Official Game Day Thread - Montreal at Winnipeg , October 25, 2025

[Tecno]

It's pretty clear that Streveler won't be our # 2 QB next year.

Many keep saying that.  I'm not sure it'll turn out to be true!  I could see them excusing Strev's mediocre play up until he took the brace off (and beyond) as not indicative of what he'll be like when fully healthy.  If he gets his real run threat back up to speed it may open more things for him overall.

But yes, if we think what he showed in the 3-completion game is all he's got going forward, then I don't see how you re-sign him as anything other than a SY guy.

[gobombersgo]

Uh, what's that?

https://3downnation.com/2025/10/22/cfl-cflpa-settlement-provides-50000-salary-cap-exemption-in-2025/

[GOLDMEMBER]

Not sure what to expect here. GOLD MEMBER will be present as it is the Halloween game. Club do8ng anything special for its final game?

[Jesse]

I guess the new $50K SMS ( load management ) addition to sit veterans for all these reasons came into play.

Man, this thing makes no sense to me. As far as I know, we never heard and final comment about the 400k raise to the salary cap, and suddenly teams need an extra 50k?

[Jesse]

I'm shocked at the roster.  This isn't like MOS/Mafia.  Did WM pass down these instructions?

At the time of setting the roster, for both us and MTL, we don't know if we need a win or not to improve our standing.  The exact same boat.  MTL chose to dress their normal crew.  We chose to hand in the towel and dress a pre-season crew?  If anything it should have been the other way around -- OTT in HAM is easier to beat than EDM in EDM right now!!  So we're saying we WANT the crossover?

I'm not sure we've ever done this in Mafia's tenure.  Weird.  Plus, so much for allowing our O to gel more.  Now we walk into a playoff game with the O sucking total rocks in 2 of the last 3 games and nothing working right.  I hope they have something up their sleeve!

That said, with (spoilers) HAM's win, MTL will play Alexander & co maybe 1 half and then play the backups.  They do have his hammie to still worry about, and any Ento / Mack / Alexander injury would spell disaster for their playoff hopes.

So, explain this to me. As far as I recall, we rest our starters every year. Sometimes annoyingly so, because I personally believe that players need to play to be successful in the playoffs-offs.

We can't improve our standing. We are travelling to the east or west semi-final. Our opponent can change, but our standing, for all intents and purposes, cannot.

If our philosophy is to rest players when things are locked up, then it makes sense to rest players.

That said, as a fan, I'm pretty annoyed at attending this game. It's been a bad season and putting this roster on the field to end the season absolutely sucks.

[Blue In BC]

Many keep saying that.  I'm not sure it'll turn out to be true!  I could see them excusing Strev's mediocre play up until he took the brace off (and beyond) as not indicative of what he'll be like when fully healthy.  If he gets his real run threat back up to speed it may open more things for him overall.

But yes, if we think what he showed in the 3-completion game is all he's got going forward, then I don't see how you re-sign him as anything other than a SY guy.

I don't believe there is any chance he's back as the # 2 QB. OTOH I didn't think we'd sign him for 2025. IMO it's just a bad decision to bring him back.

[Blue In BC]

https://3downnation.com/2025/10/22/cfl-cflpa-settlement-provides-50000-salary-cap-exemption-in-2025/

Every team loaded up their 1 game IR this season. It was one way to use the SMS increase not spent in free agency due to the late notice it was going up. The extra $50K is just icing sugar on top.

I can't imagine any team going over the SMS this year. The question is how much excess is left and will be used to re-sign potential free agents before the end of 2025.

That's the good news. The bad news might be having too much then available for 2026 to spend in free agency and more bidding wars and increases to top players.

Will be watching the transactions before the end of the year to see how things look.

[Sway]

I'm not sure the home fans will take kindly to us throwing this game.  Many won't know or understand why Zach isn't starting, etc.  The boo-birds could come out early and often if it's Strev-run-up-the-gut every 2nd down for 20 2&outs.

You'd think they'd want to put one more decent show (read: win) on for the faithful, sold-out home fans?  Even if it's a nothing game, it's always more fun if we win.

Might rub some people the wrong way and cause first-timers to not bother coming again next season.

I agree.  I have no problem resting the starters. Zach is beat up big time.

If Oshea would just give Terry the whole #1 QB game and start him then we would forgive the 20 2 and outs atleast

We know what Strev can do, it's not much and it's  not good

Give Terry the game

[Blue In BC]

Man, this thing makes no sense to me. As far as I know, we never heard and final comment about the 400k raise to the salary cap, and suddenly teams need an extra 50k?

I was wondering the same thing. As I've mentioned I can't see how teams used that extra $400K added after free agency.

Normally teams have some SMS left and use that before the end of the season to re-sign some players. I want to see how this works out with re-signings across the league before Dec 31.

[TBURGESS]

I just don't get the whole SMS thing. Only a couple of teams are making money, but the SMS goes up twice in the same year? Sounds like creative accounting to show a loss to me. 

[Pigskin]

Very windy day. This could come down to the running game and teams.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Very windy day. This could come down to the running game and teams.

And how bad our quarterbacks play. Probably somewhere between very bad and exceptionally hilariously bad.

[The Zipp]

expecting a very vanilla game

[The Zipp]

McLeod Bethel-Thompson now starting for Alouettes vs. Winnipeg. Seems head coach Jason Maas came to his senses following Hamilton's win last night

from herb zurkowsky

[Jesse]

I just don't get the whole SMS thing. Only a couple of teams are making money, but the SMS goes up twice in the same year? Sounds like creative accounting to show a loss to me.

Yeah, they are clearly not counting all their revenue to declare they're "losing" money.