The 2021 Alouettes are well represented on the Eastern Division All-Star team thanks to a seven-player lineup of William Stanback, Eugene Lewis, Jake Wieneke, Kristian Matte, Landon Rice, David Ménard and Monshadrik “Money” Hunter.
Ironically, however, it is a player who has been with the team for a month who will be the most important when the Alouettes play the Eastern semi-final at the Tiger-Cats on Sunday (1 p.m.) in Hamilton. We are of course talking about Trevor Harris, who will then get his fourth start in the uniform of the Birds.
What’s encouraging for the Alouettes is that Harris’ game has steadily improved. In each of his departures, he was better than his last. Watching him play last Friday, it would have been very difficult to guess that he had recently arrived in the nest. His acclimatization in the Alouettes’ offense was as impressive as it was quick.
“We can still improve, but the speed at which we have progressed so far is quite remarkable. I’ve never seen that in my 10-year career, ”Harris agreed on Wednesday.
In Edmonton, Harris had become the reservist quarterback of a rookie, in a team that was going nowhere and which also carried out a big organizational clean-up on Monday. In Montreal, he was handed the keys to an attack that has five members in the Eastern all-star team (Stanback, Lewis, Wieneke, Matte and Rice).
“It’s actually more enjoyable because the season had been very difficult for me until I joined the Alouettes. I’m very grateful because football has been good since I’ve been here. ”
Big challenge for the attack
There were not many pieces missing from the Alouettes’ puzzle. The addition of a Harris caliber passer added a new dimension. His precision and ability to make quick decisions in the heat of the moment are two of his strengths, which Vernon Adams Jr. has not really been this season.
Does Harris believe he will ultimately decide the club’s destinies in the coming weeks?
“I don’t think so, I will continue to be myself and play like I know how to do. I will trust what my eyes tell me when throwing the ball with confidence, ”he replied.
One thing is certain, the Alouettes’ offensive line players understand the importance of protecting Harris well against the Tiger-Cats, who excel against the run. They neutralized Stanback at Percival-Molson Stadium last August. Their defense has also totaled 17 interceptions this season.
“Their defensive front is super good, with players like Dylan Wynn and Ted Laurent, and their linebackers are playing really well, too. Because of their defensive system, it’s not easy to have success on the ground against them, but the ground play is the strength of our offense, so it will be a good showdown, ”predicted Kristian Matte.
You always have to be ready for pass protection to give Trevor time to throw the ball, because he’s a championship-level quarterback.
Kristian matte
Khari Jones admitted that the Tiger-Cats’ defense was a big order, but the head coach recalled that his offense suffered from no complexes.
“Our attack isn’t that bad either. We led the league in points, yards and several other categories. So we think we have the tools to face a good defense. I respect them a lot, but I trust our players.
“We know it will be difficult to get success with our ground game, but it’s still an important part of our attack. William [Stanback] has improved throughout the season and he is feeling good now. I think our system of play is good, but at the end of the day it will be the man-to-man battles that will decide the game. I can’t wait to see him play [Stanback], I think he will have a good game. ”
After his team’s training on Wednesday, Jones said left tackle Tony Washington should be in his post on Sunday. On the other hand, the presence of the guard on the left Philippe Gagnon (injured in the lower leg) is uncertain. Gagnon will be replaced by David Foucault if he is unable to play.
Ménard will not change his approach
Named the Alouettes’ best defensive player and best Canadian player last week, David Ménard was named to a division all-star team for the first time in his career. The Quebecer has notably collected eight sacks this season.
“Obviously, yes, it’s the best season of my career. But we are still in the race and, in my opinion, a good season that ends in fishtail, that does not mean much ”, commented Ménard.
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, PRESS ARCHIVES
David Ménard (52)
In his last three seasons with the BC Lions (2017-19), the defensive lineman had not made the playoffs. Rather than watching the tournament on television, Ménard chose to travel to Europe (2017), Thailand (2018) and Vietnam (2019) at the end of these seasons.
“I took these trips to wrap up the season, sort of. I haven’t watched a Gray Cup game in several years. When I was traveling, I didn’t even care to know what was going on in the playoffs. I feel it will be different this year. ”
Although he recognizes that a playoff game is different from a season game because every game can be decisive, Ménard will approach it the same way.
“I’ve always been the underdog in the CFL, an underrated. A guy who was a bit of a plan B. So every time I play a game, it’s a challenge. When I have conversations with my friends, I often say that I have nothing more to prove, but my mentality is that I always have something to prove. ”
Eastern Semi-Final: Alouettes v. Tiger-Cats, Sunday at 1 p.m., in Hamilton