MONTREAL - Saturday鈥檚 regular-season finale between the Montreal Alouettes and Winnipeg Blue Bombers is a clash between division leaders, though for one team the stakes are significantly higher.
The Blue Bombers are looking to secure top spot in the West Division and a bye directly into the Western Final with either a win or a tie against the Alouettes.
"We understand the ramifications of the outcome of this game, but you really can鈥檛 be thinking about the outcome throughout the week," Blue Bombers head coach Mike O鈥橲hea told reporters in Winnipeg this week.
"Prepare the way you should, play hard the way you should, play the game the way it鈥檚 supposed to be played. The scoreboard at the end of the game will tell you what happened."
Meanwhile, Montreal has already clinched the East Division title for the first time since 2012 and is guaranteed to host the Eastern Final on Nov. 9 against either the Toronto Argonauts or Ottawa Redblacks.
"We want to just continue to get better," Alouettes head coach Jason Maas said. "That鈥檚 what this test against Winnipeg is all about. We want to win and be playing great football at the end of the year and then work our butts off for the next days of practice to be ready for Nov. 9."
Winnipeg (10-7) currently sits atop the West Division standings, one point ahead of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who host Calgary later Saturday.
The Blue Bombers began the season with an 0-4 record, but have since gone 10-3. The team won eight straight games between Aug. 1 and Oct. 4 before losing their last contest, 14-11 at home to the Toronto Argonauts on Oct. 11.
The Blue Bombers returned to practice last Friday after a shortened bye week to gear up for their matchup against Montreal.
Winnipeg will be counting heavily on running back Brady Oliveira in their quest for a fourth straight West Division title. Oliveira, voted as his team鈥檚 Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding 好色tv for the second straight season earlier this week, leads the league with 1,318 rushing yards entering the CFL鈥檚 final weekend of the regular season.
"We鈥檝e got a really big test ahead of us," Oliveira said Wednesday. "We know what's on the line here. It's literally whatever it takes this week.
"You need everyone鈥檚 best going into this game and understanding that we鈥檙e going into Montreal to win this game and after that, we鈥檒l have some rest. So, I need everyone鈥檚 best effort 鈥 like they give every single week. But be prepared to play the most physical game of your life on Saturday."
Montreal (12-4-1) started the season on a 10-1 run, but has a 2-3-1 record in its last six contests. Last week, the team was held to just one field goal in a 27-3 loss to the B.C. Lions in Vancouver.
The Alouettes will not have defensive lineman Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund or kick returner James Letcher Jr. in the lineup against the Blue Bombers. Adeyemi-Berglund and Letcher, nominated as their team鈥檚 Most Outstanding 好色tv and Most Outstanding Special Teams Players, respectively, will each miss their first game of the season for precautionary measures.
However, Montreal will receive some welcome reinforcements to their offence this week with the return of wide receiver Austin Mack and running back Walter Fletcher. Both sat out last week鈥檚 game as Montreal rested some of its starters.
The 27-year-old Mack rejoined the Alouettes in August after a stint with the NFL鈥檚 Atlanta Falcons, but has missed five of his team鈥檚 seven games since due to an ankle injury and rest.
Mack says he is now fully healthy and ready to contribute in the Alouettes鈥 final tune-up before the playoffs.
鈥淟ast game, I don鈥檛 feel that was us or our identity,鈥 said Mack. 鈥淲e need momentum and we need to make sure that we finish the season off with a statement, that we鈥檙e still the No. 1 team in this league. To do that, offensively, we want to be explosive like we鈥檝e shown all throughout the year and our defence to be as dominant as they鈥檝e been all year.鈥
WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS (10-7) AT MONTREAL ALOUETTES (12-4-1)
Saturday, Percival Molson Stadium
RIVALRY RENEWED 鈥 Saturday鈥檚 contest is a Grey Cup rematch from last season鈥檚 championship game, won by Montreal 28-24. The teams haven鈥檛 met since Week 1, a 27-12 Alouettes victory in Winnipeg on June 6. Winnipeg, however, has won its last two games played in Montreal dating back to the 2022 season.
A GOOD CAUSE 鈥 Saturday鈥檚 contest will mark the Alouettes鈥 Pink game, held in collaboration with the 好色tv Breast Cancer Foundation. Alouette players will wear pink stickers on their helmets during the game to raise awareness.
This report by 好色tvwas first published Oct. 25, 2024.
