The Montreal Alouettes know very well what is at stake in the next two games against the Toronto Argonauts. However, do not try to make them see further than the match on Saturday.
The Argos (10-6) come to Percival-Molson Stadium for the first game of a home-and-away series for first place in the East. But they could well lose this place if the Alouettes (8-8) win these two duels.
It wasn’t too long ago that Danny Maciocia’s team was 2-6 and most observers weren’t giving a damn. But in the locker room, no one thought it necessary to give up on this season.
“It’s exciting, it’s a nice turnaround. It confirms what we have always said in this locker room: we have confidence in our staff, noted Maciocia. We have always believed in ourselves, both the players and the coaches. […] Credit goes to the players and my assistants, who have worked so hard to put us in this position. »
This position is to find yourself two games from the end of the calendar in good shape to finish in the lead, your destiny well in hand.
“The schedule is like this: it gives us two very interesting games in the next two weeks,” Maciocia said when it was pointed out to him that his club hadn’t played the Argos since the second week of the schedule.
“Absolutely, I’m happy to have our destiny in our hands,” he continued. With everything we’ve been through since the beginning of the year, to think that today we find ourselves in a situation where we control our destiny, I don’t think many people would have bet on that. We are happy, but we are also aware of the opportunity that presents itself to us. I hope that we will present ourselves and that we will give everything to get a victory. »
Ruined opportunities
Because the Alouettes botched a few chances down the stretch, we have to admit. In particular two weeks ago, by offering a performance well below expectations in a loss against the Ottawa Redblacks at home.
“The right team will show up,” said the head coach. I believe the team we have will show up. I’m going to sleep very well on Friday night. »
“The coaches put us in the right position to win, it’s up to us to execute,” receiver Eugene Lewis said. I am counting on my teammates to recognize what is at stake in this match and to present themselves accordingly. »
Because the objective of finishing first in the East absolutely requires a win this Saturday. Even if the team doesn’t want to think beyond the next game, they are very aware of what the first rank means.
“Finishing first is big: you have a bye and a single win will take you to the Gray Cup,” noted running backs coach and assistant head coach André Bolduc. If you look in the history of the Alouettes, I think most of their conquests happened like that. I think only once [elles sont passées par la demi-finale de l’Est]. Winnipeg, for the past two years, that’s what’s happened: week off, you rest at home, a home win and you’re in the final. We have a lot of new players in the team; we try to make them aware of that. »
And although we don’t want to look too far ahead, this first place has indeed been discussed internally.
“Danny raised the issue with each unit, I did with mine,” admitted Bolduc. It’s important to leave everything on the field in the next two games: if we come out of it badly, it doesn’t matter, we’ll have the week off to heal our little sores. »
“Saturday, the pressure is not on us. Us, our second place is guaranteed, the home playoff is guaranteed. Now we have to shuffle the cards a bit. »
The game will get underway at 4 p.m.: the Alouettes will therefore be set on their fate at the start of the evening.