Johnny Manziel Throws 1st CFL TD Pass in 34-29 Loss to Saskatchewan

Montreal Alouettes quarterback Johnny Manziel finally threw his first touchdown pass of the 2018 CFL season Sunday in the Als' 34-29 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Molson Stadium in Montreal.

Manziel completed nine of his 16 passes for 138 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in the Week 16 contest. The former NFL QB added 45 rushing yards on five attempts in his fourth appearance.

Montreal dropped to a league-worst 3-11 with Sunday's defeat, while the Riders kept a firm grip on second place in the West Division by improving their record to 9-5.

Manziel returned to the Alouettes lineup last week after a monthlong absence. He missed two games because of a concussion and remained on the sideline after returning to full strength as head coach Mike Sherman opted to ride the hot hand of Antonio Pipkin for a couple of additional games.

The 25-year-old Texas A&M product has struggled to make an impact in the CFL. He entered Sunday's game with no touchdowns and five interceptions, including a four-pick game in his Week 8 debut.

While his play against the Roughriders represented only minor progress, finding the end zone for the first time is a noteworthy accomplishment after three years away from professional football.

The 47-yard connection with Adarius Bowman came on a trick play.

Manziel added a fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Ernest Jackson as part of the Als' comeback bid, which came up one score short.

Nick Marshall scored two touchdowns for Saskatchewan, while Tre Mason and Kyran Moore tallied one TD apiece to help the visitors earn the narrow road triumph.

Looking ahead, the Alouettes return to action next Monday against the Calgary Stampeders in their penultimate home game of the campaign. It might represent a critical start for Manziel.

Montreal has a bye week following the matchup with Calgary before playing its final three games of the regular season. If the oft-discussed quarterback fails to impress, the struggling team may check out its other options at the position down the stretch as it begins looking toward 2019.