs. BC Lions \| W 28–27 \| 6–5 \| Olympic Stadium \| 15,161
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 12 ! 12 \| Sept 13 \| at Calgary Stampeders \| W 25–23 \| 7–5 \| McMahon Stadium \| 19,196
13 \| colspan="7" \| Bye
style="background:#ffbbbb" ! 14 ! 13 \| Sept 29 \| at Hamilton Tiger-Cats \| L 38–39 \| 7–6 \| Ivor Wynne Stadium \| 17,740
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 15 ! 14 \| Oct 4 \| vs. Edmonton Eskimos \| W 32–18 \| 8–6 \| Olympic Stadium \| 17,886
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 16 ! 15 \| Oct 14 \| at Ottawa Rough Riders \| W 25–18 \| 9–6 \| Frank Clair Stadium \| 14,080
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 17 ! 16 \| Oct 19 \| vs. Ottawa Rough Riders \| W 28–21 \| 10–6 \| Olympic Stadium \| 18,671
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 18 ! 17 \| Oct 25 \| vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats \| W 45–41 \| 11–6 \| Olympic Stadium \| 20,231
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 19 ! 18 \| Nov 1 \| at Winnipeg Blue Bombers \| W 42–24 \| 12–6 \| Winnipeg Stadium \| 25,968

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

style="{{Gridiron primary style|Montreal Alouettes|year=1996|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Week

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Montreal Alouettes|year=1996|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Game

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Montreal Alouettes|year=1996|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Date

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Montreal Alouettes|year=1996|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Opponent

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Montreal Alouettes|year=1996|border=2}};" colspan=2 | Results

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Montreal Alouettes|year=1996|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Venue

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Montreal Alouettes|year=1996|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Attendance

style="{{Gridiron primary style|Montreal Alouettes|year=1996|border=2}};" | Score

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Montreal Alouettes|year=1996|border=2}};" | Record

style="background:#ffbbbb"

! 1

| June 27

| vs. Toronto Argonauts

| L 24–27

| 0–1

| Olympic Stadium

| 24,653

style="background:#ffbbbb"

! 2

| July 5

| at Edmonton Eskimos

| L 13–16

| 0–2

| Commonwealth Stadium

| 26,211

style="background:#ffbbbb"

! 3

| July 10

| vs. Calgary Stampeders

| L 22–62

| 0–3

| Olympic Stadium

| 19,362

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 4

| July 19

| at BC Lions

| W 44–24

| 1–3

| BC Place Stadium

| 21,855

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 5

| July 24

| vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers

| W 36–10

| 2–3

| Olympic Stadium

| 20,302

style="background:#ffbbbb"

! 6

| Aug 1

| at Toronto Argonauts

| L 31–40

| 2–4

| SkyDome

| 20,302

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 7

| Aug 7

| vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats

| W 29–22

| 3–4

| Olympic Stadium

| 25,210

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 7

! 8

| Aug 11

| at Saskatchewan Roughriders

| W 32–20

| 4–4

| Taylor Field

| 21,997

! 8

| colspan="7" | Bye

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 9

| Aug 23

| vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders

| W 23–16

| 5–4

| Olympic Stadium

| 26,511

style="background:#ffbbbb"

! 10

| Aug 30

| at Ottawa Rough Riders

| L 6–17

| 5–5

| Frank Clair Stadium

| 28,451

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 11

| Sept 7

| vs. BC Lions

| W 28–27

| 6–5

| Olympic Stadium

| 15,161

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 12

| Sept 13

| at Calgary Stampeders

| W 25–23

| 7–5

| McMahon Stadium

| 19,196

| colspan="7" | Bye

style="background:#ffbbbb"

! 14

! 13

| Sept 29

| at Hamilton Tiger-Cats

| L 38–39

| 7–6

| Ivor Wynne Stadium

| 17,740

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 15

! 14

| Oct 4

| vs. Edmonton Eskimos

| W 32–18

| 8–6

| Olympic Stadium

| 17,886

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 16

! 15

| Oct 14

| at Ottawa Rough Riders

| W 25–18

| 9–6

| Frank Clair Stadium

| 14,080

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 17

! 16

| Oct 19

| vs. Ottawa Rough Riders

| W 28–21

| 10–6

| Olympic Stadium

| 18,671

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 18

! 17

| Oct 25

| vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats

| W 45–41

| 11–6

| Olympic Stadium

| 20,231

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 19

! 18

| Nov 1

| at Winnipeg Blue Bombers

| W 42–24

| 12–6

| Winnipeg Stadium

| 25,968

{{cite web|url=http://www.profootballarchives.com/1996cflmtl.html |title=1996 Montreal Alouettes |publisher=The Pro Football Archives |date= |accessdate=2012-11-07}}

=Roster=

class="toccolours" style="text-align: left;"
colspan="7" style="background:#003e77; color:#b1b9bc; text-align:center;"\| Montreal Alouettes roster
style="font-size:95%; vertical-align:top;"\| Quarterbacks Running backs Receivers \| style="width: 25px;" \| \| style="font-size:95%; vertical-align:top;"\| Offensive linemen Defensive linemen Defensive backs Special teams Practice Roster

class="toccolours" style="text-align: left;"

colspan="7" style="background:#003e77; color:#b1b9bc; text-align:center;"| Montreal Alouettes roster

style="font-size:95%; vertical-align:top;"| Quarterbacks

Running backs

Receivers

| style="width: 25px;" |

| style="font-size:95%; vertical-align:top;"| Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Defensive backs

Special teams

Practice Roster

Playoffs

=East Semi-Final=

class="wikitable"
Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Total
Hamilton Tiger-Cats	?	?	?	?	11
style="background:#dfd;" \|Montreal Alouettes	?	?	?	?	22

class="wikitable"

Team

Total

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

style="background:#dfd;"

|Montreal Alouettes

=East Final=

class="wikitable"
Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Total
Montreal Alouettes	?	?	?	?	7
style="background:#dfd;" \|Toronto Argonauts	?	?	?	?	43

class="wikitable"

Team

Total

Montreal Alouettes

style="background:#dfd;"

|Toronto Argonauts

Awards

=1996 CFL All-Star Selections=

Grant Carter – Defensive End
Charles Gordon – Defensive Back
Tracy Gravely – Linebacker

=1996 Intergold CFLPA All-Star Selections=

{{cite web |url=https://www.cfl.ca/page/players_allstars96 |title=Official Site of the Canadian Football League |publisher=CFL.ca |accessdate=2012-11-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902061545/http://www.cfl.ca/page/players_allstars96 |archive-date=2012-09-02 |url-status=dead }}