MONTREAL — Coach Mike Sherman is aware that if his Montreal Alouettes want to win games, their offence will need to average more than 15 points.

But that will be tough to do against their next opponent. The 4-0 Calgary Stampeders defence has allowed only 9.5 points per outing.

"Obviously 15 points a game isn't going to cut it in the CFL," Sherman said Thursday. "And obviously them only giving up nine points a game is a testimony to what kind of defence they are.

"So we have to play better in order to score more points and hopefully catch them in one of those games where they're not allowing nine points and we're scoring more points than they are."

The Alouettes (1-3) visit McMahon Stadium on Saturday night well rested after a bye week.

They also have starting quarterback Drew Willy back after missing a game with a neck/shoulder injury suffered during their only win this season, a 23-17 decision at Saskatchewan on June 30. However his replacement, Jeff Mathews, is out four-to-six weeks with a foot injury. Vernon Adams will be the back-up.

The Alouettes will also likely be without their top receiver Chris Williams, who is day to day with a hamstring problem. And the ever-changing offensive line should have newcomers Na'Ty Rodgers and supplemental draft pick Tyler Johnstone as the starting tackles.

So while the offence has sputtered early in the CFL season, some of that may stem from the first-year head coach not having a consistent lineup to build on.

"Offence does take a bit of experience and being together and repetition and whatnot, and when you're mixing different pieces in there on a regular basis it slows down the process to a certain degree," said Sherman. "But yes, I do have confidence that we're more than capable of scoring points with our offence, but we have to be able to do certain things better than we're doing them now."

Willy's numbers haven't been terrible. The sixth-year veteran has completed 65.3 per cent of this throws, picking up 549 yards on 49 tosses with only one interception. But only three have gone for touchdowns. And the Alouettes' 54.8 rushing yards per game is last in the nine-team league.

"I think I've been playing well," said Willy. "Obviously, sometimes the results don't show that, in wins and losses, but I think I've been solid.

"I've thrown the ball well. I'm just trying to work on my overall game. There are always things I can improve on."

He will be up against a Calgary side that scores 30 points per game, with a defence that has given up only three touchdowns in four games. They also have league highs with 13 sacks and 14 turnovers. The Stampeders lead in average time of possession at 33 minutes 43 seconds while the Alouettes are last at 26:47.

The Stampeders are coming off a 27-3 win in Ottawa in which back-up Nick Arbuckle played more than half the game after Bo Levi Mitchell suffered a knee injury. Mitchell was back at practice this week, but Arbuckle may get the start.

"They've played well as a defence for sure," said Willy. "A lot of those guys have been together for a while.

"They have a very good defensive line that kind if sets everything off. All three levels of their defence are good. We prepared very hard coming off a bye. We watched a lot of film on them. Any time you get more preparation it should help you going into the game."

Williams, who leads Montreal 283 receiving yards, was hurt in the first half of a 28-18 loss at home to Ottawa in their last outing on July 6 and was replaced by Chris Harper.

Kick returner Stefan Logan also went down against the Redblacks. His replacement is De'Mornay Pierson-El.