Game 13 preview: Als to bring a big crowd to Hogtown
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Media notes
By Richard Obrand,
MontrealAlouettes.com
Montreal – Though they don’t return to Percival Molson Stadium for another week, the Als should have no problem feeling right at home on Saturday afternoon in Toronto.
With a sold-out train full of Als’ supporters invading the Rogers Centre thanks to the Alouettes Fan Train, Montreal (10-2-0) will look to stay perfect against the East Division as they face off against the Argonauts (3-9-0).
Following last Friday’s 42-8 road win over the up-and-coming Hamilton Tiger-Cats, this weekend’s matchup marks the end of Montreal’s Ontario road-trip – and the Alouettes have recent history on their side.
Dating back to last season, your Alouettes are 4-0-0 over the Double Blue, including their only meeting of the 2009 season so far – a 25-0 Montreal win.
But if you’re expecting much of the same for this week’s meeting, don’t get your hopes up. That shutout marked the first time the Als’ defence blanked an opponent since Sept. 5, 1976, when they beat those same Argonauts 28-0 at Olympic Stadium.
What you can expect this week, however, is an old-fashioned Alouettes vs. Argonauts battle, one of the CFL’s best rivalries.
Riding a streak
The Als head into Hogtown riding a three-game win streak dating back to Sept. 13, when they beat the BC Lions 28-24 in Montreal.
They won their second in a row at home against the Blue Bombers before running back Avon Cobourne had the game of his life so far in the Hamilton win, rushing for 193 yards and scoring a pair of touchdowns.
Cobourne’s performance was good enough to earn him Offensive Player of the Week honours for the first time this season and the third time of his career.
The “Other AC” also surpassed the 1,000 rushing yards plateau in a season for the first time and now leads the CFL with 13 touchdowns – including 11 rushing majors, 1,423 yards from scrimmage and 1,043 rushing yards.
Toronto welcomes their rivals down the 401 on a losing note, coming just short of their fourth win of the season in a 29-24 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Former Argo Michael Bishop had the best of his ex-teammates, throwing for 312 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while Toronto’s current quarterbacks, Cody Pickett and Kerry Joseph, combined for just 221 yards passing and two interceptions en route to the loss.
The Alouettes will face the Toronto Argonauts at Rogers Centre this Saturday, Oct. 3 at 1 p.m. (RDSHD, TSNHD, CKAC SPORTS, CJAD 800 AM, 98,5 FM).
