Les Roughriders seront en ville et c'est une partie assez critique pour eux aussi.
Ils ont perdu leurs 3 dernières parties et ont concédé le 1er rang aux Stampeders. Ils ont aussi des blessures-clés (Sheets, Best, Heenan, Williams, Collins) et leur attaque en arrache depuis quelques parties. Cette partie pourrait donc être une rédemption pour eux et une victoire les aiderait à relancer leur belle saison.
Du côté des Alouettes, on peut se dire qu'on avait l'impression qu'on y était presque la semaine dernière et si ce n'avait été des nullités spéciales et de l'indiscipline, le résultat aurait sans doute été favorable à l'équipe. C'était à toutes fins utiles la première fois qu'on sentait de la cohésion à la fois à l'attaque et à la défensive.
Les Alouettes vont donc se présenter à un face à face entre leur défensive agressive et la ligne offensive réduite des Roughriders. Le sort de la partie de part et d'autres est en théorie tributaire du résultat de ce face à face. Si les Alouettes peuvent embouteiller le jeu au sol des Roughriders comme ils l'ont fait au mois d'août, la bataille sera serrée. Ce sera alors à l'attaque de faire sa part du travail en mettant des points au tableau autrement que par des bottés de placement.
D'autre part, il va falloir que les retourneurs des Alouettes réussissent à donner des bons positionnements sur le terrain sur les dégagements. L'attaque des Alouettes n'est pas une puissance redoutable alors la contribution sur les retours de bottés de dégagement est cruciale. Schmitt peut envoyer le ballon faire le tour de la lune avant qu'il ne retombe à la ligne de 2 des Alouettes alors ce sera capital pour Carrier et Sutton de réaliser que pour faire avancer le ballon, il faut d'abord l'attraper et ensuite aller vers l'avant.
Finalement, il va falloir que les joueurs fassent un examen de conscience. Tu n'as pas grand chance de gagner une partie de football lorsque tu concèdes un terrain à l'adversaire dans une partie.
Bref, les chances des Alouettes de gagner cette partie sont minces, mais pas inexistantes. J'ai hâte de voir si Nswndreiar aura encore progressé cette semaine, et si Messam peut porter le ballon sur plus de 50 verges par partie. Une main de sacs du quart pour notre défensive ne me déplairait pas non plus.
This is the team that walked in the pocket and put the Als QB on his back. I hope the Als come out and avenge that loss and teach the Rider and their fans a lesson. Anything less than a monster effort for 60 minutes. I will be dissapointed.
As per CFL transactions of September 25 and 26,2013,-posted not long ago,after a few requests/E-mails- the Als have:
NIP OL Pascal Baillargeon transferred from practice roster to active roster.
NIP LB Curtis Dublanko transferred from active roster to 1 game injured list.
NIP S Daryl Townsend transferred from active roster to disabled. From Jim Popp to Journal de Mtl, Daryl has family issues.
Presently, 1 open spot on active roster; I presume that Walter Spencer will be added. Will Byron Parker return to roster? If so, I expect IMP DB Ben Wells to be transferred from active roster to practice roster.
Hope to be wrong,but not too confident for Sunday.
The answer is obvious, beaglehound. You are a devout Alouettes fan. The fact that Saskatchewan is in a tight race with the Lions for first place in the west has absolutely nothing to do with why you will be cheering (in vain, I'm afraid) for the Als on Sunday.
No, Hfx. If people post on this board (most of them, anyway!) it's because we are Als fans. We always want our team to win, no matter what.
However, the fact remains that we have not been a good team out of the gate. That was evident even with AC at the helm. He clearly was not sharp, our vaunted O-line was not sharp, STs (well what can I add about that?...). The only bright spot has been our D which has been ferocious. They are the main reason that, despite all the Ls, we have nonetheless remained competitive in most of our games.
That said, it's the O that's the problem this year. AC never got in synch, and neither has either of the replacements. I am more sympathetic to them as they have not had meaningful reps under center.
So, can that change tomorrow at 1:00 P.M.? I certainly hope so!
If the offense plays as well as they did last week and Berry balances the offense a little better. Penalties that’s an easy fix. Fumbles easy fix. If the players don’t get it by now they just don’t care or are too stupid to play this game.
We’re 2/3 of the way through the season with a 4-8 record. With absolutely no offense intended, what makes you think the players will suddenly get the message? What makes you think Berry will suddenly realize he needs to balance the pass with the run?
I believe that the Als can garner a few more Ws before season's end. Hopefully, that will be before the last 2-3 games when the standings have been decided that the other teams are resting their starters.
If (and that's a very big if at this point!) we manage to get into the post-season, it will more than likely be because other teams are worse than us or some other team goes on a losing streak and we eke out just enough Ws to squeak our way in. To me, that's going into the playoffs through the back door. Mind you, I would accept going into the playoffs any way possible, considering the awful season we've had. I would also say that home field advantage is most likely out of the question as well.
All of that said, the Als simply haven't been playing like a championship team this year for the reasons that have been discussed ad nauseam on this forum. This is the CFL and anything is possible. I hope against hope that the Als can do something this year, which would be a comeback for the ages, but my head tells me that that just ain't going to happen. I would love to be wrong about the Als' chances!
So, for the Als to make something of this season, two things need to happen - they have to amass Ws and other teams have to amass Ls. Will that happen? I hope so!
Look at the schedule. Saskatchewan , @Edmonton, Winnipeg in the next three games. If they get their stuff together and win those 3 games they are 7-8 going into a b2b against Hamilton that plays Calgary, @Toronto, Toronto the next 3 games.
This thing ain’t over.
As per the Als Depth Chart for tomorrow's game, Kyle Graves remains the 3rd QB. Walter Spencer has been added. He is listed as LB on Roster and FB on Depth Chart.
Unless Josh Neiswander is having a bad game, I doubt that we will see Troy Smith,except on 3rd downs short yardage. According to Pierre Vercheval, of RDS, Troy Smith does not seem ready. Not impressed by him at yesterday's practice.
Yikes. Awful QB depth. Behind Neiswander, a first-year CFLer who isn’t ready according to the media. At third string, a CIS QB who’s been practicing at safety.
Neiswander has been taking a lot of heat, a lot of it unfair IMO, but fans had better pray he doesn’t get injured…
The Argos did the Als a big favour last night with a comeback win against the Esks.
The Als need to take advantage and beat the Riders. Entirely doable, the Riders are struggling. If the Als avoid stupid penalties, the ST plays just OK and the offense plays like last week, we have a chance. Let’s see where on the field the Riders start their first drive, and if the Als manage to avoid a penalty on the first play of the game. It’s the small things in life…
I’ll be in section Z1. Enjoy the game on this perfect day!
