MontrealAlouettes.com
WINNIPEG – It’s 17 down and one to go for the Alouettes in 2012 as they make the trip to Winnipeg to take on the Blue Bombers and close out the regular season.
With the East Division crown already nestled in their back pockets, the Alouettes (11-6) will have the chance to give Anthony Calvillo a rare breather against the Bombers (5-12).
“This is something that we’ve done over the years for many different reasons,” explained Marc Trestman on giving his 19-year veteran QB time to rest before the playoffs. “Everybody else is going to play. Adrian deserves this chance to get some playing time under his belt. He’s put a lot into this team, he’s a quiet leader and ready to play each and every week.”
In his fifth season with the Als, Adrian McPherson will get the opportunity to lead his team into battle, with Montreal riding a three-game win streak into Manitoba.
“It felt good taking all of the reps at practice this week,” admitted McPherson who is set to make his fifth career CFL start. “It’s my first start in a long time, but I always prepare hard with each week. I’m going to do my job and give the ball to our playmakers so that they can do their thing.”
One of those options will be slotback S.J. Green, who is expected to return to the lineup after having missed the last four games with a knee injury.
“We have a talented group of guys on this team,” stated Green who was leading the CFL in receiving yards before being sidelined. “So despite the injuries in recent weeks, we’re on a hot streak and guys are getting healthy and ready to return just in time for the playoffs. That’s all you can really ask for.”
After missing last week’s game with a toe injury, left guard Andrew Woodruff is also expected to make his return.
Already eliminated from playoff contention, the Blue Bombers will try to end their 59-year run as tenants of Canad Inns Stadium on a winning note before moving into their new digs next season.
On the other hand, an Als win would not only propel the team into the playoffs with serious momentum, it would also mark the 60th victory of Trestman’s career making him the franchise’s all-time winningest coach ahead of Douglas “Peahead” Walker.
“Well, five years have certainly gone by in a blink of an eye,” admitted Trestman. “I really look at these things as organizational records. So much goes into winning football games, it’s hard to believe. Everybody’s really involved. There are so many pieces to the puzzle for it to all work.”
Here’s a primer for what lies ahead of this regular season-ending battle between the Alouettes and Blue Bombers.
Not so lucky break?: Bombers fans thinking they’ve got it made with Calvillo not being under centre this weekend for the Als might be in for a long afternoon on Saturday. Sure it’s been almost two years since McPherson was last the Alouettes’ starting quarterback, but he is 2-2 as a starter. His last win even came in the not so friendly confines of Ivor Wynne Stadium in Hamilton when McPherson passed for 238 yards and rushed for another 121 in a 27-6 win over the Tiger-Cats back on September 11, 2010 (WATCH). Did we also mention it marked the Als last victory in Hamilton?
A good omen: Calvillo getting a little extra rest has more benefits than one might think. Try these interesting coincidences on for size: the last three times AC has been able to rest up for three weeks leading up to East Final, the Alouettes went on to advance to the Grey Cup, winning the silver chalice in both 2009 and 2010.
Family Matters: With Bombers head coach and former Als defensive coordinator Tim Burke having the interim tag removed from his title this week, all but one coach in the East Division has now gone from Trestman’s staff to guide their own squad. Burke now joins Scott Milanovich with whom he won the Grey Cup in 2009 and 2010 under Trestman.
A really special guy: Alouettes safety Kyries Hebert has come up huge in his first year with the Alouettes especially on special teams. The former Cincinnati Bengal leads the CFL in special teams tackles with 25. After having led the league in that department with Ottawa in 2005, Hebert could become only the fourth player in CFL history to lead the league more than once in that department in a career.
Don’t get too excited, Kyries: Potentially standing in Hebert’s way is teammate Daryl Townsend who is tied with him for special teams tackles heading into Saturday’s action.
Mr. 1,000x5?: Leave it to Jamel Richardson to be only two yards shy of his fifth-straight 1,000 yard season in an “off-year” by his lofty standards. While his goal was to reach the 2,000-yard mark after leading the league with 1,777 a year ago, Richardson could follow in the recent footsteps of former mates Kerry Watkins and Ben Cahoon who reached the millennium five and eight consecutive times, respectively.
