BC @ Montreal preview

BC at Montreal

Last Meeting ( Sep 14, 2018 ) BC 32, Montreal 14

The Montreal Alouettes look to continue their upward trajectory when they host the struggling BC Lions on Friday. The Alouettes won back-to-back games, including a 28-22 victory against the Toronto Argonauts in the Touchdown Atlantic on Aug. 25, before going on their off week and hope to stay on track for their first playoff appearance in five years by ending a seven-game slide to BC that dates back to 2015.

"I like the way we're playing overall but we still have things to fix," Montreal coach Khari Jones told reporters. "I love the way this team competes and if we keep doing that then the wins are going to come." The Lions are still struggling to find their identity under first-year coach DeVone Claybrooks after suffering their sixth straight defeat. BC dropped a 13-10 decision to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Week 11 to fall to 1-9 for the first time since 1969 and hope to start a five-game stretch against East Division teams on the right foot by continuing their recent dominance in their rivalry with the Alouettes. "We all have the belief in this locker room that we can turn it around," BC wide receiver Shaq Johnson told reporters. "It's just a matter of getting those little details fixed and having everybody on the same page."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS

ABOUT THE ALOUETTES (5-4): Vernon Adams Jr. threw for 335 yards and a pair of touchdowns while adding another on the ground in the win against Toronto to give him eight rushing TDs, which is one shy of setting a single-season franchise record. Montreal signed wide receiver Chris Matthews, who caught four passes for 109 yards and a touchdown in Super Bowl XLIX, after the former CFL Rookie of the Year was released by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers last week. Montreal signed backup quarterback Matt Shiltz to a contract extension that will keep him at the club until 2020.

ABOUT THE LIONS (1-9): Mike Reilly threw for 286 yards and a touchdown against Hamilton to become the 17th player in CFL history to reach 30,000 passing yards for his career. Running back John White, who leads the Lions with 559 rushing yards and five touchdowns, is questionable after suffering an ankle injury in the loss to the Tiger-Cats with Wayne Moore, who accounted for 96 total yards from scrimmage against the Tiger-Cats, expected to get the start. BC dismissed offensive line coach Bryan Chiu after the Lions allowed a league-high 43 sacks in 10 games and will be replaced by Kelly Bates, who started his career in Vancouver in 2001.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Lions are ranked last in net offence per game (301.4 yards).

2. Montreal is 5-2 with Adams as the starter.

3. Reilly needs 247 yards to move past Tom Burgess (30,308) for 16th place on the CFL's all-time passing list.

PREDICTION: Alouettes 23, Lions 20