The Ottawa Redblacks are set for a difficult visit to the Montreal Alouettes on Thursday, August 20, in a Week 12 clash at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium. Montreal arrives as the East Division front-runner, while Ottawa is still searching for a breakthrough that could change the tone of its season.
Montreal Has Set the Standard
The Alouettes have looked like the CFL’s most complete team through the opening stretch, winning eight of their first nine games. Their latest statement came in a 48-30 win over the Edmonton Elks, a result that showed how dangerous their offense can be when it is in rhythm.
Quarterback Davis Alexander has been a major reason for that success. He has combined sharp passing with enough mobility to keep plays alive, and that has made Montreal harder to defend for four quarters.
- Davis Alexander gives Montreal steady production and playmaking ability.
- Tyson Philpot has emerged as a major target in the passing game.
- Balance on offense makes the Alouettes difficult to load up against.
Philpot has been especially important. Entering Week 11, he had already cleared 1,100 receiving yards and found the end zone seven times, giving Montreal a reliable big-play threat on the outside.
What Ottawa Must Fix Fast
The Redblacks come in under pressure after a slow start to the year. They have shown stretches of competitiveness, but those flashes have not been enough to turn close games into wins.
Ottawa’s problems have been consistent: early deficits, defensive lapses, and too little help from the running game. That has left quarterback Jake Maier carrying a heavy load and forcing the offense to throw more than it would like.
- Start faster so Montreal cannot dictate the pace early.
- Protect the ball and avoid giving the Alouettes short fields.
- Create balance to take pressure off Jake Maier.
- Get Justin Hardy involved before Montreal settles in defensively.
Hardy remains one of Ottawa’s most dependable weapons, and the Redblacks need him to be part of the plan from the opening drives. If Ottawa can move the chains and extend possessions, it can at least keep the game from slipping away quickly.
The Rematch Tells a Clear Story
Montreal already beat Ottawa 27-12 earlier this season, and that game offered a familiar pattern. The Alouettes got control early, while the Redblacks struggled to establish any real offensive rhythm.
That previous meeting gives Ottawa a practical roadmap. The Redblacks need pressure on Alexander, tighter coverage on the perimeter, and better execution on early downs to keep Montreal from controlling the game flow.
Offensively, Ottawa cannot be one-dimensional again. Even a modest run game would help Maier stay out of obvious passing situations and make the attack less predictable.
Montreal enters as the clear favorite, with the better record, the hotter offense, and home-field advantage. Ottawa, though, has the urgency of a team with little margin left for another missed chance, and that can sometimes produce a sharper, more aggressive performance.
For the Redblacks, an upset would not fix everything, but it would give them a needed lift and a reason to believe the season can still turn. For Montreal, the task is simpler: stay focused, avoid a letdown, and keep pace at the top of the East.