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If the Alouettes made a statement with last Thursday’s season-opening victory at Winnipeg, their mettle will be tested following the loss to injury of two starters.
Field linebacker Reggie Stubblefield will miss the entire season with an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, he announced over the weekend on his Instagram account. He made four defensive tackles and another on special teams before being taken off the field in a cart late in the third quarter — one play after backup Blue Bombers quarterback Chris Streveler complained about Stubblefield’s low hit on him.
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“Any time you lose a starter in Week 1 it’s a loss,” Als general manager Danny Maciocia told The Gazette on Monday; head coach Jason Maas eschewed practice in preparation for Friday night’s game at Edmonton.
Montreal also will miss receiver Tyler Snead, who was seen in a walking boot post-game, for several weeks. Management will use this week, after consulting with the team’s medical staff, to determine whether to put Snead on the six-game injured list, although Maciocia confirmed the import will miss multiple games.
Stubblefield could be replaced by newcomer Bryce Cosby, who was dressed against Winnipeg and recovered a fumble. Cosby, a Ball State graduate, spent 2022-23 with the Las Vegas Raiders. And, while the Als had seven receivers dressed against the Bombers, they also have two others — Tyjon Lindsey and Jose Barbon — on their practice roster. Lindsey was impressive in the team’s final exhibition game, at Ottawa, albeit as a returner. The picture might become clearer on Tuesday, when the team begins practising for the Elks.
None of this should take anything away from the Als’ opening-game performance, on the road, in a Grey Cup rematch. Montreal dominated every facet in its 27-12 victory. Defensively, it created three turnovers while holding the high-powered Bombers offence without a touchdown for nearly 59 minutes. And offensively, the Als produced three touchdowns. Quarterback Cody Fajardo passed for 254 yards while managing the game.
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“That’s a game that we played with a lot of energy and physicality … considering we just came out of training camp and were on a short week,” Maciocia said. “When we play the way we’re capable of, and play to a particular level we claim we’re capable of, everything is possible. That’s the statement we have to keep making every single week — being the best version of ourselves, pushing ourselves, individually and collectively. That’s who this team is, the way we built it.”
Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros passed for only 209 yards while being sacked twice. When he wasn’t being dropped, the Als were able to get pressure on the quarterback, disrupting his timing. That was evident on safety Marc-Antoine Dequoy’s second-quarter interception, when the pass for Dalton Schoen was underthrown, with the Bombers at the Montreal 32 and in scoring position.
“We were pretty dynamic up front and were able to generate a pass rush,” Maciocia said. “We got to him a couple of times. Other times we didn’t get to him but affected his throws.”
One defensive play in particular stood out to Maciocia. In the third quarter, middle-linebacker Darnell Sankey forced a Nic Demski fumble that was recovered by defensive-back Dionté Ruffin. The number of Als in pursuit impressed the GM.
“Watch the way our defensive line, collectively, the whole group, put their foot in the ground, retraced their steps, pursued the ball carrier, stripped and fell on it,” he explained. “If you freeze it, that frame … the number of Alouette helmets you see in that frame is pretty revealing. When I say play with energy and physicality, that’s the stuff that catches my eye.
“This is a team composed of players that have ability, toughness and effort.”
And while there might be few individual stars on the Als, Tyson Philpot’s 10 catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns stood out. Philpot is quickly becoming one of the standout Canadians in the league.
hzurkowsky@postmedia.com
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