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This Saturday, the Alouettes head to Hamilton to face the Tiger-Cats at Tim Hortons Field. The outcome of this “playoff like” match-up is crucial: Montreal needs a victory or a loss by 7 points or less to ensure the top spot in the East Division and get a bypass to the Eastern final! (See the possible scenarios)
The game will be broadcast on TSN, TSN 690, RDS2, 98,5 Sports (broadcast until 18:30 then online only, due to the obligations of the broadcaster) or ESPN3 at 4:00 PM ET.
QUICK LINKS: VIEWING PARTY » DEPTH CHART » FACTS & FIGURES » PLAYOFF TICKETS »
| DATE: |
Saturday, november 08, 2014 | TV: | RDS2, TSN |
| VS: |
Hamilton Tiger-Cats | RADIO: | TSN 690, 98.5 fm |
| KICK-OFF: |
4:00 PM | ONLINE: | ESPN3 », 98,5 Sports », TSN 690 » |
Running through the entire 2014 season, the Alouettes will be hosting viewing parties for every away game at La Station des Sports on Ste-Catherine Street West, in the heart of downtown Montreal. Enjoy a generous selection of food and beverages along with Jermaine McElveen, Steven Lumbala and several cheerleaders.
Come hang out and catch the game with fellow Alouettes fans as well as Alouettes cheerleaders.
Plus, Alouettes season ticket holders always save 15% off any order up to $60 at La Station des Sports on game days.
Once again this year, fans can vote for the Player of the Game on the Alouettes mobile application by TELUS. Voting option will be available at the second half of each game. The revamped app is available on iOS and Android.
After 19 weeks and 77 games, the playoff matchups are far from being clear entering the final week of regular season play.
In the East Division one berth remains and the winner of the division will be decided this week. The East Division is up for grabs when Montreal visit Hamilton on Saturday and Toronto needs a win over Ottawa to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Following their huge win over the Argos at McGill’, the Alouettes clinched a home playoff game. By notching six straight wins, many proclaim the Als have accomplished the impossible by now, finding themselves as a Grey Cup contender this year.
How has this incredible turnaround happened regarding the team’s offensive line?
Even though the playoffs are not starting before next week, this game will kind of be one because the winning team will advance in the playoffs. The Tiger-Cats literally have to win to get in the playoffs while the Alouettes would make it to the East final with a win. Montreal would also host the division final with a loss of 7 points or less against Hamilton. Otherwise, the Alouettes would play host to the East semi-final.
Those birds were never seen before
The Alouettes did something that was never done before in the CFL. They are going to finish the season with a 500 record or better after being 6 games down from 500. Montreal will also be the first team since 1982 to make the playoffs after starting 1-7. The 2014 Alouettes are the 4th team in the history of the league to accomplish that. Montreal also made the playoffs after a 1-7 start in 1981.
The importance of the Red Zone efficiency
This season, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats are the worst offense in the Red Zone. They scored 17 touchdowns on 42 opportunities, which is a 40% success rate. It shouldn’t be better this week where they’ll face the Alouettes defense, which is the best in the East in the Red Zone. Hamilton also has problems in the Red Zone on defense.
Against them, 56% of the drives that get to the Red Zone converts in touchdowns, which ranks them in 3rd place in the East. Montreal’s offense is 2nd in the East with their 51% success rate.
Battle of the trenches
This season, both teams have the same amount of sacks (49). The difference is with the allowed sacks where Hamilton has 33 more than Montreal. The Alouettes are currently second in the league with 30 allowed sacks while Hamilton has allowed 63 of them. Even better for the Alouettes, Jonathan Crompton has only been sacked on 3% of his dropbacks, the best mark for any starting quarterback in the CFL.
This good work from the Alouettes offensive line helped them get to their +19 sack differential, the best in the East. Meanwhile, no team in the East has allowed more quarterback sacks than the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Montreal could very well win this game with their lines.
- Bear Woods will try to get to 10 defensive tackles for a 3rd straight game. Woods would be the first player to do it in the history of the CFL.
- The Alouettes have a chance to end the season with 7 consecutive wins, which would be a team record. That record was set in 1949 and then tied in 1996.
- S.J. Green needs one catch to have a 5th consecutive season with 50 catches or more.
- John Bowman will try to record a sack for a 6th straight game. It would be the first time since 2010 that a CFL player gets to 6. That sack would put him in a tie for 16th place on the CFL all-time rankings and he’s only 2,5 sacks away from the top 15.
- Sean Whyte is 17 points away from the 27th place of the CFL all-time scoring rankings. This place is currently occupied by George Reed.
- Duron Carter needs 108 receiving yards to get to 2000 in his CFL career.
