Alouettes using road start as motivation

The reigning Grey Cup champion Montreal Alouettes were surprised when they first saw the 2024 CFL schedule.

The champs start their season on the road in Winnipeg on Thursday in a Grey Cup rematch instead of at home at Percival Molson Stadium. The players say they will use the perceived schedule snub as motivation as they begin defence of their title.

The last time a defending champion started the next season on the road was in 2018, when the Toronto Argonauts opened the season in Saskatchewan.

“Being on the road in Winnipeg for our first game I know has got guys really fired up,” quarterback Cody Fajardo said. “There’s a couple of other things. I definitely know there’s motivation to draw from.”

The Als are coming off an unexpected championship where they beat heavy favourites in the Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the playoffs after going 11-7 in the regular season. They were 6-7 in mid-September before going on a five-game winning streak to make it to the postseason. 

The team embraced that underdog mentality last season but still don't feel like they're getting the recognition they deserve as champions. The players have discussed Week 1 a lot in the locker room, according to receiver Tyson Philpot, who caught the game-winning touchdown in the championship game.

“We definitely think that the [season] opener should have been in Montreal,” he said. “That’s something we have talked about as a group. It’s something that we’ll use as motivation. It definitely fired some of the guys up.”

Only one player who submitted a pre-season power poll on CFL.ca has the Alouettes in top spot. Fajardo and Philpot said that the franchise is used to flying under the radar.

“That [lack of conversation] comes with the Montreal territory,” Philpot said. “Not a lot of people like the Als too much.”

“There’s still people that are doubting us or maybe not giving certain guys the respect they deserve,” Fajardo added. 

Montreal will have a very similar roster to last year, minus key offensive contributors in running back William Stanback (now with the BC Lions) and receiver Austin Mack, who signed with the Atlanta Falcons. Their defence remains largely intact, with safety Marc-Antoine Dequoy, linebacker Tyrice Beverette, and defensive lineman Mustafa Johnson all back for another campaign.

Fajardo said the mindset will be different as defending champs given they have a target on their backs. 

“That secret sauce that worked for us last year is not going to work for us this year,” Fajardo said. “So, you’re going to have to find your own way to motivate, but my biggest message is being consistent, showing up every day and now believing. Guys have seen it. They’ve started believing.”

The good news for Als fans is that both Fajardo and Philpot said that the team is ahead of where they were a season ago, in large part because of that roster consistency in player personnel.

“We’re night and day ahead of where we were,” Fajardo said. “At this time last year, I was still trying to figure out guys’ names and backgrounds and where they came from. Now, you already have that background info so you can talk X’s and O’s, what routes guys like, what routes I like to throw. So, now you have more football talk than it is just getting to know one another.”

Philpot is happy with the direction of the group going into Week 1.

“We’re definitely looking forward to exceeding last year’s expectations and continuing what we did,” Philpot said. “From camp, we’ve looked nice and strong and like a confident group ready to get after it.”

Fajardo feels that the key to another Grey Cup parade down rue Sainte-Catherine in November is consistency. 

“If you want to be mentioned with the legends of this league, it’s all about being consistent and proving that last year wasn’t this one-off, one-hit wonder year where stars aligned,” he said.

Fajardo also pointed to the importance of health and depth.

“We lost some good players late in the end [last season] and we had some guys that stepped up in significant roles,” Fajardo said. “You can start Week 1 with the best team in the league, but it’s really hard to stay healthy for 18 weeks. Usually, the team that starts the year is not the team that ends the year, so it goes to depth.”

All their hard work during training camp will be put on display on Thursday, and the Als feel they can make a statement to the rest of the league as they kick off their season on the road.

“I can’t think of a better story of going into Winnipeg and setting the tone for the season and getting a win in that environment,” Philpot said.