Less than 48 hours before the kickoff of the Eastern semi-final they will play against the Tiger-Cats, Sunday (1 p.m.) in Hamilton, the Alouettes still did not know if Eugene Lewis could participate in the game. .
While his teammates took part in the team’s last full practice for their playoff game (the Alouettes will have light practice on Saturday), Lewis was performing individual drills across the sidelines. The receiver suffers from a hip injury.
“We still have hope that he will be able to play, but if he is unable to do so, we have alternate plans. This is the kind of decision (which will be taken as late as possible). We will see how he will feel tomorrow (Saturday). I remain optimistic that he will play, ”commented head coach Khari Jones.
Absent in the team’s last game, Lewis finished the regular season third in the CFL with 964 passing yards. His nine touchdowns in the air earned him second on the Tour in that regard behind teammate Jake Wieneke, who scored 11.
“He’s one of the best receivers in the league and he’s a big part of our offense. But we can count on good players behind him. We would like him to play, obviously, but whether he is in uniform or not, we will give everything, hoping he will be there next week, ”said Trevor Harris, who quickly developed a good rapport with Lewis. in the field.
Jones also indicated that tackle Almondo Sewell’s presence was also uncertain due to a back injury. Sewell did not train with the team on Friday.
Sewell is an important part of the Montreal defense, especially against the run. His presence in the middle of the defensive front forces the opponent to pit him against two players frequently, which has the effect of making it easier for the other players on the defensive line and linebackers.
On the other side of the ball, Philippe Gagnon (calf) will be absent and will be replaced by David Foucault at the guard post on the left. Left tackle Tony Washington, center Sean Jamieson, right tackle Kristian Matte and right tackle Landon Rice will all be at their posts.
I think the battles between the offensive lines and the defensive lines will be decisive. Their defensive line is very good, but we really like our offensive line and it will have to control the action on the line of scrimmage. And it’s the same on the other side of the ball, our defensive line will have to be able to put pressure (on quarterback Jeremiah Masoli) and limit their ground play.
Khari Jones, Alouettes head coach
“I expect the play on the line of scrimmage to be decisive, as it often is in playoff games. ”
The importance of a good start
Two years ago, it was in the Edmonton Eskimos uniform that Trevor Harris faced the Tiger-Cats in the playoffs, a 36-16 loss at Tim Horton’s Field. The veteran quarterback noted that it would be essential for the Alouettes to start the Eastern semi-final well.
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Trevor Harris
“It will be very important to start the game strong because there will be a big crowd, and loud crowds can be a big factor in the playoffs. We will therefore want to do everything in our power to dictate the pace of the match. ”
“But will not be easy to do. Their offense, defense, special units and trainers are all very good. But I also really like our team, so it should be a great showdown. ”
A week before Edmonton’s loss to Hamilton in 2019, Harris put on a brilliant performance at Percival-Molson Stadium. He had just started the game by completing his first 22 assists in a 37-29 victory over the Alouettes. Nobody expects him to be so effective against the formidable Tiger-Cats defense on Sunday, but a good Harris game will surely be essential to a victory for the Alouettes.
“It starts with Trevor. If he continues to play as well as he has lately, I will be very confident of winning. (William) Stanback is good on the floor and will be healthy so I’m very excited about that too, ”said Jones.
Patterson rather than Shiltz
Although Matthew Shiltz appears to have recovered from his knee injury and has been training with the team over the past few days, rookie Shea Patterson will be Harris’ reserve in Hamilton.
“It was a tough decision to make as Matt is almost back to his usual level of play. But it’s only been a day or two, so I felt like it was best not to make a change, ”said Jones, who admitted, however, that the possibility of bringing in a very inexperienced quarterback in the CFL as East Patterson in such an important game as Sunday was a risk.
“It’s scary, indeed. This is not a scenario we want and hope it does not happen. Having said that, Shea has been training with our team for quite a while and he was used when there were short wins to be had (quarterback “sneaks”). So I think that was the decision to make. ”
Eastern Semi-Final: Alouettes v. Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Sunday at 1 p.m. at Tim Horton’s Field