Facing the British Columbia Lions, the Montreal Alouettes will not only want to get back to winning ways, but also want to forget their horrible performance on offense last week.
Only one first down and about 20 yards on offense: that’s all the Alouettes (6-4) were able to get in the second half of the game, losing 47-17 to the Blue Bombers of Winnipeg.
“We had a terrible third quarter and it just snowballed from there. It’s very difficult not to get a first down in a half in this league. Credit goes to the Bombers, but we helped them a lot,” head coach Jason Maas said earlier this week.
Hence the importance of relaunching the attack with a better performance against the Lions (7-4), who will come to the Percival-Molson stadium after having also experienced a terrible performance – at home moreover – in a setback 30-10 against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
It was the Lions’ second straight loss and their third in four encounters. During that streak, they allowed 30 or more runs three times.
“I don’t think they’re more vulnerable,” Maas said when told of the defensive upheavals. That’s what happens in this league: at a certain point, your opponents have more video footage of your game. It makes it easier to see on the field. […] Your opponents make plays too: it’s hard to be perfect.
“But it’s a great club, very well run. We will be ready for them. »
Last July, the Alouettes lost 35-19 at B.C. Place, when the offense had its worst game, conceding seven sacks to the Lions. The situation has since changed a lot, but the challenge will be no less great.
“I know Vernon Adam Jr. will be very motivated to be in Montreal again,” Maas said. It’s always difficult to face a team a second time and you have to be ready. »
And he believes that his club is different from the one that rubbed shoulders with the Lions at the start of July.
“They too have a different club, but on our side, I like to think we are better from week to week.
“Discipline-wise we are, anyway. It is true that we received seven penalties against the Bombers, but in general, we are better on this aspect. »
Obviously, the players will have to avoid the traps set for them by the visitors after the whistle.
“Obviously it wasn’t on our side the last time we played against them, but our focus is on penalties,” safety Marc-Antoine Dequoy said. We will make sure to be disciplined and not to give free yards to the other. When you give the opponent 100 yards, that’s almost a full court of progress. This is where our attention will be focused. »
On the field, Maas confirmed the returns to play earlier this week of defensive back Ciante Evans and receiver Greg Ellingson. Linebacker Tyrrell Richards, offensive lineman Patrick Davis and Wesley Sutton will be sidelined, however.
At the Lions, defensive back Jalon Edwards-Cooper did not train all week and will not be in uniform. Receivers Keon Hatcher and Alexander Hollins were questionable cases, but their names appear on the organization chart the club released to the media on Friday. A decision in the case of Hollins, however, will be made during the warm-up period.
Finally, the Alouettes will take advantage of this meeting to honor the five former members of the Birds who will be admitted a little later in September to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Former coach Jacques Dussault, defensive end John Bowman, offensive linemen Josh Bourke and Lloyd Fairbanks, as well as former president Larry Smith, as a builder, will be honored in Hamilton on September 15.
