Saw the game against SSK. Of course I wanted to see the Als pull off a victory because this would take pressure off the Lions in their bid for 1st in the West. A big thank you Als! :rockin: More importantly, the Als keep their own playoff hopes alive. For sure SSK is not he powerhouse team it was earlier in the season but the team is still very strong and the team is able to play with its 1st string QB who can be red hot. I was impressed with Neiswander [Als QB]. Hopefully his receivers will perform better in the games ahead.
The Als should feel proud of beating a very strong team and the fans should be encouraged. Though SSK's running game was limited without the services of Sheets the SSK offence is no lame duck and still had many options. The Als defence did what it had to do. And it did it very well. The whole team is playing with tenacity and with a mission. Hope they continue to do well.
Take Duran Carter out of the equation and the Als offence is practically non-existent. They did, however, manage to score enough points and the specialty teams rose from destructive to mediocre. That was enough for the defence to carry the day and for Montreal to post a rare win. The upcoming game against Edmonton, in Edmonton, is going to be a huge test of the team's character.
We have to figure out what to do with Brandon London. When we run a five-receiver set with him and Deslauriers on the field, it's like we're playing two men down. Teams are going to smother Green and Carter and dare us to beat them with other players...
Looking at London’s play this year. He really needs to rethink things. Trying to be a model, actor and a football player may result in him being mediocre at all 3.
Though I'm not up to date on the ALs personnel it was obvious that London seemed to be in a world of his own. He looked at times like he was playing with hands of steel and could catch nothing. Carrier, one of the Als running backs seemed to settle down after receiving a couple of tongue lashings.
Someone pointed out that if Carter were taken out of the Als equation things would have been different. I don't agree with a comment like that. This is a 24 man team effort. On any given day certain players fall short and disappoint the crowd, the team and themselves. London is a prime example today. When this happens, more often than not someone else rises to the occasion and makes huge plays like Carter did.
For SSK when Getzlaf is off, Dressler takes things up a notch or two. The Lions face the same adversity. When the offence is misfiring, the D often comes up big to keep the team in the game. Look what happened between the Lions and SSK in Regina last week. The D scored 3 TDs! Or was it 4?
After SSK came off such a heartbreaking loss last week against the Lions I was expecting them to come out guns a blazing. I don't think they lost for lack of trying. It is in the 2nd half of the season when things begin to even out. Durant had not thrown an interception for how many games before throwing his first? Now it seems other teams are picking him off with impunity. Who would have thought Calvillo would go down with a concussion and be out for perhaps all but the last game of the season? Who would have thought Lions QB Lulay would be out for perhaps 3 crucial games?
I don't think fans should just be satisfied when their team blows the other team out of the stadium. A win is a win is a win.....no matter how you earn it and no matter how close the score. I saw MTL playing with a lot of heart and they did not beat a lame team. SSK is struggling yes..... but SSK could have won this game. Why didn't they? Because MTL played a better game!
Good for Montreal!
Most needed win by the Als. Quite happy for the fans,players and Management. Yes, there were negatives issues but,for now, they won and it's all what matters,at least for today.
While he may not be/was not great, Josh Neiswander had a good game.Improving every game.
I know that Duron Carter will go to the NFL sooner than later; I definitely hope that the Als sign him/extend him until the end of 2015. I doubt that he will be with the Als beyond 2015.
The defence had a great game; Saskatchewan is one of the best offensive team in the CFL.
Only 8 penalties for 45 yards. Great improvement.
The week will be happier/more positive with this win.
Maybe watching the game in his “modelling” clothes may make him see things a little clearer.
Perhaps he should stop his antics when he comes out of the tunnel and put his energy into the game and catching the ball.
It’s galling to think we cut good receivers in camp to keep this headcase on the roster. Between him and Deslauriers, we’re better off utilizing two-back sets. And what has happened to Lavoie? We run so many five-receiver sets I rarely see Patrick on the field. You cannot tell me Lavoie as an H-back wouldn’t be a better option than London or Deslauriers…
Yes,London was awful today and for most of the seasons.
What's the beef against Deslauriers today? Yes, he had a penalty,which was refused. He had a nice catch at the end of first half that resulted in a field goal. To me, he is playing better than London.
I believe this team needs another RB. We need a RB who can go wide and also be a good receiver. Messam is powerful and uses his big body well. But, with him as the only RB, the defenders can rightly assume he will come strong and, defend for such. A healthy Whitaker ( if that s possible ) would give the team speed and, make out team difficult for the defenders. We have two Carters. As noted the Carter receiver is the best offensive weapon we have. His namesake Mike Carter , showed promise on the corner and, I thought he was especially good on the opponents running game. The newcomer Paxon got a couple of QB sacks. Our defense won our game today but, the offense requires an uplift should the team expect to have winning ways. Tisdale I thought had his best game to date. Another miss for Whyte but, Hamilton and Toronto's FG/Ks are having it worse. Perhaps one of their K/FG guys will be cut and, be up for grabs.I think that our NI Klassen is having a steadying role at DT. He has been a great draft pick. To get a good DT who is playing first string from the CIS is unusual.
On offense, Naiswander is showing unexpected strength in both the long and short passing game. London's drops indicate a developing psychological issue is stressing him and, unless he has an outstanding future game, he won't be an asset to this team. Indeed, for the season to date, he is playing poorly.
One nice play and we should pretend that he’s a decent receiver? He also had a pass sail over his head because he gave up on the ball and was invisible for most of the evening apart from the one catch and the silly penalty. To say that he’s playing better than London isn’t much of a standard of quality.
Not disputing that, but again, we're setting the bar pretty low. And sometimes looks can be deceiving. London has been brutal, but he's also getting open to receive (or drop) passes. Deslauriers is usually not even open. Not sure which is worse -- the guy who can't make the catch, or the guy who never even gets open long enough to make a catch.
Eric Deslauriers is not a starting receiver; he comes in as a fifth receiver; usually a fifth receiver does not get the ball too often. London is a starting receiver and is on the field most of the time; if an Import player was needed at another position, I would be at ease with Deslauriers included amongst the 4 starting WRs and London out.
We use 5-receiver sets an awful lot. No excuses for Deslauriers, please, we’ve been making them for 5 years now. In any case, I’d be fine with using Deslauriers over London, but I’d be even happier to see Lavoie getting more playing time…
Very happy for the win, lots to like. Dont understand the negative tone of some of the posts here, would probably understand it better if it wasnt coming from fans. They won the game folks, enjoy, it`s football, not life or death.
Popp has been hammered for his recruiting, so you have to give him credit for Duron Carter, certainly one of the more entertaining players to enter the league this year.
Felt good for Nieswander, he`s been here for 3 years and has had to keep dealing with the media building up flavors of the month Marsh and Smith. He made a couple of throws he would probably like back , but was 21/36 with no interceptions. He comes across in media scrums as such a reserved guy, but he seemed to be taking charge on the sidelines. Essentially a rookie, hopefully he continues to build on this.
Again loved the defense - the continued play of Chip Cox who seems to be eveywhere on the field, the varied pressure from the d-line and LBs, the one-handed catch from Jerald Brown and Geoff Tisdale coming off his man to make an interception. For the life of me though I don`t understand why the Roughriders abandoned their ground game.
Even Whyte regrouped and had a decent game after his poor start. And except for one misjudgement Carrier at least caught the ball.
Not everything perfect of course. We need a more diversified ground game (still don`t understand why we are not seeing Sutton) and Bomben, LBJ, and Ola seem to have problems moving the DTs.
And of course London seems to have lost all focus, ironic seeing that a couple of years ago he was making the same type of plays we are seeing from Carter.
