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“We’re going into the playoffs with 5 straight wins,” stated QB Cody Fajardo. “That is about as sizzling as you will get.”
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The Alouettes will enter the playoffs on a five-game profitable streak, however that will probably be thought-about meaningless within the coming chilly months of winter if they’ll’t win the subsequent three — supplied they make it that far.
Montreal concluded its common season with a 22-20 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday afternoon at Molson Stadium earlier than 16,402 spectators.
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The sport hardly will probably be remembered as a masterpiece, given the variety of principals who didn’t play or, on the very least, had been restricted. But when professional sports activities is based on momentum, the Alouettes definitely have an abundance of it heading into the post-season, which begins subsequent Saturday afternoon with a rematch towards the Ticats within the East Division semifinal on the McGill College venue.
“You couldn’t inform by our manner in follow, in conferences, the best way we method the week, whether or not we’re on a streak of profitable or shedding,” head coach Jason Maas stated. “The way in which we come to work is what I’ve been pleased with. To go in sizzling, and I do know the historical past of the CFL. I’ve been in it lengthy sufficient to know the new groups usually have success. However you don’t have success by specializing in that.”
Montreal completed with an 11-7 document, good for second place within the division. It’s the primary time since 2012 the franchise gained 11 video games. It additionally produced a three-game sweep of the Ticats for the primary time since 2009. The victory additionally improved the Als’ house document to 5-4 this season. Third-place Hamilton went 8-10, admirable contemplating it was 3-6 midway by the season.
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“It’s not about the most effective workforce by way of document,” quarterback Cody Fajardo stated. “It’s concerning the workforce that will get sizzling on the proper time. We’re going into the playoffs with 5 straight wins. That’s about as sizzling as you will get. We all know lots of people aren’t speaking concerning the Montreal Alouettes. That’s okay. Hold it that method.
“It’s nice momentum going into that (playoff) recreation,” he added. “You lose that recreation (Saturday) they usually begin believing they’ll come into our home and win. We knew that we needed to make an announcement. It took all people on this room to win that recreation. I’m actually pleased with this workforce. You want depth to win a Gray Cup, and I believe we’ve got that right here.”
Fajardo accomplished six of eight passes for 55 yards and a six-yard landing go to Tyson Philpot, solely 61 seconds following the opening kickoff, earlier than being changed by Caleb Evans early within the second quarter. The Alouettes had been introduced with nice subject place to start out the sport after Tyreik McAllister fumbled the opening kickoff. Montreal security Marc-Antoine Dequoy, the workforce’s nominee as most excellent Canadian, compelled the turnover.
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Montreal’s solely different landing got here off a 99-yard punt return by James Letcher Jr. early within the fourth interval. Letcher, who has introduced an electrifying dimension to particular groups since changing the injured Chandler Worthy, went down the best sideline earlier than slicing into the center and outrunning the opposition.
Two weeks in the past, within the Alouettes’ final recreation, Letcher returned a subject aim 125 yards for a rating.
“I like to inform folks it’s not on me, it’s in me,” stated Letcher, solely 5-foot-7 and 172 kilos. “I all the time make the primary man miss, each time. If they provide me that likelihood I’m going to make him miss and I’m going to run to inexperienced. I’ve been telling all people my entire life, I don’t prefer to get tackled, so I attempt to run as quick as I can.
“It’s intuition. No matter I really feel on the time, I do it. It’s by no means one thing deliberate. It’s what I’m feeling on the time.”
Alouettes tailback William Stanback, in his return to the energetic roster for the primary time in a month, gained 48 yards on seven carries and seems prepared for the playoffs, though he additionally fumbled as soon as. Montreal’s offence was largely ineffective following Fajardo’s exit, restricted to 9 first downs, 195 yards’ internet offence and 43 performs.
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“I really feel prepared,” Stanback stated. “Simply must proceed getting my ft underneath me. Generally whenever you miss one or two video games … it places you again a bit. Having this recreation, getting tackled once more, it feels good. I felt prefer it by no means ought to have been a detailed recreation. I let the ball go. I put that on me. I took some momentum away from us with that. I received us punched within the abdomen with that.”
Defensively, the Als restricted the Ticats to 11 first downs, 237 yards’ internet offence and 47 performs. McAllister returned a subject aim 122 yards for a landing whereas Sean Thomas-Erlington, who all the time excels towards Montreal, scored on a five-yard run. Thomas-Erlington, who performed at Université de Montréal, gained 80 yards on 12 carries.
Hamilton starter Bo Levi Mitchell, in solely his sixth recreation this season, accomplished 5 of 10 passes for 53 yards within the first half earlier than being changed by Taylor Powell. The Ticats had one first down by half-hour.
Powell was intercepted twice, whereas Shawn Lemon and Lwal Uguak produced sacks. It was Lemon’s ninth sack in 13 video games.
Guard Pier-Olivier Lestage, the Alouettes’ nominee as most excellent offensive-lineman, didn’t end the sport. Linebacker Reggie Stubblefield, the excellent rookie nominee, additionally was injured on the sport’s closing play.
hzurkowsky@postmedia.com
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