Games 12 and 13. Montréal at Winnipeg then Winnipeg at Montréal

Yeah, this injury thing doesn't pass the smell test at all. If you want Harris to be your starter, just say so. Nobody's being fooled with this stuff.

Gagnon being cleared to play is a big piece of good news. That line needs to get some bodies back and some continuity.

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The HC as far as I know did not reference Shiltz being banged up yet the GM makes this statement.

Harris to start for Als in Week 14 against Blue Bombers

Apparently Shiltz has various ailments and was dealing with a knee issue against the Riders.

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La Presse is reporting the same thing:

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In the media session today, Khari Jones said that Matt Shiltz most likely go on the 1-game Injured List. After the game on Saturday, Jones had said that he essentially knew who would (Trevor Harris) start against the Bombers. Today when reminded of that remark, Jones said that he knew that Shiltz was having knee problems and would likely miss the next contest. When asked if this is a 6-game injury, Jones replied that he hopes it is a 1-gamer.

Philippe Gagnon practiced and hopefully plays this week.

Sean Jamieson is getting better and might be ready in a few weeks.

Kristian Matte took the reps at center.

Tony Washington was not listed on today's injured report and nobody asked about the play at left tackle. Apparently, team is just going line him up as usual this week against Winnipeg. Based on Washington's play against the Riders, Trevor Harris needs to protect himself if he wants to come out of the game in one piece.

From Herb Zurkowsky:

Meanwhile, the Als are expected to move veteran right-guard Kristian Matte to centre for rookie Patrick Davis. David Foucault will play right guard and the Als hope the injured Philippe Gagnon (lower leg) returns to play left guard. If not, Samuel Thomassin will probably start there.

Matte was the Als’ starting centre late in 2019.

Martese Jackson, who made his debut as the return specialist, is out with a concussion, but hasn’t experienced any symptoms since Saturday’s game. That probably means Dante Absher is the next man up.

So all our returners seem to get creamed within games of starting, whether it’s Alford, Jackson, Absher, or anyone else. At this point, it’s hard not to think that special teams blocking, and perhaps coaching, are the real issues.

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Khari confirmed this in a media session per okie. Which either means the team is lying through their teeth and they just wanted Harris to start without saying as much, or Shiltz legit had injury issues but the team was dumb enough to start him against SSK and leave him in for three quarters despite injury. Not a good look either way.

It is a fair question to raise … was surprised to find that Als are firmly ensconced in the middle tier of the CFL for punt returns (9.3-yard average, Hamilton and SSK 9.4) … well ahead of Tor (7.5), Edm (6.7) and BC (5.9) … but no reason to be satisfied with that.

Not certain they had much of a choice … the option was Patterson against TO … I recall him getting up looking “hurt” at one point during the TO game … but Shiltz was mostly decent in the first half against SSK so it obviously wasn’t serious enough for him not to play against SSK … especially with Harris still only having had a few practice sessions … I don’t think many Als fans thought Harris would look as good as he did finishing the game … also don’t know that he would have been able to do it to start the game rather than when SSK was “protecting a lead” … it will be very interesting to see how he does Saturday … IMO a lot of the doubt being shown about Shiltz’s health comes from distrust of DannyM.

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It has nothing to do with distrust for me. He was healthy enough to START now he’s not even healthy enough to be a backup. Does not square.

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Sheesh...a player often is injured but plays. There is not a player who is not banged up .
He goes in injured and by the 3rd Q he is getting worse.
HC puts other guy in.
Injured QB goes on 1 game IR
New guy starts.
Whats strange?

That said they brought Harris in to play. The curiosity factor is high.

Now Als are in a mess if Harris bombs.

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On avait déjà des rumeurs la semaine dernière comme quoi Shiltz était blessé, mais Khari Jones nous a répondu qu'il jouerait contre les Roughriders. Je pense qu'ils utilisent ce prétexte pour balayer sous le tapis sa mauvaise performance samedi dernier ainsi que pour donner le départ à Trevor Harris. J'espère que la carrière de Shiltz ne sera pas déterminée par sa contre-performance. On a vu ce que ça a donné lorsqu'on changeait de quart-arrière à la seconde où celui-ci connaissait la défaite.

Edit: Shiltz a peut-être été mauvais mais je trouve bizarre de lire sur RDS les chroniqueurs comme Matthieu Proulx ou Pierre Vercheval souhaiter donner le départ à Trevor Harris alors qu'il y a moins d'un mois on était épaté que Shitlz ait gagné contre Toronto et ait orchestrée une remontée pratiquement impossible à l'Action de Grâce.

Attend de les voir patiner après que Harris se cache toute la game contre Winnipeg.

Seeing as Shiltz was/is in the most exciting time of his career (or even life), I can’t see him being not motivated. This is either a manufactured story or perhaps any interpretation of “body language” was truly injury related.

He was given three quarters to play, so it’s not like Khari would have told him that he was on any short leash. If he had then the leash would have been much shorter than three quarters that he got, so that speaks that Khari gave him full confidence before the game. Shiltz would have no reason to be down or mentally fragile in that regard.

Maybe his motivation wasn’t there, but I’m not seeing it. Like you said, it would be bizarre. Just because he only threw for 107 yards doesn’t mean that he’s not motivated. There’s a defense playing their butts off to stop him too. Fajardo only threw for what 150ish? Was he not motivated? There was a tough defense playing their asses off to stop him too.

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This is Winnipeg’s last home game. They have a chance to go perfect 7-0 at home. They’re also coming off a bye. For these reasons they will not be resting anyone in the first game. In the second game however, perhaps they will. We will see. If anyone will get a to face backups for the majority of the game it will be Calgary in week 16.

I don’t think that Montreal has much chance to win the first game, but the second game in a back-to-back, I wouldn’t be too surprised at all if they pulled off the upset.

Agree. The Alouettes have to use the ground game, and probably get a little creative with it, mix in a sweep or two with the regular between the tackles pounding. probably some chip and flair pass, and bubble screen too. Winnipeg might have one of the all time toughest defenses this year, leading almost all major stat categories, but somehow they are only average in rush yards allowed.

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Agree, Re: Mtl @ Wpg not a good idea to let one slip away at home, after a bye week.

Would however like to see some backups filter in during the last 2 games. Keeping in mind Wpg gets another week off for recovery during the WSF,
I hope it’s cold Dec 5th, Bombers have done well in the cold.

Yes, O’Shea would be silly not to get backups in for either the last game or the last 2. The question is just how much, considering that they get the playoff bye too. Giving 2 weeks off is a fine line between getting rested and getting rusty. Nice problem to have tho I must admit.

Yep, but I don’t see Jones doing this. As much as I’ve called for it, I haven’t seen that kind of offensive creativity all year long. Even last week, there was no game plan built around Shiltz’s limited mobility (knee injury). Just the same old playbook. Really hoping to be proven wrong!

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leading the league in rushing is not enough for you huh?