Als hoping to sweep season series with Stamps
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Media notes
By Richard Obrand,
MontrealAlouettes.com
Montreal – Since first signing on as a volunteer coach with the University of Miami in 1981, Als’ head coach Marc Trestman has been blessed with top-calibre quarterbacks.
His uncanny ability to make greats like Bernie Kosar, Steve Young, Rich Gannon and now Anthony Calvillo even greater has been widely recognized as his trademark attribute with every team he’s joined.
Indeed, in his almost three decades of teaching and coaching, Trestman has seen and experienced a lot. This season, however, has turned into one of a kind.
With his Alouettes sitting atop the East Division standings at 11-2-0 and with the division already clinched thanks to a Week 14 win in Toronto, Trestman has a surprisingly difficult decision to make… With five games remaining and the divisional final already scheduled for Nov. 22 at Olympic Stadium, what is Trestman to do with his future hall of fame quarterback? Does he sit Calvillo and risk the possibility of the 37-year old getting rusty on the sidelines? Or does he play him and risk an injury?
For now, Trestman has his mind set simply on keeping his team sharp in preparation for the playoffs, with the first post-clinch game coming this Monday as the Als welcome the defending champion Calgary Stampeders (8-5-0) to Percival Molson Stadium for a Thanksgiving Day matchup.
A second meeting
The game will mark the second and final regular season encounter between the two divisional leaders, with the Als taking the season opener back on Canada Day.
In the rematch of last season’s Grey Cup, Calvillo started off the 2009 campaign with 255 yards and a touchdown pass en route to a 40-27 win at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium.
Running back Avon Cobourne’s strong season also began that night with 107 rushing yards and a touchdown, but his Week 1 performance will likely be his only against the Stamps this season as the CFL’s touchdown leader will almost certainly sit out the game to rest a mild injury.
Both teams are coming off wins, with the Stampeders holding on to beat the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Als putting together a solid effort over the Argonauts at the Toronto’s Rogers Centre.
This game also will also be the final meeting between the Alouettes and a Western opponent until the playoffs.
The Alouettes will welcome the defending champion Calgary Stampeders next Monday at 1 p.m. for a Thanksgiving Day matchup at Percival Molson Stadium (TSN HD, RDS HD, CKAC SPORTS, CJAD 800 AM, 98,5 FM).
Notes
Ben Cahoon will attempt to extend his streak of consecutive games with at least one reception to 123… Going into this game, Montreal is the only team in the league with over 400 points scored this season… Montreal also dominates on the defensive side of the ball with just 204 points against – the second-best team is Calgary with 304… Calvillo is just 187 passing yards shy of 4,000 for the season.
