Maas expects high-end performance from QB position no matter who starts for Alouettes

The Montreal Alouettes needed a boost last week when they were taking on the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Both teams were tied for the best record in the CFL at 5-1 and the game was billed as a possible Grey Cup preview.

Montreal started quarterback Caleb Evans in place of injured pivot Cody Fajardo and were down 16-3 after the first half with the Alouettes struggling to find their rhythm offensively.

Head coach Jason Maas then elected to replace Evans for third-string quarterback Davis Alexander to start the second half when everything clicked for the Alouettes.

Alexander threw for 178 yards with two touchdowns as the Alouettes scored 17 unanswered points to beat the Roughriders 20-16 and claim the CFL’s top record at 6-1. The CFL recognized his play by naming him the top offensive player in the league’s weekly honour roll.

“He was running the offence as efficiently as possible,” Maas told TSN690 on Wednesday. “It’s extremely impressive when any quarterback can come in after not having many reps in the season and play at that high of a level in a big moment with a lot of pressure on him. [But], the expectation in our quarterback room is high for anyone who plays that position.”

Maas highlights Alexander’s mobility as one of the key factors that helped him be productive against the Roughriders. His ability to escape the Roughriders’ defence and create high impact offensive plays created momentum for his team.

“You can play perfect defence, but his ability to move and create can hurt a defence’s moral,” said Maas. “When he strings a couple of those together, it’s one more thing the defence has to worry about and when he does it for big first downs and scoring opportunities, it certainly builds momentum.”

Despite Alexander’s strong showing last week, Maas has yet to name a starter for when his team takes on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Friday night.

Fajardo has been taken off the six-game injured list after missing time with a hamstring injury but the team is still evaluating his progress.

“He’s improving but part of taking him off the six-game was to gauge how far along he’s come,” said Maas. “We watched him yesterday and he looked pretty good to me throwing the ball around. We’re going to continue to evaluate him the rest of the week and make our decision later.”

Montreal is taking on a Tiger-Cats team that is last place in the East Division, but have come on strong of late.

Hamilton lost the first five games of the season but are now coming off back-to-back wins against the Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Elks.

“I see them as a mentally tough team under head coach Scott Milanovich,” said Maas. “He’ll have those guys ready, prepared, and believing. He’ll have them prepared to do all the little things, details-wise, that it takes to win.”

Maas is particularly wary of Tiger-Cats quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell. The two-time CFL most outstanding player leads the league with 17 touchdown passes this year and is second to BC Lions pivot Vernon Adams Jr. with 2,257 passing yards.

In the Tiger-Cats’ two victories this season, Mitchell threw for 586 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions.

“They’re led by Mitchell, who is most likely going to be a CFL Hall-of-Famer at the end of his career,” said Maas. “He’s always dangerous plus they have a lot of weapons all over the place. We’re going to have to play a good 60-minute football game and we’re prepared for that.”