Montreal Alouettes quarterback Davis Alexander was active at the team’s practice session on Wednesday, as TSN’s Matthew Scianitti reports he was dropping back, throwing and jogging on the field in the session.
Alexander’s health has been in the headlines since he tweaked his hamstring in the fourth quarter of the team’s dramatic 19-16 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Eastern Final.
The work on the field indicates a positive sign for Alexander, who Scianitti reported on Tuesday would likely need four-to-five rehab treatments a day to reach a comfort level to play.
Alexander could be seen riding a bike to keep his hamstring warm between practice sessions, which Scianitti notes is likely to be the plan on Sunday.
Alexander twice spent time on the injured list with the injury that limited him to just seven games in his first full season as Montreal’s starter. The Alouettes were 7-0 under Alexander but 3-8 in games he didn’t start.
In his seven starts in the regular season, Alexander was brilliant, throwing for 2,024 yards and 10 touchdowns with just three interceptions.
In the playoffs, Alexander has thrown for 594 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
“Davis has played with this injury for a few games, he played the majority of our training camp with it,” said Montreal head coach Jason Maas. “I know he knows how to deal with it, but it remains to be seen how bad it is.
“If he does not go, we’ll still have the same expectation on our team, which is to go in and win.”
There’s no doubt in Alexander’s mind that he’ll play. When he tweaked the hamstring in the fourth quarter against the Tiger-Cats, Maas instructed backup McLeod Bethel-Thompson to begin warming up only to have Alexander emphatically state he wasn’t coming out of the game.
Alexander is 11-0 during the regular season for Montreal: the best start ever to a CFL career. He has won both of his post-season starts.
Two linemen trending positively; Mack and Sankey questionable
Left tackle Nick Callendar and left guard Pierre Lestage both practised on Wednesday for the Alouettes. Lestage was a late scratch for the Eastern Final while Callendar left the game after making the start.
In other notes, Scianitti reports that wide receiver Austin Mack is dealing with a lower-body issue, while line backer Darnell Sankey practised but spent time on the bike as well.
Montreal and Saskatchewan will meet Sunday for the third time in the Grey Cup. The Alouettes defeated the Riders in 2009 (28-27) and 2010 (21-18).