Als look to come off their bye week with another win
Media notes
Roster: Interactive / Text / PDF
By Richard Obrand,
MontrealAlouettes.com
Montreal – It’s always easy to enjoy a nice relaxing week away from the office, especially when you’ve earned it.
Sitting atop the East Division standings, the Alouettes (7-1-0) will return to action this Friday night, following their Week 9 bye, to face Jarious Jackson and the Lions (3-5-0) at Vancouver’s BC Place.
Friday night’s matchup marks the first time the two teams will meet since Aug. 29 of last season, and while little has changed for the Als since then, the same can’t be said for their opponent.
Though the Leos found nothing but success following their 30-25 loss to the Als just over a year ago, this year has been an uncharacteristic one for the Lions, to say the least. After finishing the season 7-2-0 before falling to the Calgary Stampeders in the 2008 West Final, things looked promising for the Lions this year.
This year’s sub-.500 start has been a head-scratcher indeed, but all is not lost for the Lions. If past successes are any indication of what the future holds for the Lions, then a turnaround is still very possible.
Their 2000 Grey Cup victory came after the Damon Allen-led Lions stumbled out of the gate to a 5-9-0 record, only to win six of their next seven games – including all playoff matchups – to finish the season. This year, if a comeback be in the works, it all has to start on the at home against the league-best Alouettes.
Als on top
The Als have been firing on all cylinders so far in 2009, and look to continue where they left off before the bye week.
Last game saw quarterback Anthony Calvillo throw two touchdown passes while backup Chris Leak threw his first career touchdown pass en route to a 34-25 home win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Running back Avon Cobourne was on his game as he kept pace in the league rushing race, adding 101 yards on 19 carries, while Kerry Watkins became the first receiver to break 600 yards this season – he now sits in third overall with 606 and five touchdowns on a second-best 41 catches through eight games.
Last season, these teams split their series, winning one game apiece, with the Lions coming out victorious by a slim 36-34 margin in BC and the Als winning a close one in Montreal by a 30-25 mark.
The Als return to action this Friday, Sept. 4, as they travel to Vancouver to visit the Lions at BC Place (RDSHD, TSNHD, CKAC SPORTS, CJAD 800 AM).
Notes
Montreal will be attempting to win its first game in Vancouver since 2000… Calvillo is first in the CFL with 207 completions and 280 attempts… Calvillo is the only pivot in the CFL with more than 200 completions… Cobourne leads the CFL with 125 carries and seven rushing touchdowns, but is third with 635 yards… Anwar Stewart needs just two sacks to tie Elfrid Payton’s team record of 52.
