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“There is not any stop on this crew,” GM Danny Maciocia mentioned. “There is not any panic. There aren’t any moments too huge for them. It isn’t a crew that flinches.”
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Common supervisor Danny Maciocia is aware of there isn’t any stop in these Alouettes. They proved that with their come-from-behind victory in final season’s Gray Cup.
However now the architect of this crew has seen the depth he has assembled present head coach Jason Maas with the mandatory choices to maintain the ball rolling.
Whereas forging a 5-0 document this season, the Als have overcome quite a few obstacles. They already had 9 gamers on the six-game injured listing, together with defensive starters Reggie Stubblefield, Wesley Sutton and receiver Tyler Snead heading into the sport in opposition to Calgary final Saturday. Montreal was additionally with out veteran rush-end Shawn Lemon, suspended a minimal three video games for wagering on 2021 CFL matches, together with one by which he performed.
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After which, in the course of the pre-game warm-up, the crew misplaced placekicker David Côté and long-snapper L-P Bourassa — two Canadians and two special-teams specialists — to accidents. Jose Maltos, a worldwide participant, got here off the apply roster to switch Côté, making all three of his field-goal makes an attempt, whereas backup linebacker Alexandre Gagné changed Bourassa and didn’t miss a snap.
Côté was subsequently positioned on the six-game IR. Montreal on Tuesday added kicker Michael Domagala to its apply roster. The three-year veteran has performed for Hamilton and Ottawa.
“There was no panic,” Maciocia informed The Gazette by phone. “All people understands we’re going to undergo stuff. Contemplating all of the stuff we’ve been by means of, making reference to the ’23 season, there’s nothing that’s too huge for these guys proper now.”
In the course of the second quarter of the Als’ come-from-behind 30-26 victory in opposition to the Stampeders, they misplaced security Marc-Antoine Dequoy — final season’s East Division nominee as most excellent Canadian — to an upper-body damage. This created a domino impact. Defensive-back Najee Murray moved to security. That pressured Titus Wall and Bryce Cosby to vary positions, whereas rookie linebacker Geoffrey Cantin-Arku, the Als’ first-round (ninth total) draft selection, additionally performed often.
Highway to the Cup
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Montreal struggled within the first half, surrendering three touchdowns and trailing 23-9 at one level. A Tyson Philpot fumble and an interception thrown by quarterback Cody Fajardo twice gave Calgary brief fields. Defensive co-ordinator Noel Thorpe made halftime changes, limiting the Stamps to a second-half discipline purpose. The Als scored 15 unanswered fourth-quarter factors to document the win.
“There’s no stop on this crew,” Maciocia mentioned. “There’s no panic. There aren’t any moments too huge for them. It’s not a crew that flinches. They’re below management and perceive the soccer conditions. They play with consciousness. On the sideline there’s no finger-pointing; there by no means has been. That is as close-knit of a crew that I’ve ever been related to.
“Even at halftime, they walked in (the dressing room) and we have been down. We knew they have been going to go in, sit down and focus on, make the corrections that wanted to be made and have been going to come back out and play a greater second half. That’s what they did.
“Offensively, they didn’t come right here to throw the ball downfield,” Maciocia added. “They got here right here to run the ball, get the ball off fast with perimeter screens and put the ball within the palms of their playmakers. That was a very good plan. Transferring ahead we have now to suppose different groups are going to attempt to use and benefit from us.”
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Not solely are the Als the primary CFL crew to achieve 5 victories and certainly one of solely two undefeated golf equipment — Saskatchewan, which already has had its first bye week is 4-0 — they’re additionally using an unimaginable 13-game successful streak, together with playoffs and the Gray Cup. Montreal hasn’t misplaced since Sept. 15.
“I’ll by no means concede a loss on this locker room — ever,” Maas mentioned. “If I ever are available and suppose we’re going to lose that recreation, I shouldn’t be right here teaching. We take it one week at a time and we count on to win each week.
“Did I do know 5-0 was going to be troublesome? Completely. Was this 5-0 extraordinarily laborious? Sure. However I believed we have been able to it. And we proved it.”
With their tenth consecutive regular-season win in opposition to Calgary, the Als equalled streaks held by Toronto (1977), Calgary (’94-’95) and Hamilton (’72). The Stamps maintain the CFL document for the longest total unbeaten streak, 22 video games, courting again to the 1948-49 seasons. That document would possibly by no means be eclipsed.
“I don’t wish to speak about it,” Maciocia quipped. “Should you have been across the constructing, the gamers and coaches and within the conferences … we predict we will truly do higher and be higher and maximize our personnel a little bit bit higher. Our aggressive juices are at all times flowing right here. That’s how we’re constructed. It’s a blue-collar mentality.”
hzurkowsky@postmedia.com
x.com/HerbZurkowsky1
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