Alouettes receiver Tyson Philpot stretches for a touchdown catch under coverage of Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive-back Damarcus Fields during second half in Montreal on Monday.
Alouettes receiver Tyson Philpot stretches for a touchdown catch under coverage of Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive-back Damarcus Fields during second half in Montreal on Monday.
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Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
If the Alouettes don't win the Grey Cup this season — or, heaven forbid, advance to the CFL championship game — the epitaph will be written on the franchise's tombstone to summarize the 2026 campaign.
The Als are in the midst of one of their greatest runs in franchise history. They've been to two title games in the last three seasons, won one, and might have won a second had quarterback Davis Alexander been playing on two healthy legs last November against Saskatchewan.
But it's the one that got away in 2024 that might forever be the nightmare that keeps head coach Jason Maas awake at night.
Alouettes receiver Tyler Snead dives for extra yardage against Saskatchewan Roughriders linebacker Aubrey Miller Jr. during second half in Montreal on Monday.
Alouettes receiver Tyler Snead dives for extra yardage against Saskatchewan Roughriders linebacker Aubrey Miller Jr. during second half in Montreal on Monday.
For those with short memories, the Als finished first that season, going 12-5-1. But Montreal was 10-1 at one point and went 2-4-1 down the stretch. They clinched the East Division on Sept. 28, despite losing at Toronto, and entered the playoffs on a two-game losing streak with little momentum.
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Little wonder the team failed to stop the bleeding in the division final against Toronto and imploded. It was a slow and painful death watching the Als commit six turnovers — two interceptions and a fumble alone by quarterback Cody Fajardo — that afternoon during a 30-28 defeat.
Fast-forward to Monday afternoon, and the Als' thoroughly convincing 44-24 Thanksgiving Day evisceration of the Roughriders at Molson Stadium in a Grey Cup rematch that took 330 days to be played.
That, however, was only a small part of the story.
This was Montreal's first game since clinching first place in the division nine days earlier against Winnipeg. How was the team going to react playing what many would consider a meaningless game? And have the Als learned anything from their 2024 transgressions?
While it's only one game, the home team came out flying against a team that was missing injured receivers KeeSean Johnson, Sam Emilus and left-tackle Payton Collins. Saskatchewan was there to be had.
"Of course, we know that we have a few weeks before we play a meaningful game," said guard Pier-Olivier Lestage, in his fifth season with the Als. "But we can't turn it off and turn it on again when the playoffs start. We've got to keep playing, basically.
"I think we were pretty good at doing this today. Just play the game that you want to play. Don't worry about the score. Don't worry about the standings. Go out there, put one foot in front of the other and keep playing."
Alouettes' Tyler Snead celebrates a touchdown against the Saskatchewan Roughriders during the first half in Montreal on Monday.
Alouettes' Tyler Snead celebrates a touchdown against the Saskatchewan Roughriders during the first half in Montreal on Monday.
The Als have a 13-3 record with two games left, beginning with Saturday's rematch against the Riders in Regina. The defending champs are 8-8, on a four-game losing streak and fighting for their playoff lives. They'll have to be desperate on Saturday in what has to be considered a must-win game.
The Als will conclude their regular season on Oct. 23 at Toronto and likely will show little that night in case they meet the Argonauts again Nov. 7 in the division final. While CFL teams are prohibited from making too many starters healthy scratches, it's almost certain Alexander won't play that night. Or, at the very least, no more than a quarter. So it's entirely possible Montreal will finish 13-5 and enter the playoffs on a two-game losing skid.
"We just learned that what we did yesterday don't matter tomorrow," said linebacker Tyrice Beverette, in his fifth season with Montreal. "At this moment, we're the best, but we've still got some work to do. It doesn't mean, just because we're No. 1, that teams are going to come out and lay down. We've got to keep the momentum going and our intensity up going into the playoffs. I think we did that tonight.
"This is the standard, from the top to the bottom, from the head coach to the leaders in this locker room. No one plays for themselves. They play for the team. That's what special. Just worry about today, not what happened yesterday. Not what's going to happen tomorrow. Focus on how can we get better now. I think we've got a good start at that."
As long as the Als have a healthy Alexander, anything is possible. This team is gifted offensively, and it might have to continue scoring plenty of points to compensate for a defence that still displays some occasional warts, along with inconsistencies on special teams.
But when the Als decide to play, they do so exquisitely.
Alexander passed for 403 yards and five touchdowns against Saskatchewan, overcoming an interception on the opening drive while underthrowing Tyler Snead.
Seven Montreal receivers caught passes. And on a day when Tyson Philpot was somewhat ordinary — his 46-yard diving touchdown catch notwithstanding — it was left to Jerreth Sterns and Charleston Rambo to carry the unit.
Alexander became the first Als quarterback since Anthony Calvillo in 2012 to pass for 5,000 yards in a season. And Montreal's victory means the team went undefeated in nine home games — something that hasn't occurred since 2009 and for only the third time in the franchise's 80-year history.
But none of this will matter unless the Als go 10-0 on Nov. 7. Now, it all comes down to one game.