Despite key absences, Alouettes GM Maciocia isn't surprised by team's hot first half

MONTREAL — Danny Maciocia wasn’t expecting his Montreal Alouettes to fly out to an 8-1 first half of the season.

But the fact the defending champions boast that league-leading record despite several key absences isn't a surprise to him, either.

"We don't come across as a team that thinks we're 8-1. We come across as a team that wants to be 1-0 this Friday,” the Alouettes general manager said Tuesday at Stade Hebert, as Montreal prepares to visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The Alouettes have won their last three games with Grey Cup MVP Cody Fajardo out because of a hamstring injury. Montreal took another hit last week when top receiver Tyson Philpot exited in the first quarter of Saturday’s 33-23 win over Hamilton with a foot injury.

Their defence is also first in points allowed and second in opponent net offence without veteran defensive lineman Shawn Lemon, who’s suspended indefinitely for allegedly betting on games.

With Fajardo and Philpot out, third-string QB Davis Alexander and wide receiver Charleston Rambo stepped up. That's thanks to head coach Jason Maas and the culture he's built, Maciocia said.

“Every day is a come to work (and) grind day. We're pretty tough on ourselves. Even after a win, we still feel there's areas that we can get better, so we're constantly challenging one another,” he said.

"The players have bought into this concept, and that's what's paid dividends for us.”

Alexander led the Alouettes to a second-half comeback over Saskatchewan in Week 8 and has since started in two wins against Hamilton, throwing for 687 yards and five touchdowns.

The 25-year-old American out of Portland State was absent from Alouettes practice Tuesday to deal with a personal matter back home, but is expected to be back with the team this week.

Meanwhile, Fajardo was limited during practice and QB James Morgan took the majority of first-team reps. Maas wouldn’t rule out that Fajardo could play in his first game in Saskatchewan since losing his job as the Riders' starter in 2022.

“The expectation is we could have all four quarterbacks play on Friday,” Maas said. “Cody, he's getting better, he's progressing.

“The moment he's ready, he'll be back in the lineup.”

As for Philpot, Maciocia said “it could be awhile” before he’s back in the lineup and that he would know more after meeting with team doctors later Tuesday.

The 24-year-old Philpot from Delta, B.C., is second in the CFL with a career-high 779 receiving yards and five touchdowns.

After he went down, Rambo, a 25-year-old who played college ball at Oklahoma and Miami, made six receptions — including two touchdowns — for 124 yards on Saturday.

"I think it's because of the way we practice, the way we preach things around here: to be ready,” Maas said of players stepping up. “If they're around here, there's a good chance they're going to play for us, and the expectation will never change.

"When they're out there the expectation is they play at the standard that we have set for this team."

Maciocia is happy about his team’s “next man up” mentality, but he’s also hoping some players get on the mend. The Alouettes had 12 players on the six-game injured list and two on the one-game list last week, not including Philpot.

The GM could also add to his roster soon after the Atlanta Falcons released Austin Mack on Monday. The former Alouettes wideout made 78 receptions for 1,154 yards last season before signing a reserve/future contract with Atlanta in January.

Maciocia said he’s spoken with Mack, but the 26-year-old American is taking time to see if he garners interest from other NFL teams.

“We should have a better idea in the upcoming days," Maciocia said. "I think the Alouettes are like a second family for him, but I know he has a desire to play in the NFL."

Maciocia says the Alouettes would have the means to bring Mack back and fit him under the league’s salary cap.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 13, 2024.