The EF

Well the stage is set for the EF. The good news is that we have beaten both the Esks and the Argos. The playoffs, however, are a new season and the past, even the recent past, doesn't count. So the Als will have to come out hungry and I hope that they will not take their foot off the gas pedal all game long, even if they have a big lead. If they are indeed to make it to the GC, they have to do so with confidence in their ability.

Another piece of good news, the final game notwithstanding, is that they secured Ws against the Riders and Esks, even though the games were closer than any of us wanted (prevent D be damned!).

So, I will remain cautiously optimistic about our chances of winning another East Championship and making an appearance at the GC.

Does anyone know how ticket sales are going? Are we going to see 60,000+?

I like our chances against either Toronto or Edmonton.

Not so sanguine about the Grey Cup however. I expect we'll meet either BC or Calgary. .. here's hoping they beat each other up in the western final and run out of gas for the big game.

Après cette partie sans signification, on peut être dubitatifs pour la prochaine partie.

Cela dit, ce sentiment qui nous habite ressemble beaucoup à celui qu'on avait en 2010, à cette différence près qu'en 2010, on ne considérait pas les Alouettes comme aussi inférieure à ses rivales de l'Ouest. Cette fois-ci, si les Alouettes se rendent jusqu'au match de la Coupe Grey, ce sera comme négligés, avec une équipe assez différente de celle qui a commencé la saison.

Espérons que les gens viendront en grand nombre applaudir les Alouettes au Stade Olympique. J'ai cru comprendre que la vente allait bon train et que la barre des 50 000 billets sera franchie sans problème.

Et il y aura un tailgate. Lors de la dernière partie, Pringle et Ham sont allés saluer les supporteurs qui y étaient. :thup:

I am not as comfortable as MJ. I am very concerened about special teams in particular our return game. Especialy if we meet Toronto. Ray could end up with great field position most of the game while AC has to start deep most of the game. That gives Ray a huge advantage and our defense has had more downs than up against the pass. Even if Edmonton shows up that would likely mean Nichols is the real deal and got them there and again we could find ourselves at a disadvantage in field position. Add all the injuries, do we even have a real defensive tackle available??? without one Boyd and Messam could also cause problems. We are going to be in a dog fight to get to the GC IMO.

LBJ also suffered a concussion last game as per Herb. So we might be down our starting center for the EDF.

With our ultra-crappy return game and the ridiculous number of injuries, I too wouldn't be surprised to see us lose the EDF. A win is not guaranteed by any means, or even probable IMO. It's a tossup to me.

Despite injuries to players such as Whitaker,London,Davis,Jenkins and Bekasiak,I am nevertheless optimistic for the Eastern Final. While Scooter Berry-DT- was injured in last game, Ollie Ogbu-DT- is a very good replacement; Berry had 6 defensive tackles in 6 games while Ogbu had 5 in 2 games. If OK,Michael Ola will dress and he could play on defensive line +offensive line. I expect Luc Brodeur-Jourdain to play.

I wonder if Victor Anderson will dress; if he does, either Bowling or Devine will sit/not dress.

Hoping that the Als will sell no less than 50,000 tickets; apparently, they need roughly 33,000 to break even.

Richard

Still tickets available in 139 section around the 40 yard line. Does not look great unless people are buying the cheaper seats?

As for the roster I think Guy is the guy who will not dress. -15 yards on six returns. Better off letting Dwight Anderson catch the ball and take a knee, we’ll be 15 yards ahead.

Were that decision to be up to me, I’d sit Bowling and dress Devine. I think Devine brings more to the table than does Bowling.

Yes running the opposite way and and in the end giving the Bombers an even better ST coverage on one play in particular, I would tend to agree with you.

Agreed, but given how abysmal Guy has been at KR since coming back from injury, we might see Bowling only so we don’t lose 15 yards on a given punt return. I’d be fine sitting Guy and using both Bowling and Devine.

LBJ est blessé, mais il devrait être au poste le 18. Sa présence est trop importante pour qu’on se passe de lui.

D’après le 'Ournal de ce matin, il semblerait que Berry ne sera pas en uniforme. Ce ne serait donc pas inattendu que ce soit lui qui soit en charge de ce poste. Il a plus de plaqués, mais Berry a aussi un sac et provoqué un échappé. Le seul chiffre des plaqués peut être trompeur. Si le jeu d’un joueur fait en sorte que le quart adverse est forcé de faire avorter plus de jeux à cause de la pression qui vient sur lui, cela ne paraît pas dans les statistiques, mais c’est encore plus efficace qu’un plaqué.

C’est d’ailleurs la défensive qui devrait constituer le principal point d’interrogation. On sait que l’attaque devrait être bien préparée et que nos nullités spéciales sont nulles à chier. Reste la défensive et sa tirade d’éclopés. Si on se fie à la partie contre les Bou! Bombers, l’absence de Davis s’est fait sentir, de même que celle de Berry. Si la pression sur le quart est insuffisante, il sera difficile de battre les adversaires, qui qu’ils soient.

Je ne sais pas pourquoi, mais il me semble que j’aimerais mieux que les Eskimos gagnent cette fin de semaine. Ray a souvent eu de bonnes parties contre les Alouettes en éliminatoires et Chad Owens est plus dangereux que Joe Burnett.

Cash is also injured...unreal how many injuries the big men on defense have had. Very strange.

CASH TOO?

F. F. S.

:x

LBJ interviewed on RDS and said he is fine now, didn`t really suffer a concussion.

Jim Popp on CJAD saying Als will bring in a new DT to replace Berry. No mention of anything wrong with Cash.

I did not hear or read that Cash was injured. On CJAD and Journal de MTL, Jim Popp only spoke about injury to Scooter Berry. He did add that 1 or 2 DL will be invited/coming. I wonder if these players will have CFL experience. Amongst recent cuts-DL- of CFL experience are:

Joe Cohen-DT- released by Argos on October 18,2012.
Robert Rose-DE/DT- released by Saskatchewan around October 25,2012. Was with Hamilton from beginning of season to September 13,2012
Jacquies Smith-DE- released by Tiger-Cats on October 25,2012

If 1 of these, I say Robert Rose from Ohio State.24 years old.

Richard

Richard when Cory Boyd was released by Edmonton on Oct. 11, much was made of the fact Edmonton was being unfair to him as another CFL team could not pick him up now.

So Im not sure of the date, but after a certain time you cant pick up other CFL teams cuts.

So Popp will probably be bringing in NFL cuts.

Another weird rule that discriminates against veterans…

Link to Popp posting on CJAD re Berry http://www.cjad.com/blog/AlouettesNews/ … D=10462564

When I wrote that DL such as Joe Cohen,Robert Rose and Jacquies Smith could be signed/could interest the Als,because of injuries, I too wondered if they could sign with another CFL Team,having been released late in the season; my conclusion was that they were free agents, that were released before the end of regular season and,for these reasons, I still think that they could be signed by a CFL Team. The Als/Jim Popp may have no interest in them and he could bring NFL cuts or another CFL veteran. A CFL Team cannot sign a player released after the regular season, to play in the finals,but I don't see why it can't if a player was released before end on season.

Yes,Cory Boyd was released on October 11,2012 but no other CFL Team had an interest in him.Any Team could have signed him.

Derrick Summers,Import DL who played 14 games or so with the Argos in 2012, was released from the Argos active roster on October 12,2012; was then added to Argos practice roster and released October 18,2012. The Tiger-Cats added him to their active roster on october 26,2012-reason why they released Jacquies Smith on october 25,2012- and he played with the Tiger-Cats on October 27,2012 and november 1,2012.

We should know no later than tomorrow which DL will be signed by the Als,most probably to practice roster for now. Given their CFL experience, I feel that Jacquies Smith and Robert Rose would be a better solution than an NFL cut,with no CFL experience.

Richard