Davis Alexander has guided the Montreal Alouettes to three straight victories since replacing Caleb Evans to start the second half of a game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Alexander and the Alouettes (8-1) will strive for more of the same on Friday night when they visit the Roughriders (5-3-1) in Regina, Sask.
Montreal’s quarterback carousel turned from Grey Cup MVP and former Roughrider Cody Fajardo (hamstring) to Evans (season-ending lower-body injury) to Alexander. The 25-year-old Alexander completed 15 of 18 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns as Montreal overcame a 13-point halftime deficit in a 20-16 victory over Saskatchewan on July 25.
Alexander followed that up with a pair of strong performances against Hamilton, including a 247-yard, two-touchdown effort in the Alouettes’ 33-23 victory over the Tiger-Cats on Saturday. Top receiver Tyson Philpot (career-high 779 receiving yards, five touchdowns), however, exited that game in the first quarter due to a foot injury.
Charleston Rambo stepped up in place of Philpot, finishing with six catches for 124 yards and two touchdowns on Saturday.
“I think it’s because of the way we practice, the way we preach things around here: to be ready,” Montreal coach Jason Maas said. “If they’re around here, there’s a good chance they’re going to play for us, and the expectation will never change.
“When they’re out there, the expectation is they play at the standard that we have set for this team.”
The Roughriders are expected to see the return of former Alouette quarterback Trevor Harris on Friday. He has been sidelined since late June due to ACL and MCL injuries sustained in Week 3. Saskatchewan has posted a 2-3-1 record in his absence.
Running back A.J. Ouellette also is trending toward returning to the lineup on Friday following a hip injury.
Dhonte Meyers had eight catches for 101 yards in the Roughriders’ 22-22 tie against the Ottawa Redblacks on Aug. 8.
“I didn’t think this was going to happen, so I’m kind of speechless on that one,” Meyers said of his performance, per the Regina Leader-Post. “You want to go out there and do your best. You don’t really worry about the stats.
“When the plays come to you, you just want to make them.”
–Field Level Media
