Montreal Alouettes News

Raise your hands, all those of you who expected the Montreal Alouettes to hold the high-powered Edmonton Eskimos' offence and Ricky Ray to only one touchdown? Ray, one of the Canadian Football League's premier quarterbacks, required a road map to find Montreal's end zone.

The home team is looking for its first win and starting an unproven quarterback against a shuffled defence.

Mario Annicchiarico Edmonton Journal MONTREAL -- This game is about balance and predictability.

Herb Zurkowsky The Gazette MONTREAL -- Avon Cobourne's goals are simple this season - remain healthy and rush for 100 yards each game.

A few days before opening night, Calgary Stampeders coach and general manager John Hufnagel said a win over the Montreal Alouettes on Wednesday night wouldn't make the season.

Man, oh, man, is Ricky Ray really going to get to see man-on-man? Ray almost never gets to see man-on-man. Not for the last three years anyway.

Judging by Noel Thorpe's reaction - cheering and clapping and yelling to his players - one would almost think the blocked kick at Monday's Edmonton Eskimo practice happened at a pivotal time of a regular season or playoff game - not just during a run-through in the second week of the CFL season.

Perhaps it's best not to tell them. Maybe the best strategy for Richie Hall is to try and keep his players, who arrived here last night with the annual jazz festival a downtown distraction, as blissfully ignorant as possible.

The Edmonton Eskimos will definitely have their hands full trying to keep their win-loss record unblemished as they travel into hostile territory Thursday in Montreal.

For the past two seasons, Jon Cornish played the waiting game. Eventually, Joffrey Reynolds had to get hurt and give Cornish a chance to shine as the feature tailback with the Calgary Stampeders.

One game, one defensive player-of-the-week award for Saskatchewan Roughriders' defensive end Stevie Baggs.

The injury to Jesse Lumsden came early enough in the season that the Edmonton Eskimos should recover, although it appears the team was planning for this eventuality.

The Edmonton Eskimos have a chance to sprint to the head of the pack with a victory on the road against the Montreal Alouettes on Thursday.

Toronto Argonauts running back Jamal Robertson celebrates his first-quarter touchdown against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats during their season opener on Canada Day.

Giving up 400 yards in offence ,_40 points and recording no quarterback sacks tend to make a Canadian Football League team rethink the way it does things on defence.

One is Canadian, the other an import. They'll be the Edmonton Eskimos' running backs this week, against Montreal, and both have persevered, in part, because of their incredible patience.

Saskatchewan Roughriders' Eddie Davis sacks B.C. Lions quarterback Buck Pierce and forces a fumble during Friday's game at Mosaic Stadium.

The defending Grey Cup champs aren't going undefeated this season. But the Calgary Stampeders knew that before losing 40-27 to the Montreal Alouettes Wednesday night at McMahon Stadium.

There is no definitive timeline for Jesse Lumsden's return to the playing field, but it will definitely not be for the next 10 weeks.

The Calgary Stampeders are set to welcome another non-import to their banged-up receiving ranks, but John Hufnagel is remaining tight-lipped about the identity of the newcomer.