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Shawn Lemon to make 2025 CFL debut with Montreal Alouettes against Riders
By 3Down Staff -August 1, 2025
Veteran defensive lineman Shawn Lemon is set to make his season debut with the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday night.
The 36-year-old was recently reinstated by the CFL after serving an indefinite suspension for gambling on CFL games in 2021 while he was a member of the Calgary Stampeders, including one in which he played. He appealed the decision, which was upheld by an independent arbitrator after he played the first four games of the 2024 season.
Lemon also served a two-game suspension he was assessed in February 2025 for violating the league's drug policy. He tested positive for the banned substance Phentermine, a common weight-loss drug, and his appeal of the punishment was denied.
The six-foot, 248-pound defender first joined the Alouettes in 2023, helping the club win a Grey Cup. In 17 regular-season games for Montreal, he has recorded 32 defensive tackles, 10 sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble, and a defensive touchdown. Over 152 regular-season CFL games, he has recorded 243 defensive tackles, 102 sacks, 30 forced fumbles, and three interceptions.
Alexander Hollins will also make his season debut, starting at field-side slotback. The veteran receiver was released after participating in training camp with the Edmonton Elks.
The 28-year-old recorded 61 receptions for 937 yards with six touchdowns as a member of the B.C. Lions in 2024. The Yazoo City, Miss. native earned West Division all-star honours in 2023 after recording 78 receptions for 1,173 yards with nine touchdowns.
Dylan Wynn has also returned to the starting lineup after missing four games due to injury. The veteran defensive tackle has made four defensive tackles and one sack over three games this season.
The Alouettes have also placed star receiver Austin Mack on the one-game injured list and Canadian defensive back Nate Beauchemin on the six-game injured list.
The Montreal Alouettes (5-2) will host the Saskatchewan Roughriders (6-1) on Saturday, August 2 with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. EDT. The Roughriders are coming off a 21-18 win over Edmonton, while the Alouettes completed a comeback victory over the Stampeders in Calgary.
The weather forecast in Montreal calls for a high of 25 degrees with a mix of sun and cloud. The game will be broadcast on TSN and RDS in Canada, CBS Sports in the United States, and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune-in on 620 CKRM in Regina and TSN 690 in Montreal.
https://3downnation.com/2025/08/01/shawn-lemon-to-make-2025-cfl-debut-with-montreal-alouettes-against-riders/
Starting offensive linemen Payton Collins, Zack Fry return for Saskatchewan Roughriders
By 3Down Staff -August 1, 2025
The Saskatchewan Roughriders will have two starting offensive linemen back in the lineup when they take on the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday night.
Payton Collins, who missed the team's past six games due to a knee injury, will start at left tackle. The six-foot-seven, 301-pound native of Columbus, Ohio started the team's season-opening win over the Ottawa Redblacks. The rookie played 56 collegiate games at Eastern Kentucky University before turning pro.
Zack Fry will start at left guard after missing last week's win over the Edmonton Elks due to a head injury. The 24-year-old native of London, Ont. was originally a second-round pick in the 2022 CFL Draft out of Western University and has since played 22 regular-season CFL games with Saskatchewan.
The Riders have started nine different offensive linemen through seven games so far this season, including three each at left tackle and left guard. Despite this, the team is tied for fourth league-wide with nine sacks allowed on the year.
Saskatchewan has also moved Canadian receiver Samuel Emilus to the six-game injured list. The native of Montreal, Que. has caught 20 passes for 361 yards and two touchdowns over four games so far this season but suffered a knee injury this past week.
Tommy Nield will make his first start for the Riders in place of Emilus. The six-foot-three, 203-pound native of Guelph, Ont. signed with the team after a four-year run with the Toronto Argonauts, during which he caught 63 passes for 776 yards and two touchdowns to help the team win two Grey Cups. The 26-year-old was originally a fourth-round pick in the 2021 CFL Draft out of McMaster University.
The Riders have also placed Canadian defensive lineman Lake Korte-Moore on the six-game injured list and rookie offensive lineman Darius Washington on the one-game injured list.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders (6-1) will visit the Montreal Alouettes (5-2) on Saturday, August 2 with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. EDT. The Roughriders are coming off a 21-18 win over Edmonton, while the Alouettes completed a comeback victory over the Stampeders in Calgary.
The weather forecast in Montreal calls for a high of 25 degrees with a mix of sun and cloud. The game will be broadcast on TSN and RDS in Canada, CBS Sports in the United States, and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune-in on 620 CKRM in Regina and TSN 690 in Montreal.
https://3downnation.com/2025/08/01/starting-offensive-lineman-payton-collins-zack-fry-return-for-saskatchewan-roughriders/
Shawn Lemon's first game back.
When on earth did MTL pick up Hollins? I thought he was couch sitting? How much $ did he command? Darn darn darn, he would have been a great pickup if Schoen is season-ended.
And MTL is starting him... plug & play, turnkey solution. They lose Mack, they get Hollins. Why can't we have nice things?
Very strange GD roster choices in MTL. Look at that stacked LB depth. You'd think their HC was MOS! Only 1 extra dressed DL. Very strange... they don't think SSK is gonna run??
And 3 backup OL. Very odd. But all are NAT, so I guess who cares.
They're doing the DNA trick with Spieker this week, "not starting" him. He's been their best REC this season. MTL just seems to keep making good RECs out of heretofore nobodies... Their whole line up is stout, except maybe Harris (who?). Them getting Hollins just seems like an embarrassment of riches. Rub it in, guys!
Uguak Wynn Oakman Berglund Lemon is one imposing DL. Good look Thor.
Boy it would be nice for us if MTL can pound those green goblins, even with "only" MBT at QB. If T.Harris takes a couple of pancakes from Uguak or Oakman, he may get his famous happy feet. Or Lemonated.
What happened to Thorpe elite defense? Riders 10 plays with 7 minutes of time and a TD. Can't stand that coach can you tell LOL
I dont get what rtp is anymore, sometimes they call any contact no matter how small and then they'll let it go.
I agree by the way that it shouldn't be but its often called
Quote from: barbk on August 02, 2025, 11:21:30 PMWhat happened to Thorpe elite defense? Riders 10 plays with 7 minutes of time and a TD. Can't stand that coach can you tell LOL
First series of a game always seems difficult to defend against as you just don't know what they're going to do. Once you see what their game plan is and what they've obviously been practicing all week you can make adjustments and things seem to settle down. That seems to be the case here as the Als D seems dialed in now.
My concern for this game is MBT. Going up against this Rider D is going to be a tough task for him.
Is Corey Mace looking a little porkier than usual? lol
Als down by two scores now. This is where MBT tries to force something and makes a big mistake. MBT just sucks.
The Als D is going to suffer mightily without Duquoy. There's the MBT pick, right on schedule.
MBT cont even complete. Simple out.
Tried to kill #3 with a high throw.
Quote from: GOLDMEMBER on August 03, 2025, 12:14:03 AMMBT cont even complete. Simple out.
Tried to kill #3 with a high throw.
Yeah, he's brutal. Should have been picked again. 8 of 15 for 53 yards and a pick at the half.
He has been responsible for killing lots of receivers with those crappy throws. I'd hate having to catch balls thrown by this guy. >:(
Keep looking for the Riders weakness but it gets harder to find with every passing week. Harris is playing very well, Oullette is looking new and improved and their defense is killer. Coming into this year I thought it was their secondary, but with such a ferocious pass rush that's easy to cover up. Bombers will be legitimately challenged in their back to back with the Riders coming up shortly, wouldn't be surprised if they went 0-2.
Quote from: Throw Long Bannatyne on August 03, 2025, 12:32:03 AMKeep looking for the Riders weakness but it gets harder to find with every passing week. Harris is playing very well, Oullette is looking new and improved and their defense is killer. Coming into this year I thought it was their secondary, but with such a ferocious pass rush that's easy to cover up. Bombers will be legitimately challenged in their back to back with the Riders coming up shortly, wouldn't be surprised if they went 0-2.
I dunno. In July they looked shaky. They played Edmonton, BC, and Calgary. They narrowly beat BC and Edm by a combined 9 points and both those teams are dumpster fires. They lost to Calgary by 2 TDs. In this game, their first of August, they're playing an Als teams that's missing their star QB, Davis Alexander and their star safety, Antoine Dequoy. Who have they beat that wasn't a crappy team or a severely compromised team?
Suitor is almost unbearable. He sounded completely disengaged and uninterested in his last game but in this one, he gets to call his wet dream team, and is completely engaged and interested with every nuance as the Riders play a team that is severely wounded on both sides of the ball. He should never be allowed to cover Rider games.
MBT should be unemployed by tomorrow morning.
Riders are.laying a whuppin on the lowly Als. They're for real.
Quote from: Pete on August 02, 2025, 11:40:30 PMI dont get what rtp is anymore, sometimes they call any contact no matter how small and then they'll let it go.
I agree by the way that it shouldn't be but its often called
Ooooh that flag-pickup to end the 1st Q is probably making Riderforum absolutely MENTAL. They already thought it was all rigged against SSK.
I'm not sure I've ever seen a "tap to the head" get picked up before. Called, yes. Ignored, yes. Thrown & picked up. No.
The rule says the whack must be a "blow", I guess call it a "punch". The "rub" we saw here wasn't a punch.
However, they have called such a "rub" RTP before... so ya, consistency issues.
Quote from: barbk on August 02, 2025, 11:21:30 PMWhat happened to Thorpe elite defense? Riders 10 plays with 7 minutes of time and a TD. Can't stand that coach can you tell LOL
It's easy, stay away from Ento and Dequoy. In this game Ento is out, so that task becomes easier.
MTL is a very long-hawky team. If you don't throw it long, they can't hawk ya. If we didn't do any long throws in '23 GC, we likely win because Ento wouldn't have that EZ pick. MTL is very vulnerable to the dink & dunk, and their DBs are undersized (hey, like ours!).
Edit: Haha, then Dequoy goes down. Ya, so MTL's league-top DB corps looked worse than ours with Bridges in without Ento & Dequoy. That allowed Trevor to go mid/deep way more than MTL would normally allow. It would be like us losing Nichols & Holm for a game.
And then MTL losing their C. Ya, when all the injuries are on one team, that team will usually lose.
We're in tough for our 3 games vs SSK this season. Mace has all phases clicking. Their O is executing at a level we can only dream of right now, even if it is short-mostly.
Their DL rotation scheme will make pressure a huge problem, but their DBs are weak. So get some pure go routes going and chuck up rainbows. Forget the short game: they'll have it all covered to match their pressure. Running will be darn tough.
I think the key will be what it always has been said to be with Trevor: sack him 1-2 times early. I don't care what it takes in terms of blitz, we need to make a try for that. Rattle him early and hopefully he'll revert to Bad Trevor.
And hopefully come LDC our O will be much better.
MTL has no run game. STE/Theiss aren't real threats. Compare with the year they beat us in GC. I don't know why they thought they could be great without a real run threat. It's bizarre choice from usually very smart Maciocia.
Quote from: TecnoGenius on August 03, 2025, 09:03:59 AMWe're in tough for our 3 games vs SSK this season. Mace has all phases clicking. Their O is executing at a level we can only dream of right now, even if it is short-mostly.
Their DL rotation scheme will make pressure a huge problem, but their DBs are weak. So get some pure go routes going and chuck up rainbows. Forget the short game: they'll have it all covered to match their pressure. Running will be darn tough.
I think the key will be what it always has been said to be with Trevor: sack him 1-2 times early. I don't care what it takes in terms of blitz, we need to make a try for that. Rattle him early and hopefully he'll revert to Bad Trevor.
And hopefully come LDC our O will be much better.
Just a minor question for you. Enquiring minds want to know why you thing the Bombers O will be any better come the LDC?
The whole team has to get better by Labour Day or they are going to destroy us. We need Zach back. We need Shoen back. And we need another downfield threat. The defence needs to develop, but it needs to do it faster.
Quote from: BBRT on August 03, 2025, 04:01:03 PMJust a minor question for you. Enquiring minds want to know why you thing the Bombers O will be any better come the LDC?
Optimism. We might have Bryant back. Lofton just came off the 6 game IR for his 1st game. Sterns is gaining steam and improving each week.
Next week might be the 1st week that we have our intended OL intact if Bryant is ready.
It's possible that Schoen's injury is not season ending although we haven't heard anything one way or the other.
Wilson may become available in the next few weeks.
I think Wilson is in tough to make the Jets. There are at least 9 receivers ahead of him (and as many as 11) on the depth charts posted. Most NFL teams roster 6 wide receivers, and the Jets only kept 2 WR on the practice roster last year. Of course injuries could change all this. Also, even if he gets cut, he may hang around down south hoping for a break. Would really like to see him back before the playoffs. He's not Kenny Lawler but he's an upgrade over what we're starting now.
Quote from: BBRT on August 03, 2025, 04:01:03 PMJust a minor question for you. Enquiring minds want to know why you thing the Bombers O will be any better come the LDC?
That miracle lies in Zach's hands, if he can return to his top standard TD passes will out number interceptions, and with that Brady becomes a legitimate force again.
Quote from: Throw Long Bannatyne on August 03, 2025, 07:48:00 PMThat miracle lies in Zach's hands, if he can return to his top standard TD passes will out number interceptions, and with that Brady becomes a legitimate force again.
I wouldn't hold my breath on Collaros returning to form—he hasn't in a year plus.
Quote from: bunker on August 03, 2025, 06:07:52 PMI think Wilson is in tough to make the Jets. There are at least 9 receivers ahead of him (and as many as 11) on the depth charts posted. Most NFL teams roster 6 wide receivers, and the Jets only kept 2 WR on the practice roster last year. Of course injuries could change all this. Also, even if he gets cut, he may hang around down south hoping for a break. Would really like to see him back before the playoffs. He's not Kenny Lawler but he's an upgrade over what we're starting now.
There's also Makai Polk, who I think is floating around right now down south.
Quote from: bomb squad on August 04, 2025, 01:54:20 AMThere's also Makai Polk, who I think is floating around right now down south.
Unfortunately, I think he belongs to Argos for one more year.
Quote from: bunker on August 03, 2025, 06:07:52 PMI think Wilson is in tough to make the Jets. There are at least 9 receivers ahead of him (and as many as 11) on the depth charts posted. Most NFL teams roster 6 wide receivers, and the Jets only kept 2 WR on the practice roster last year. Of course injuries could change all this. Also, even if he gets cut, he may hang around down south hoping for a break. Would really like to see him back before the playoffs. He's not Kenny Lawler but he's an upgrade over what we're starting now.
The Jets are such a bad team if he can't make it there he isn't likely to make it anywhere and if he realizes that he may be back sooner than later. We could certainly use him.
Quote from: dd on August 03, 2025, 11:24:53 PMI wouldn't hold my breath on Collaros returning to form—he hasn't in a year plus.
He's gone from having a rock solid O-line to one that isn't and he's gone from having a pride of stellar receivers to a somewhat lesser collection. It's not really fair to expect him to keep making a silk purse out of a sow's ear. In a Grey Cup year he must be wondering ***?
Quote from: BBRT on August 03, 2025, 04:01:03 PMJust a minor question for you. Enquiring minds want to know why you thing the Bombers O will be any better come the LDC?
Stan Vant/Rand Ko-man Neuf Lofton --- jumbo: Eli Wallace
Wheatfall Schoen Demski Clercius Pokey
Brady Zach Ike
This line-up would make us instantly nearly as good as '24. That is a darn good AR O roster on paper. Everyone would have tons of WFC experience/snaps by then.
It requires 3 IR returns and an NFL return. Hinges all on Schoen not being a 2025 bust. Pokey timing may be a bit after LDC, but should be here by the 3rd SSK game.
If we roll into the post-season with the above team, and the DB unit fixes their head-in-butt syndrome, then we can match anyone if our coords also smarten up.
Depth will be good too: Sterns, D.Mitchell, Corcoran, Cooley, Case, plus good depth on LB, ok on DL/DB...
We're a good team just a couple of pieces away from glory!