The Montreal Alouettes will ride the momentum of a five-game winning streak into the East Division semifinal against the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday afternoon.
The Alouettes earned a 22-20 home victory over the Tiger-Cats last Saturday in their final game of the regular season. Montreal came out on top in all three games against Hamilton this season.
“To go (into the playoffs) hot, and I know the history of the CFL. I’ve been in it long enough to know the hot teams generally have success,” Montreal coach Jason Maas said.
Montreal (11-7) finished second in the East Division. Hamilton (8-10) finished third.
The winner will play the Toronto Argonauts (16-2) in the division final Nov. 11.
“It’s not about the best team in terms of record,” Montreal quarterback Cody Fajardo said. “It’s about the team that gets hot at the right time. We’re going into the playoffs with five straight wins. That’s about as hot as you can get. We know a lot of people aren’t talking about the Montreal Alouettes. That’s OK. Keep it that way.”
With home-field advantage for the semifinal already clinched, Fajardo was replaced by Caleb Evans early in the second quarter last week.
James Letcher Jr. showed Hamilton that he can be a factor in the semifinal game when returned a punt 99 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Letcher returned a missed field goal 125 yards for a TD two weeks earlier.
The Alouettes saw the return of tailback William Stanback last Saturday after he missed a month with an illness and the bye week. He gained 48 yards on seven carries.
Hamilton will start Matt Shiltz at quarterback. Bo Levi Mitchell, in only his sixth game this season, completed 5 of 10 passes for 53 yards in the first half last Saturday before being replaced by Taylor Powell.
Shiltz’s name appeared atop the depth chart released Friday by the Tiger-Cats.
Shiltz took most of the first-team snaps during practice Thursday. Mitchell, who started Hamilton’s final three regular-season games, is listed as the club’s No. 2 quarterback but coach Orlondo Steinauer said Thursday that he expects both quarterbacks to play Saturday.
Hamilton was 5-4 on the road this season.
“This (road playoff games) is the way it’s going to be for us the rest of the way,” Steinauer said. “We’re not running from it. We’re embracing it and just excited for Saturday.”
–Field Level Media