CFL NOTEBOOK: LIONS ROUT ALOUETTES, STAMPS CHANGE QBS
William Stanback had his Montreal return marked on his calendar — and it showed.
Stanback led the way on a strange night for quarterback Nathan Rourke as the B.C. Lions defeated the league-leading Montreal Alouettes 37-23 on Friday.
The former Alouettes running back rushed for 128 yards — including a pivotal 38-yard gain where he bulldozed through Montreal’s defence — in his first game back at Molson Stadium.
Rourke had 304 passing yards on 22-for-28 completions, throwing for one TD and running for another. But the 2022 CFLoutstanding Canadian also threw three interceptions.
The Lions (7-6) won their second in a row to take sole possession of first place in the West Division. They also ended a five-game Montreal (10-2) win streak despite committing four turnovers.
“It’s a hard one,” Alouettes head coach Jason Maas said. “I felt like we had opportunities throughout the game, and we just didn’t make the most of them.”
Quarterback Cody Fajardo was 27-for-37 for 240 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception for Montreal, which clinched a playoff spot while on a bye last week.
Montreal kicker Jose Maltos went 3-for-3 on field goals, including a 41-yarder. B.C.’s Sean Whyte was also 3-for-3.
The Ottawa Redblacks and Toronto Argonauts are both looking to rebound from disappointing losses last week when they square off Saturday afternoon at TD Place.
Ottawa, boasting a 7-3-1 record, remains undefeated at home and is eager to maintain that streak. Meanwhile, Toronto, sitting at 6-5-0, is hungry to close the gap with their divisional rivals.
For Ottawa, the focus is not just on defending home turf but building some breathing room in the East Division standings. Head coach Bob Dyce remains optimistic despite the team’s recent challenges and personnel changes.
Earlier this week, the team released running back Ryquell Armstead and remain without receiver Jaelon Acklin and RB Devonte Dedmon.
“The mindset is that we control our destiny, right?” Dyce said. “We know what we have to do to take advantage of the situation. These guys have worked hard to be in the position we’re in, and they know it’s just a matter of going out and executing, as they’ve done throughout the year.”
With Armstead’s departure, the Redblacks will have to rely on the duo of Khalan Laborn and Jamal Morrow. While both players bring unique skills to the table, integrating them into the lineup so quickly does present a challenge, but Dyce remains confident both are up to the task.
“You’ll see both of them play,” Dyce confirmed. “They both offer two different things, and they have a dynamic skill set. We’re excited to see them both on the field.
“Of course, protection is key, but Khalan’s been here for a while and Jamal’s a veteran. He’s seen it all in this league, so it’s just a matter of fitting into our system.”
When asked if he would want to get the run game established early to help the two new additions, quarterback Dru Brown remained confident both were ready. He’s worked closely with both running backs this week to ensure clear communication.
“Our staff has done a great job getting those guys up to speed,” Brown said. “You know, one of them’s been here and Jamal’s a veteran. He knows how things are done.
“It’s all about ensuring certain things, and I’ve got full faith in those guys. They’ve been running their whole lives. It doesn’t change now.”
Ottawa will need Brown to spread the field in an effort to exploit Toronto’s secondary. On Monday against Hamilton, the Argos gave up 353 yards and have allowed 291.7 per game.
Brown has had success but could use better protection at times. Ottawa is tied with Toronto for last in the league in sacks allowed at 27. The Argos defence is known for applying pressure creating an additional challenge for Ottawa.
(Canadian Press)
