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Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Snead, Montreal Alouettes both enjoying solid starts to 2025 CFL regular season
Tyler Snead is making the most of his opportunities early this season with the Montreal Alouettes. The third-year receiver has seven catches for 151 yards in two games. His 21.6-yard average is even more impressive considering Snead has been targeted just eight times compared to 16 for Canadian Tyson Philpot (nine catches, 90 yards and a touchdown) and 14 for Austin Mack (10 receptions, 154 yards). Snead was targeted five times in Montreal's 39-18 win over the Ottawa Redblacks last week, recording four catches for 117 yards. Mack had nine targets (five catches, 103 yards), one more than Philpot (five receptions, 42 yards). 'The coolest thing about playing in this offence, it can be anyone's week on any given gameday,' Snead said. 'We've got many plays we gameplan for based on what the coaches see and like, we have coverages we prepare for early that end up working out in our favour with some big plays. 'Later we get different looks that get people open. It just happened to be a big first half for me (versus Ottawa) but next week it could be a big first half for anybody.' Snead's start is a positive sign given he was slowed by a foot injury last season. After posting 56 catches for 788 yards and five TDs in 15 games as a rookie in 2023, the five-foot-seven, 172-pound Raleigh, N.C., native had 24 receptions for 253 yards in seven contests last year. 'That was like my first major injury, the first time I had to miss games and it was definitely tough,' Snead said. 'But they (Als medical staff) did a great job with rehab and treatment so coming back for the last six games (in '24) and this year, I haven't even noticed it.' Montreal (2-0) visits the Edmonton Elks (0-1) on Thursday night. Its start comes with the remaining three East Division teams all 0-2. 'Tyler has shown tremendous resiliency coming back from an unfortunate injury in his 2024 campaign,' said Kenny Kim of Summit Athletes, Snead's Florida-based representative. 'I fully expected him to tackle his rehab head-on and as a result he's off to a fast start this season. 'Tyler is a humble, hard-working and determined individual and it's my expectation he'll continue to be a dominant force in this league.' Montreal hasn't skipped a beat with Davis Alexander in his first full season as the starter. Alexander won all four of last year's starts and is 6-0 overall. 'He's just a winner,' Snead said. 'Every time he steps on to the field he gets into that different mindset and plays to win. 'If you see your quarterback is confident, making plays, getting fired up and showing everyone he can do it, it's like that snowball effect where everybody wants to play good ball and then feels like everybody is.' But a stout Montreal defence — anchored by veteran linebackers Tyrice Beverette and Darnell Sankey — has more than done its part, allowing just 27 offensive points while forcing seven turnovers. 'We've got the league's best defence and that makes us better going against the best every day and competing,' Snead said. 'They're going to get turnovers, they're going to rally to the ball and hit you. 'I feel like we see a lot of two-and-outs and so it's the offence right back up, which gives us more confidence.' Snead's first CFL campaign was a memorable one, capping it with a '23 Grey Cup victory. Last year, Montreal posted a CFL-best 12-5-1 record before losing a 30-28 East Division final decision to the Toronto Argonauts, who ultimately won the Grey Cup. Snead said that memory fuelled his and many of his teammates' off-season workouts. 'The goal is the same every year, win a Grey Cup,' he said. 'But it (loss) definitely left a bitter taste in our mouth. 'I know that was on the mind of many guys. We put in a lot of hard work in during the off-season and now we're just trying to show it all during the regular season.' Snead, 25, admits sometimes having difficulty believing he's playing football professionally. 'It feels weird calling it a job because I have so much fun doing it,' he said. 'This is what I've loved doing since I was five years old. 'I'm grateful I get to play a game for a living but I love going out and competing with my teammates and sharing a win or learning lessons from a loss. I know one day it's going to end and it won't be here forever so I just try to enjoy everything about it while I can.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Snead, Montreal Alouettes both enjoying solid starts to 2025 CFL regular season
Tyler Snead is making the most of his opportunities early this season with the Montreal Alouettes. The third-year receiver has seven catches for 151 yards in two games. His 21.6-yard average is even more impressive considering Snead has been targeted just eight times compared to 16 for Canadian Tyson Philpot (nine catches, 90 yards and a touchdown) and 14 for Austin Mack (10 receptions, 154 yards). Snead was targeted five times in Montreal's 39-18 win over the Ottawa Redblacks last week, recording four catches for 117 yards. Mack had nine targets (five catches, 103 yards), one more than Philpot (five receptions, 42 yards). 'The coolest thing about playing in this offence, it can be anyone's week on any given gameday,' Snead said. 'We've got many plays we gameplan for based on what the coaches see and like, we have coverages we prepare for early that end up working out in our favour with some big plays. 'Later we get different looks that get people open. It just happened to be a big first half for me (versus Ottawa) but next week it could be a big first half for anybody.' Snead's start is a positive sign given he was slowed by a foot injury last season. After posting 56 catches for 788 yards and five TDs in 15 games as a rookie in 2023, the five-foot-seven, 172-pound Raleigh, N.C., native had 24 receptions for 253 yards in seven contests last year. 'That was like my first major injury, the first time I had to miss games and it was definitely tough,' Snead said. 'But they (Als medical staff) did a great job with rehab and treatment so coming back for the last six games (in '24) and this year, I haven't even noticed it.' Montreal (2-0) visits the Edmonton Elks (0-1) on Thursday night. Its start comes with the remaining three East Division teams all 0-2. 'Tyler has shown tremendous resiliency coming back from an unfortunate injury in his 2024 campaign,' said Kenny Kim of Summit Athletes, Snead's Florida-based representative. 'I fully expected him to tackle his rehab head-on and as a result he's off to a fast start this season. 'Tyler is a humble, hard-working and determined individual and it's my expectation he'll continue to be a dominant force in this league.' Montreal hasn't skipped a beat with Davis Alexander in his first full season as the starter. Alexander won all four of last year's starts and is 6-0 overall. 'He's just a winner,' Snead said. 'Every time he steps on to the field he gets into that different mindset and plays to win. 'If you see your quarterback is confident, making plays, getting fired up and showing everyone he can do it, it's like that snowball effect where everybody wants to play good ball and then feels like everybody is.' But a stout Montreal defence — anchored by veteran linebackers Tyrice Beverette and Darnell Sankey — has more than done its part, allowing just 27 offensive points while forcing seven turnovers. 'We've got the league's best defence and that makes us better going against the best every day and competing,' Snead said. 'They're going to get turnovers, they're going to rally to the ball and hit you. 'I feel like we see a lot of two-and-outs and so it's the offence right back up, which gives us more confidence.' Snead's first CFL campaign was a memorable one, capping it with a '23 Grey Cup victory. Last year, Montreal posted a CFL-best 12-5-1 record before losing a 30-28 East Division final decision to the Toronto Argonauts, who ultimately won the Grey Cup. Snead said that memory fuelled his and many of his teammates' off-season workouts. 'The goal is the same every year, win a Grey Cup,' he said. 'But it (loss) definitely left a bitter taste in our mouth. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 'I know that was on the mind of many guys. We put in a lot of hard work in during the off-season and now we're just trying to show it all during the regular season.' Snead, 25, admits sometimes having difficulty believing he's playing football professionally. 'It feels weird calling it a job because I have so much fun doing it,' he said. 'This is what I've loved doing since I was five years old. 'I'm grateful I get to play a game for a living but I love going out and competing with my teammates and sharing a win or learning lessons from a loss. I know one day it's going to end and it won't be here forever so I just try to enjoy everything about it while I can.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2025.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rider Rumblings Ep 165: Roughriders picking each other up in 2-0 start
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are off to a 2-0 start. After beating the Ottawa Redblacks in Week 1, the Green and White picked up a second straight victory to begin the 2025 CFL season with a 28-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday. In Episode 165 of the Rider Rumblings podcast, Leader-Post sports editor Taylor Shire and columnist Darrell Davis discuss the highs and lows in the game from Brett Lauther's kicking problems to A.J. Ouellette's strong performance returning from a concussion. The duo also previews Saskatchewan's Week 3 matchup as the Riders get set to visit the Toronto Argonauts on Friday night in their second straight road game against an East Division opponent. 10 Thoughts: Roughriders run game, kicking problems and more The Big Question: What will the Saskatchewan Roughriders do about their kicking situation? The Regina Leader-Post has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe. With some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Click here to subscribe.
Vancouver Sun
6 days ago
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
What we've learned about the Ottawa Redblacks through two games of the CFL season
The soundtrack of post-game quotes emanating from the Ottawa Redblacks on Friday was more like a broken record than the missed opportunity of tying one. For the second straight week, their own fingerprints were all over the weapon that killed their chances of breaking into the win column this season. They added a new mode of death with four turnovers on three interceptions, but the word 'penalties' is prominent in the obit of their 39-18 loss to the Montreal Alouettes The Redblacks aren't 0-2 just because they were flagged 11 times for 98 yards against the Alouettes and now have taken a total of 23 penalties for 224 yards — or slightly more than the length of a football field per game. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. In their home opener, for instance, they proved to be inferior to their nearest division rival in almost every way. But the handkerchiefs tossed Ottawa's way remain a pressing problem for a team that also led the Canadian Football League in penalty yards last season. 'We have to understand that we can't let two turn into four,' receiver Eugene Lewis, who was unable to bring his consecutive games touchdown streak to a CFL-record tying 10 games, said of the number in the loss column while there's still a zero under the W. 'It's still early in the season. This doesn't define us as a team, but we've got to be way more disciplined. 'We can't have as many turnovers, we can't have the penalties because that's always a recipe for losing. We know that, and we know what we've got to do to get better.' Lewis blamed the fouls for interrupting the team's 'rhythm' on drives. 'When we did have a positive play, we'd go back minus five,' he said. But even more damaging than the four offensive penalties — a time-count violation by quarterback Matt Shiltz, an illegal procedure call on rookie tackle Darta Lee and the offsides committed by receivers Bralon Addison and Kalil Pimpleton — were the five by the defence. While head coach Bob Dyce pointed a finger at himself for not doing a better job of getting the players to realize the 'challenge' penalties created — 'When you work hard to earn things, you can't give things away,' he said — he does pound the message into them daily. What else does he plan to do? 'I have ways,' Dyce said. 'We'll go forward and take care of that this week.' That could be bad news for American defensive back Robert Priester, a five-year veteran who has won a couple of Grey Cups with the Toronto Argos. Against the Alouettes, Priester was Ottawa's co-leader in defensive tackles with five, but two (not one, but TWO) were illegal horse-collar personal fouls that came just snaps before a Montreal field goal and touchdown. If that wasn't enough, in the third quarter Priester was called for unnecessary roughness — a penalty Dyce has labelled 'selfish' — in the scrum that started when teammate Adarius Pickett was flagged for roughing the passer. Would the Redblacks release Priester, who was signed as a free agent in the offseason, and move Bennett Williams, who is used mostly on special teams, into his job as the boundary side DB? Williams, who is primarily a backup for Pickett at strong-side linebacker, did sub in for Priester at one point against Montreal, a game in which he was one of the Redblacks' most productive players with two total tackles, one for a loss and a forced fumble. We'll learn what repercussions Dyce imposes when the Redblacks return to the practice field in preparation for next Saturday's game in Calgary against the Stampeders. Well, for one thing, the extra couple of inches he has on Dru Brown wasn't much of an advantage. Two of his interceptions were deflected at the line of scrimmage, while the other was gobbled up by defensive end Lwal Uguak on the first offensive play of the second quarter. 'It's frustrating as heck,' Shiltz, the 32-year-old veteran backup, said of the interceptions. 'As a quarterback, you think you're seeing the field. You're not necessarily making a bad decision (when) throwing it to the other team, it's more so defensive linemen making those plays at the line of scrimmage. It's something that we're going to have to watch to see how we can mitigate those.' Shiltz completed 68.8 per cent of his passes (22 of 32) for 205 yards, which included a third-quarter TD toss to Addison that kept the Redblacks in the game. But, by his own admission, Shiltz didn't do enough to help Ottawa pull out a victory. 'And that's goal number one,' he said. 'You always want to put your best foot forward, especially in that backup role, and getting an opportunity to show what you can do. And, then, most importantly is mind everything out there for your team and want to get the win for them. Obviously, we didn't play good enough as an offence, as a team, and Montreal did.' Dyce liked seeing the offence have more success in the second half after producing just three points in the first, but the penalties were still on his mind when he gave his overall assessment of the game. 'At the end of the day, there's no moral victories or anything like that,' Dyce said. 'Our job is to work and be a consistent, physical football team and not hurt ourselves.' As for an evaluation of Shiltz's play without the benefit of looking at the video, Dyce again referred to the flags. 'There were obviously a few timing or procedural things, but we practised with this group all week, so that should have been worked out,' he said. It was in his hands. Shiltz hit Lewis at the goal-line with a 30-yard third-quarter toss, but, while Montreal's Lorenzo Burns was called for pass interference to set up the Redblacks' first touchdown on a Dustin Crum one-yard plunge, Lewis noted it should have never reached that point. 'I dropped it,' he said. 'I ain't gonna lie to you. Literally, a touchdown hit my body. I even kind of timed it up for that. I thought I was gonna catch it and just drop in the end-zone. I've done it before. It just popped out.' Lewis said the streak wasn't on his mind in the fourth quarter. 'Honestly, at that point I was thinking about winning,' he said. 'When you're doing that much, that's when you don't want to be selfish because then people will start noticing that you're just thinking about yourself. So if I went to the sideline and said, 'Listen, we're down 20, let's just try to get the touchdown now,' that's not right. If it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen. If it's not gonna happen, it's not gonna happen. Like I told Coach Bob Dyce, let's start another one.' 'We're grown men,' Lewis said. 'We've been playing this game for a long time. We get paid to do this, and we gotta do what we're asked to do. That's part of having a job. The penalties will never help you in any sport. Hockey, football, basketball, soccer, anything. You don't want to have penalties because, at the end of the day, that's a recipe to lose the game.'
Ottawa Citizen
6 days ago
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
What we've learned about the Ottawa Redblacks through two games of the CFL season
The soundtrack of post-game quotes emanating from the Ottawa Redblacks on Friday was more like a broken record than the missed opportunity of tying one. Article content For the second straight week, their own fingerprints were all over the weapon that killed their chances of breaking into the win column this season. Article content Article content They added a new mode of death with four turnovers on three interceptions, but the word 'penalties' is prominent in the obit of their 39-18 loss to the Montreal Alouettes Article content Article content The Redblacks aren't 0-2 just because they were flagged 11 times for 98 yards against the Alouettes and now have taken a total of 23 penalties for 224 yards — or slightly more than the length of a football field per game. Article content Article content In their home opener, for instance, they proved to be inferior to their nearest division rival in almost every way. Article content But the handkerchiefs tossed Ottawa's way remain a pressing problem for a team that also led the Canadian Football League in penalty yards last season. Article content 'We have to understand that we can't let two turn into four,' receiver Eugene Lewis, who was unable to bring his consecutive games touchdown streak to a CFL-record tying 10 games, said of the number in the loss column while there's still a zero under the W. 'It's still early in the season. This doesn't define us as a team, but we've got to be way more disciplined. Article content Article content 'We can't have as many turnovers, we can't have the penalties because that's always a recipe for losing. We know that, and we know what we've got to do to get better.' Article content Lewis blamed the fouls for interrupting the team's 'rhythm' on drives. Article content 'When we did have a positive play, we'd go back minus five,' he said. Article content But even more damaging than the four offensive penalties — a time-count violation by quarterback Matt Shiltz, an illegal procedure call on rookie tackle Darta Lee and the offsides committed by receivers Bralon Addison and Kalil Pimpleton — were the five by the defence. Article content While head coach Bob Dyce pointed a finger at himself for not doing a better job of getting the players to realize the 'challenge' penalties created — 'When you work hard to earn things, you can't give things away,' he said — he does pound the message into them daily.
