After a lengthy break, the Montreal Alouettes will be back on the field for their annual Thanksgiving Duel against the Ottawa Redblacks. This will also be the Als’ first home game in several weeks, as they’ve played their last three games on the road. They haven’t played in Montreal since Sep. 6.
Many will point to the fact that these final three games of the regular season won’t mean anything to the Alouettes because they’ve already clinched first place in the East Division, but they aren’t approaching it that way.
“The expectation is to win, but in order to do that, we have to play well in all three phases of the game,” head coach Jason Maas said. “We’re going to play fast and we’re going to play physical. That’s been our objective this week. We want to set the tone next time we get on the field. We’ve been off for quite a while, so we’d like to go out and play our best.”
This is the third and final time these two teams will be going head-to-head this season. The Alouettes won the first two games by a score of 47-21 and 24-12 (in Ottawa). Of course, these two sides could meet again in the East Final, which will be played in Montreal on Nov. 9.
Davis Alexander starts at quarterback:
Quarterback Davis Alexander will be making the start on Monday, as Cody Fajardo is away from the team for personal reasons (Cody’s wife, Laura, gave birth to the couple’s second child). Maas expected Fajardo to rejoin the team closer to game day but admitted, on Thursday, that the plan could change.
Alexander acted as the starter in practice all week, so he got all the reps necessary to be ready for this East Division clash on Thanksgiving Monday.
Austin Mack & others return:
Receiver Austin Mack is going to be back in the lineup for the first time since suffering a lower-body injury in practice last month. The 27-year-old has only played one game for the Als this season because he began the year with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.
This will be the first time that Mack and Alexander play together in a meaningful game. The two had the opportunity to be on the field together during the 2023 preseason, but a lot has changed since then.
Also returning are fullback/tight-end Regis Cibasu. He’s been out of the lineup since Week 3 because of a hand injury.
Veteran defensive back Najee Murray is also expected to play. The last time he suited up was back on Aug. 2 in Hamilton. The 30-year-old had been dealing with an ankle injury.
Playing with a new deal:
Over the bye week, receiver Cole Spieker inked a two-year contract extension with the only CFL team he’s ever played for. Spieker played a key role in last November’s Grey Cup win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, as he caught a touchdown pass before making the key reception on third-and-five on the final drive of the game. Tyson Philpot scored the game-winning touchdown on the very next play.
The 28-year-old is having the best year of his career this season, as he’s already amassed 49 receptions, 710 yards and seven touchdowns with three games to go.
“We often talk about A.T.E. which is ability, toughness and effort, and he has that in spades,” Maas said of Spieker. “I don’t know that there is a tougher guy on our team that gives more effort on and off the field. He’s shown that ability this year. Each and every game he plays, he surprises you with something. He’s also multi-dimensional. He’s able to do a lot of different things for us. He’s about as selfless as an individual that you’ll come across in this sport. On top of that, he’s a tremendous human being. We added a lot by signing him back.”
Spieker is on pace to finish with more than 850 yards receiving. His previous career-high came last season when he finished with 389.
