Montreal is on the wrong end of two signature games: (1) Winnipeg proving that Edmonton was not the best team in the league (2) Trestman & Ricky Ray showing who is the best team in the east [at least as the crow flies right now].

So do the Alouettes have a chance?

Barring catastrophe (in the form of injury surprises) they neither have a chance nor clue.

Perhaps that's too much bravado but we haven't had bravado in a very long time.

 

Probably  Ekakitie's progress would have been approached differently if the 'poop' hadn't hit the fan.*base.

The fact that Ekakatie isn't ready yet is just fine by me. The days of needing first year players to step in right away are gone. Let him cook on the PR for awhile along with Couture and Spooner, and be ready in a couple years...

We finally have the luxury of letting out prospects cook in the oven until they're toasty warm. Let's not blow a prospects development now - especially a first overall.

19 minutes ago, Noeller said:

The fact that Ekakatie isn't ready yet is just fine by me. The days of needing first year players to step in right away are gone. Let him cook on the PR for awhile along with Couture and Spooner, and be ready in a couple years...

I completely agree... all I, and a few others, were saying is that he was believed to be pro-ready when he was drafted... the fact that he's not playing much is no big deal at all...

2 hours ago, Mike said:

Me too - but it's gotta be either Roc or Okpalaugo. Can't be a Canadian, so Ekakitie will dress, which tells me it's probably TO, since I can't see them dressing 8 DL and 6 DB.

That would be a short handed secondary especially with Loffler extremely iffy.

No possibility of Lankford being the scratch or another receiver?

I'm worried it could be Flanders.

2 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

That would be a short handed secondary especially with Loffler extremely iffy.

No possibility of Lankford being the scratch or another receiver?

I'm worried it could be Flanders.

Can't see how it will ever be Flanders anymore.

I just don't really see the need for TO, we rotate Corney Westerman Jeffcoat just fine. 

25 minutes ago, Noeller said:

The fact that Ekakatie isn't ready yet is just fine by me. The days of needing first year players to step in right away are gone. Let him cook on the PR for awhile along with Couture and Spooner, and be ready in a couple years...

Not ready or just not as good as Westerman, Thomas, Corney?

3 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

That would be a short handed secondary especially with Loffler extremely iffy.

No possibility of Lankford being the scratch or another receiver?

I'm worried it could be Flanders.

That thought crossed my mind as well but I don't think they would do it.  He's just too good.  It's gotta be Okpalaugo.

Just now, Mike said:

Can't see how it will ever be Flanders anymore.

I just don't really see the need for TO, we rotate Corney Westerman Jeffcoat just fine. 

I feel that fundamentally a second tailback is low priority for this staff compared to DBs and returners, but hopefully that's changed.

Just now, JuranBoldenRules said:

Not ready or just not as good as Westerman, Thomas, Corney?

Either way.....we're in great shape and don't have to rush him.

1 hour ago, Goalie said:

Not a lot of the 2017 picks are doing much yet. 

It's true.  Most of the guys who have had an impact are 3rd rounders or later.

3rd - Christophe Mulumba, Dondre Wright, Tunde Adeleke
5th - Kwaku Boateng
7th - Jordan Herdman

Beyond that, no one from the 2017 draft is really having an impact yet.

8 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

That would be a short handed secondary especially with Loffler extremely iffy.

No possibility of Lankford being the scratch or another receiver?

I'm worried it could be Flanders.

We've seen the team make some questionable (at least in the fan's opinion) decisions in the past... but I can't imagine any way, barring injury, that Flanders and Harris are not in every game going forward...

To be fair....pro ready doesnt mean starter. Is he still a pro? Yup. 

16 minutes ago, bearpants said:

We've seen the team make some questionable (at least in the fan's opinion) decisions in the past... but I can't imagine any way, barring injury, that Flanders and Harris are not in every game going forward...

The potential for this dual backfield offence isn't something they discovered just yesterday, much to my chagrin it's been laying dormant since the beginning of last season, suppressed by the ratio. 

It really doesn't matter if Ekakitie is deemed 'pro ready. ' He fits a need he's getting the work necessary to be a pro. We're just lucky we can afford to bring him along while getting high output from others on that line. When there will be a need he will be ready., just like the other draft choices who are filling a need.

 

8 minutes ago, Mr Dee said:

It really doesn't matter if Ekakitie is deemed 'pro ready. ' He fits a need he's getting the work necessary to be a pro. We're just lucky we can afford to bring him along while getting high output from others on that line. When there will be a need he will be ready., just like the other draft choices who are filling a need.

 

 

They will want to separate.   After what we do to them.

Flanders is too good to not play. He deserves to be on the game day roster all year long. 

What I'd like to see, is Santo-Knox get a shot at starting and benching Kyle Knox.

 

1 hour ago, Mr Dee said:

It really doesn't matter if Ekakitie is deemed 'pro ready. ' He fits a need he's getting the work necessary to be a pro. We're just lucky we can afford to bring him along while getting high output from others on that line. When there will be a need he will be ready., just like the other draft choices who are filling a need.

 

When i was at TC Ekakitie stood out to me as a guy who really works hard on his craft. Just watching him in one or two drills on the sled practicing a couple swim and hook moves you could tell he had never done it before, he got it wrong the first couple times. Jake Thomas went after and looked like he definitely had done this drill before and looked very professional and polished. Thomas took Ekakitie to the side and showed him and a couple of the other new guys the footwork and hand positioning. After that Ekakitie tried a couple times in a row even there was only one bag and about 10 defensive tackles waiting for their turn  him do this drill, every time getting better. 

To me this just showed me how raw he really was and more importantly a little work ethic and desire to get better. Also showed coachability and willingness to learn- definitely a Mike O'shea/ Walters guy.

To me, and I don't mean to simplify this ... Ekakitie at TC looked like an out of shape, sloppy mess.

When I've seen him in practice lately, he looks WAY better.

Montreal's 7 Canadian starters: Luc Brodeur-Jordain, Kristian Matte, George Johnson, Samuel Giguere, Jabar Westerman, Jesse Joseph and Dondre Wright

That is ugly ugly ugly

Since we played them 3 weeks ago, they've lost Keith Shologan, Chris Ackie, Philip Blake and J-C Beaulieu for Canadian starters / rotational pieces. They've literally got probably one Canadian starter that would start in other lineups in the league (Westerman)

5 hours ago, bearpants said:

I completely agree... all I, and a few others, were saying is that he was believed to be pro-ready when he was drafted... the fact that he's not playing much is no big deal at all...

Corney and couture still arent ready. Though corney is looking better and better. He imo, is a better prospect then ekakitie.  It was a heavy futures draft for us.