Hamilton @ Montreal preview

Hamilton at Montreal

Last Meeting ( Jul 4, 2019 ) Hamilton 29, Montreal 36

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats look to continue their winning ways when they visit the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday. The Tiger-Cats have won eight of their last nine games, including a 33-12 victory over the Ottawa Redblacks last week, to clinch their first East Division title since 2014 while setting a franchise record with their 13th win of the season and hope to keep rolling by avenging a 36-29 road loss to the Alouettes on July 4.

Hamilton has scored at least 30 points during its winning streak and hopes to win five straight contests for the first time in more than four years. Montreal bounced back from a 35-24 setback to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers by holding off the Toronto Argonauts 27-24. The Alouettes, who have already secured a home playoff game, trailed early in the fourth quarter before scoring 14 points, but had to sweat out a 51-yard field goal attempt that came up short in the final seconds and hope for a more polished performance as they aim for their first winning season since 2012. "We know if we're not fully engaged then we're not going to play well," Montreal coach Khari Jones told reporters. "I never want them to let the foot off the gas because it's so hard to put back on."

TV: 1 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS, ESPNews

ABOUT THE TIGER-CATS (13-3): Dane Evans was named one of the CFL's Top Performers of the Week after going 32-of-41 for a career-high 452 yards and a touchdown to help Hamilton sweep the season series with Ottawa while extending its home winning streak to nine games in the process. Brandon Banks continued to make his case for the East Division's Most Outstanding Player award as he hauled in seven catches for 116 yards and a touchdown to move within three receptions of equaling the franchise record of 104 set by Luke Tasker in 2017. "None of this means anything if I don't have a Grey Cup ring," Banks told reporters. "A lot of people know what I can do but I'm trying to win a Grey Cup so that's all I need to prove to anybody."

ABOUT THE ALOUETTES (9-7): Vernon Adams Jr. completed 16-of-23 passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns against Toronto after throwing four interceptions in his previous game. William Stanback rushed for 49 yards on 11 carries against the Argonauts to become the first Montreal running back to surpass 1,000 yards since Tyrell Sutton achieved the feat in 2015. DeVier Posey caught four passes for 88 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game with a lower-body injury and is doubtful for Saturday's clash with Dante Absher likely to take his place in the lineup.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Banks has caught a touchdown pass in five consecutive games.

2. Montreal K Boris Bede has made 15 straight field goals.

3. Hamilton is 5-1 against East Division rivals this season.

PREDICTION: Alouettes 34, Tiger-Cats 30