Montreal Alouettes’ quarterback Cody Fajardo will be available for his team’s clash with the B.C. Lions on Saturday, though head coach Jason Maas remains evasive as to whether or not he’ll get the start.
The 32-year-old missed last week’s game after celebrating the birth of his second child and was not in attendance at practice in Montreal on Thursday. However, Fajardo is expected to join the team in Vancouver on Friday after catching a flight from his home in Reno, Nev.
“He’s already out West. There was no need (for him to come back) the way it worked out,” Maas explained. “Last week, we were expecting him to come back but schedule-wise, it just didn’t work for him and his family, so he decided to stay home and we were good with that.”
“The expectation was we’d have one practice here this week. He did all of our calls this morning, got the game plan late last night and did everything with us today meeting-wise. It just made more sense for him to stay home.”
Fajardo has appeared in 12 games this season for the Alouettes, completing 224-of-335 passes for 2,867 yards, 15 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He has also scrambled 47 times for 255 yards and three majors.
Backup Davis Alexander got the nod for Montreal’s Thanksgiving Day victory over Ottawa, throwing for 208 yards and an interception while rushing for a touchdown. He is undefeated through four games as a starter this season and had a come-from-behind victory in his debut off the bench, completing 87-of-126 passes for 1,180 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions.
While Fajardo’s absence and the fact that the Alouettes have clinched first place would indicate to most that Alexander is in line for a second straight start, Maas insisted that both players will see action.
“You’re assuming that Davis is starting, so I’ll just let you assume that,” he shot back at one reporter. “But at the end of the day, yes, we know that Davis will play in this game. We want our quarterbacks playing — both of them.”
The Alouettes are expected to rest several other starters this week, with defensive tackle Mustafa Johnson and receiver Austin Mack sitting out with nagging injuries. The latter of the two comes as something of a surprise given that the reigning CFL all-star just made his return from a prolonged absence last week, but Maas will not be taking chances with such a valuable player before the playoffs.
“It’s a short week for us. We’re able to play other people, we know what Austin’s dealing with and we just want to make sure he’s as healthy as he’s going to be for the stretch,” he remarked. “Playing him in five days wasn’t smart for us, so we chose to sit him. He didn’t want to sit and he feels good but it’s what’s best for our football team.”
Maas does not appear to have any similar qualms about dressing his franchise quarterback without a single practice rep in two weeks, insisting that Fajardo has been throwing on his own in Nevada to stay active.
“He didn’t have a baby, his wife had a baby,” he said, tongue firmly in cheek. “He’s been able to run and throw a bit, so he’ll be ready.”
The Alouettes (12-3-1) will visit the B.C. Lions (8-9) on Saturday, October 19 at 7:00 p.m. EDT.
