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Geno Lewis said earlier this week that his plan for his CFL debut on Thursday was simple.

The Montreal Alouettes rookie wide receiver wanted to go out “get some catches” and make some plays.

At the end of the day, he did just that. Lewis had three receptions for 47 yards and made a big block that helped spring a third-quarter 44-yard run for Montreal fullback Jean-Christophe Beaulieu, which set up an Alouettes field goal.

However, Montreal fell to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 41-40. The Blue Bombers won as time expired after Winnipeg recovered the onside kick with 44 seconds left and Blue Bombers running back Andrew Harris would later score from a yard out as time expired.

“I’m excited to go out there and put the pads back on again and the competition and all of the people I can actually hit them and stuff like that,” Lewis said on Sunday. “My goal is to go out there and put my talent on display.”

But the moment Lewis will likely remember the most came in the fourth quarter, at the end of a 33-yard reception, which was his longest of the night.

With Montreal looking to convert a second-and-10, the 24-year-old wideout made a nice catch at midfield and as he made his way into Winnipeg territory, and up the sidelines, Blue Bombers defensive back Taylor Loffler punched the football out. With the ball bouncing out of bounds, Lewis made a heads-up play before the football landed and swatted it back in play.

Fellow Alouettes wide receiver B.J. Cunningham scooped up the loose ball at the Winnipeg 42-yard-line and ran it all the way down to the one. Montreal would kick a field goal to take a 30-27 lead.

“If you want people to see, you have to do things to make them see you,” Lewis said. “It’s basically getting film — going out there running routes, making plays. Just going out there and be exciting, play with some swag. All of that stuff. You have to get somebody to notice you and that’s the thing you have to do here.”

Playing in the CFL, Lewis has enjoyed playing with teammates with all different football backgrounds.

Like Lewis, Cunningham comes from a Big Ten school, after five years at Michigan State. But players like Nik Lewis, Montreal’s second-leading receiver on Thursday, and Ernest Jackson, Montreal’s third-leading receiver, played at Southern Arkansas and Buffalo, respectively. Beaulieu, who Lewis sprung for a long run in the third quarter is from Trois-Rivières, Quebec.

“There’s some raw talent and good talent here,” Geno Lewis said. “There’s some guys here that went to some really small schools and that (the CFL) helps them get another shot at trying to get into the NFL and they’re having a hell of a career here and doing really well.”

Oklahoma wide receiver Geno Lewis (5) makes a touchdown catch ahead of Kansas linebacker Mike Lee (11) during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_Geno-Lewis2-1.jpg.optimal.jpgOklahoma wide receiver Geno Lewis (5) makes a touchdown catch ahead of Kansas linebacker Mike Lee (11) during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)

By DJ Eberle

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Reach DJ Eberle at 570-991-6398 or on Twitter @ByDJEberle