“We’ve seen this movie before and don’t get caught up in any of that crap. We live for the moment,” Montreal’s general manager says.
The perfect 4-0 record is sweet, Danny Maciocia admits, but the Alouettes’ general manager would prefer to say his team has gone 1-0 for four consecutive games.
“The record means nothing,” Maciocia told The Gazette by telephone on Tuesday. “I know it has become a bit of a rallying cry around here. We’re 4-0 but don’t look at it that way. Last year we couldn’t beat a team that had a winning record. That became a story. This year … let’s not get too carried away. We’ve seen this movie before and don’t get caught up in any of that crap. We live for the moment. We’re aware where our feet are at.”
Montreal produced another sound, but by no means complete, performance against the Argonauts, not allowing a touchdown until the final minute of the fourth quarter. The Als scored three touchdowns and kicked three field goals and never appeared threatened.
CFL quarterbacks are starting to fall. Saskatchewan’s Trevor Harris is on the six-game injured list with a sprain to the medial collateral ligament in his left knee, although Roughriders head coach Corey Mace said it’s not season-ending. Harris missed the final 13 games last season with a tibial plateau fracture in his right knee.
Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros also had to leave Saturday’s loss against the Stampeders after a hit from Josiah Coatney.
“You want to see punishment, go back to (Fajardo’s) last year in Saskatchewan,” Maciocia said. “He got his ass kicked and kept getting up. Do we want to see him take those extra hits? Hell no. We have to do a better job of protecting him — and I’m not taking shots at anybody. He needs to protect himself, too. At the same time we’ve got some other guys there if, God forbid, we’re in a predicament and have to win some games, just like last year.”
While the Als won two games with Caleb Evans in 2023, Maciocia admitted “we have to keep Fajardo off the ground.”
Montreal also must do a better job of running the ball. Tailback Walter Fletcher had his least-productive game this season against Toronto, held to 11 yards on six carries, including a 10-yard gain. The Als generated a measly 25 yards rushing, although many of Fajardo’s quick throws to the perimeter could be characterized as an extension of the running game.
“Are we happy with the performance of our run game last week? No,” Maciocia said. “Does it need to get better? Yes. Are we going to work on it? Yes. If we ever find ourselves in another predicament in another game, we need to have answers. (Head coach Jason Maas) has answers.”
“You have to have the stones to call it,” Maciocia said. “They (coaches) have those guys believing. When (Maas) presents that play … you look at everybody in the eyes. Are we dialed-in and buying in? Can you execute it? He puts them on the spot to make sure there’s accountability. If everyone raises their hand, we’re going there. And (Maas) did it.
“The one constant is (Fajardo). He’s playing the best football of his career, and I can’t say I’m overly surprised.”