MontrealAlouettes.com
MONTREAL – Despite seeing the Lions return the favor by downing the Alouettes on their homefield this past weekend in B.C., the team is hardly hanging their heads leading into their showdown with the Roughriders on Sunday at Percival Molson Stadium.
“Trust me, guys on this team are feeling just fine,” vowed S.J. Green, the league’s leader in receiving yards with 871. “The divisional race is going back and forth and we are looking to pull ahead with our next two games being played at home. We were undefeated during the entire month of August, and now we’re just going to have to start a brand new winning streak with the eight remaining games on our schedule.”
Last Saturday’s defeat at B.C Place spelled the end of the Als’ four-game winning streak, as Montreal finds itself in a first-place tie in the East Division with the Toronto Argonauts at 6-4.
With an impressive 4-1 record on home soil this season, the Alouettes are looking to build on that momentum. Anthony Calvillo fully expects his team’s 514 advantage to play a crucial role down the stretch.
“In our last home game against B.C. the crowd was the loudest that I’ve heard in a while,” marveled Calvillo. “Now we’re going to need that same energy from our fans for an entire four quarters.”
Preparations on how to handle Saskatchewan are in full swing as the team gears up to face the Riders for the first time this season.
“Each week has its different set of challenges,” warned the veteran quarterback. “Right now we’re early in the week and I’m just trying to get familiar with their defence as they’ve made some changes with their defensive backs and linebackers.”
Speaking of linebackers, Marc-Olivier Brouillette is closing in on a return to the lineup after missing the past four games with a fractured left forearm.
“We’ll know by the end of the week if he can play on Sunday,” explained head coach Marc Trestman. “We’ll have to see how the bone holds up during a week of practice.”
Defensive back Billy Parker is not expected to play on Sunday as he is still nursing a hamstring injury.
Notes: Linebacker Marc-Olivier Brouillette practised today for the first time since fracturing the radial bone in his forearm in the Alouettes’ Week 6 win over Winnipeg … Receiver Trent Guy was also in pads and on the field for the first time since Week 9, as he recovers from a nagging rib injury.
