FIVE THINGS TO WATCH
1 SIMILAR STORYLINES
It has been the Montreal defence that has spearheaded the Als’ return to respectability. Since allowing 500-plus yards in each of four previous losses, Montreal’s defence has buckled down and held opponents to 349 and 313 yards respectively in back-to back wins. B.C.’s defence has followed a similar, if not more improved, path keeping opponents at 283 yardsorlessinthepasttwogames.
2 POSEY-ING THE QUESTION
Wide receiver DeVier Posey makes his debut with the Lions, replacing the Manny Arceneaux who is out with a knee injury. You might remember Posey as the Argonauts receiver who caught that long bomb in last year’s Grey Cup game that sent the Boatmen on their way to a surprise victory over Calgary. He was also named MVP for the game. Posey tried to latch on to the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, then the Buffalo Bills, before signing with the Lions last Monday.
3 RAINEY NIGHT
B.C. return specialist Chris Rainey was a healthy scratch last week and rumored to be on the trading block. But he’s been activated against the Als, his former team. Rainey currently ranks first in the CFL in average kickoff rtreturn average (26.8 yards per return) and third in punt return average, (12.4 yards per return)
4 BIDDING ADIEU
The Wally Buono farewell tour continues at Molson Percival Stadium with the inconic Lions head coach making his final appearance in Montreal before settling into retirement at season’s end. Longtime Montreal football fans will likely remember that Buono got his start in the CFL way back in 1983 as an assistant coach with the Montreal Concordes under Joe Galat. 5 QB ON THE RUN
While QB Antonio Pipkin has come in and received a lot of credit for the Montreal resurgence, he has been doing it primarily with his legs and not his arm. In the Alouettes’ current two-game winning streak, Pipkin has rushed for a major in each outing but has not thrown a touchdown pass.