WINNIPEG 鈥� Speaking with his mental performance coach was part of Trevor Harris鈥檚 preparations this week before his first start for the Montreal Alouettes.
The nine-year CFL quarterback, who was traded from Edmonton to Montreal last month, will be under centre when the Alouettes (6-5) visit the CFL-leading Winnipeg Blue Bombers (10-1) at IG Field on Saturday.
鈥淚 feel I'm in a great spot,鈥� Harris said Friday. 鈥淓ven when things are tough, you know, it's about how you frame things.
鈥淎nd whatever happens to you, you鈥檝e got to understand things are happening for you, not to you, and if you can realize that it's going to help you grow in situations like this.鈥�
Harris, 35, said he鈥檚 had Dr. Chantale Lussier as his mental performance coach since 2018, when he was with the Ottawa Redblacks and the team hired her. Playing quarterback is 鈥渕ore than half mental鈥� so they talk on a weekly basis.
鈥淪he's dug me out of the ditch and picked me up out of the mud so many times that I can't even count,鈥� Harris said. 鈥淏ut without her help through this transition, I don't know that I would have been able to deal with it as smoothly.鈥�
Lussier lives near Montreal and went to watch the Alouettes lose 19-14 to Saskatchewan last weekend. Harris replaced Matthew Shiltz for the fourth quarter and went 12-of-15 passing for 123 yards and a touchdown.
Shiltz is on the one-game injured list (knee) so Harris will be backed up by Shea Patterson.
The Alouettes will try to end Winnipeg鈥檚 eight-game win streak. The Blue Bombers are 6-0 at home this season.
Harris knows about losing at IG Field. He started for the Elks in a 30-3 loss to the Bombers on Oct. 8, completing only 9-of-22 passes before being replaced by Taylor Cornelius. It was his last game as a starter as he was scratched for Edmonton鈥檚 next game and then traded to Montreal on Oct. 17.
Winnipeg has already clinched first place in the West Division and will host the division final Dec. 5. Montreal will get a playoff spot if the sa国际传媒 Lions lose to Hamilton on Friday night or the Alouettes beat Winnipeg.
Bomber players and coaches continue to talk about getting better instead of coasting into the playoffs.
Evidence of that was seen on Saturday鈥檚 roster, as newly signed kicker Sergio Castillo and cornerback Winston Rose will make their season debuts against Montreal. Both were CFL all-stars in 2019, Rose with the Grey Cup-winning Bombers and Castillo with the Lions.
Winnipeg middle linebacker Adam Bighill said it was good the defence had some film on Harris playing in Montreal鈥檚 system.
鈥淚 think the offence lends itself really well to what Trevor's very comfortable with, with the RPO (run-pass option) game, and getting the ball out quick and finding open guys,鈥� Bighill said.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 first off built on a successful run game, which they've had, so when you can run the ball and be a running threat, it just opens up the passing abilities that much more.
鈥淪o that's why it's important for us to take care of the run and make sure that we can try to make them more one-dimensional.鈥�
Football fans might want to focus on the action in the trenches as Montreal running back William Stanback aims at going over 1,000 rushing yards for the second straight season. He leads the league in carries (152) and rushing yards (960) and has three TDs.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 going to be a battle,鈥� Stanback said. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 going to be one for the books.
鈥淲e have a great offensive line. The guys have been together for a while and they know each other鈥檚 tendencies, they know each other鈥檚 likes. (Winnipeg鈥檚) defensive line is great. You can鈥檛 sleep on them.鈥�
Bombers star running back Andrew Harris (knee) will miss a second straight game. Brady Oliveira will start again.
Montreal鈥檚 defence is also formidable. It leads the league with 44 sacks, including 24 in the last four games. Winnipeg has 31.
鈥淭hey give you a lot of looks,鈥� Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros said. 鈥淭hey're a physical group, like I mentioned, and they get after the passer so we're going to have to play a great game to win.鈥�
MONTREAL (6-5) AT WINNIPEG (10-1)
Saturday, IG Field
GREAT STARTS: Winnipeg has only trailed once after the first quarter this season. Montreal has trailed five times and won two of those games.
QB STREAKS: Bombers QB Zach Collaros has won eight consecutive starts for the first time in his career.
PENALTY WOES: The Als have racked up 10 or more penalties in five of their last six games.
This report by The Canadian Press report was first published Nov. 5, 2021.
Judy Owen, The Canadian Press
Note to readers: This is a corrected version of an earlier story. Montreal will get a playoff spot if the sa国际传媒 Lions lose to Hamilton on Friday night or the Alouettes beat Winnipeg.
