MontrealAlouettes.com
MONTREAL – The Alouettes (8-5) will certainly be looking to serve up more than turkey when they entertain the Blue Bombers (3-10) as their holiday guests at Percival Molson Stadium on Thanksgiving Monday (TICKETS | PRINTABLE LINE-UP CARD).
With both teams heading into the long weekend looking to rebound from tough losses in Week 14, the Als and Bombers are on a collision course with one team trying to squeak into the playoffs and the other gunning for a berth in the postseason. And despite being on opposite ends of the CFL East Division spectrum, the Alouettes aren’t taking the Bombers for granted.
“Anybody can beat anybody [in this league] and you have to take care of your own business,” warned Head Coach Marc Trestman. “This is a team that was in the Grey Cup a year ago […] and we know that they’re not going to stop playing.”
Defensive end John Bowman, who will be stalking rookie quarterback Joey Elliott, filling in for the injured Buck Pierce on Monday, shared his coach’s sentiments. “The moment you take someone lightly, that’s when you get hurt, lose, or get embarrassed. So we’re not going to be taking Joey Elliott or the Winnipeg Blue Bombers lightly at all.”
With a hard-hitting affair on the menu for Monday, here’s a primer for what promises to be yet another memorable Turkey Day encounter for the Alouettes.
Third time’s the charm?: The Als certainly hope not. Monday’s tilt will mark the third meeting between these divisional rivals, with Montreal claiming their two previous meetings this season. Montreal has outscored Winnipeg 77-56 in those games, with two more games remaining against one another on the 2012 schedule. The clubs will meet on Monday and then in the regular season finale on November 3 in Winnipeg.
Perfectionists: This season marks only the fifth time the Alouettes will face the Bombers four times in one year. Only once have the Als won all four games. That was back in 1997 B.C. (Before Calvillo) when Dave Ritchie’s squad went a perfect 4-0 against the Bombers. In 2009, 2006 and 2000, Montreal ended up with a 3-1 record against Winnipeg.
Record magnet: CFL records seem to go hand-in-hand with Anthony Calvillo and the future Hall-of-Famer has yet another one in his crosshairs. The 40-year-old quarterback is now only 30 attempts shy of surpassing Damon Allen’s league record for pass attempts (9,138). In 13 games so far this season, AC has thrown 30-plus pass attempts seven times (62%).
O’ baby: When the offence is humming, so are Marc Trestman’s Alouettes. In the eight games they’ve outgained their opposition in net yardage this season, the Als are 7-1. The only team to wiggle off the hook this season? The Argos in their 23-20 win over Montreal on July 27.
It’s not easy without Green: The Alouettes will be without the CFL’s leading receiver in S.J. Green Monday, the sure-handed slotback currently sidelined with a knee injury. And although Green will be missing only his first start with the Alouettes since becoming a permanent starter in 2010, he did sit out the final three quarters of a September 18 game with a rib injury against these same Bombers in 2011. The result? A 25-23 loss to the then-slumping Winnipeg club who earned just their fifth win in Montreal since 1996.
Giving back on Thanksgiving: A number of Alouette players will take part in the 15th annual Thanksgiving Day event at the Welcome Hall Mission, serving up Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings immediately following Monday’s game.
