Alouettes pushing 'Grind for Nine' ahead of Eastern Final vs. Argonauts on TSN
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The Montreal Alouettes take their first major step towards securing back-to-back Grey Cup titles on Saturday when they host the Toronto Argonauts.
This year's Eastern Final will be a rematch of last year, when the Alouettes went on the road to knock off Toronto 38-17.
Alouettes head coach Jason Maas is trying to treat this as just another week of preparation.
"For us it's just another game, but we try to structure our building to where we compete every single week," Maas said on The Morning Show on TSN 690 on Wednesday.
"We talk about pressure a lot as just big moments: How do you play? Can you make the big play? I think we try to put ourselves in the moment every single day we're in our building, so the lead-up to a big game like this, which is the biggest game of the year, goes back to that excitement of competing and playing together."
Alouettes, Argonauts swap roles
The Alouettes had a slow start to the season in 2023, but an unexpected eight-game winning streak culminated in a Grey Cup title.
Toronto is now looking to use the same path to a championship, as wins in three of their final four regular-season games secured home field advantage in the Eastern Semifinal, which they used to trounce the Ottawa Redblacks 58-38.
"I think our guys are fully aware of the situation from last year of what we did and accomplished, going on the road, being a hot team down the stretch," Maas said.
He's trying to use the role reversal as a motivator for his squad.
"It's all coming to this one moment, and the fact that they're hot is all the better for it, because that means it's going to be a grind, and we get that," Maas said. "So, we're welcoming that and we're excited about that opportunity."
Can Toronto's high-powered offence be slowed?
The Argonauts finished best in the CFL with 28.6 points scored per game, and their 58-point outburst against the Redblacks reinforced how dangerous their offence can be.
"They're a very explosive offence. Chad Kelly's done a great job leading it since he's been back, they have weapons all over the place," said Maas.
"[Running back] Ka'Deem Carey - it starts with him. They're a team that can run the ball very well, and it exposes other areas when you try to stop it. It's a very good challenge for our defence."
The Argonauts won the regular-season series against the Alouettes - the only team in the CFL to do so. Montreal won the opener 30-20 on June 28, but Toronto's offence was dominant in the two following meetings, putting up 37 points in wins in July and September.
Carey was especially consistent, as he totalled 38 carries for 245 yards and a touchdown across their three matchups, adding 92 yards receiving as well.
Looking to complete the grind
Maas has stated that after last year's title, which is now being referred to as "The Great Eight" in the building for the franchise's eighth Grey Cup, the mantra for this season is "Grind for Nine."
"We had a great team last year, and a lot of those guys are back, but it was about grinding for nine this year with the guys in this building," Maas said.
"We've never shied away from what our goal is: Grind for Nine. We wanted to do that with a new team, because each team is unique and different, and I think this team's written a beautiful chapter that's good right now, but it's gotta be great going all the way."
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers technically repeated as Grey Cup champions in 2019 and 2021, as the 2020 season was cancelled due to the pandemic, but the last true repeat champions were the Alouettes in 2009-10.
Maas has been expecting this for a while, and now he looks to put all the necessary work in to make it happen.
"It's been circled on our schedule for quite some time, I would say going all the way back to training camp. We've been talking about that since November 20 of last year," he said.
"Every single second, minute, hour counts. A grind doesn't shut off, it's constant, that's been a key word that we like to say, and that's been good for us."