On Saturday, the Montreal Alouettes announced the addition of American linebacker Bryce Notree and Canadian wide receiver Nate Behar.

The 29-year-old Behar will compete in the CFL for the seventh time. Having played for the Ottawa Redblacks for the previous four seasons, he caught 39 passes for 334 yards and a touchdown in the previous campaign.

The London, Ontario native has made 179 receptions for 1,926 yards and four touchdowns in 90 games with the Edmonton Elks and Redblacks.

After playing his one and only season in the CFL last year, Notree is back in Montreal. In ten games, he made 21 tackles and one sack.

The 25-year-old Arlington, Texas native was cut before the 2022 season even got underway after signing as an undrafted free agent with the Washington Commanders of the National Football League.

In their attempt to win the Grey Cup again, Montreal is 5-1 so far, but they lost to the Toronto Argonauts in Week 6 for the first time this year. On July 25, they play the Saskatchewan Roughriders again.

Nous avons signé le secondeur 🇺🇸 Bryce Notree et le receveur 🇨🇦 Nate Behar
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We have signed 🇺🇸 linebacker Bryce Notree and 🇨🇦 receiver Nate Behar

Brought to you by @Miseojeu #Alouettes

— Alouettes de Montréal (@MTLAlouettes) July 20, 2024

QB Davis Alexander leads the Alouettes over the Ticats after overcoming early errors.

With Alouettes quarterback Davis Alexander starting his first-ever CFL regular season game—on the road, no less—it was expected that he would face challenges.

And Friday night against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, early adversity put the third-year pro’s resolve to the test.

Alexander stumbled on Montreal’s second offensive series after being struck by nose tackle DeWayne Hendrix. Trevor Hoyte, a linebacker, recovered the ball at the Ticats’ 52.

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Alexander’s attempt on the first play of the second quarter, a pass aimed for Cole Spieker into a narrow window, was never good, even though he completed his first four throws for a meager 19 yards. Kenneth George Jr., a defensive back, intercepted the ball and returned it 18 yards for a touchdown.

At this point, the 25-year-old Alexander may have easily given up, and on the Alouettes’ subsequent possession, he mishandled a wide-open Tyson Philpot on a deep route.

After that, though, the quarterback calmed down and demonstrated why management finds him to be so valuable. When Montreal got the ball again, Alexander led the team on a six-play, 80-yard drive that included passes to Philpot and Reggie White Jr. for 19 yards apiece. Midway through the second quarter, Alexander saved his best for last, hitting Charleston Rambo for a 24-yard score in between coverage.

Although few quarterbacks are ever completely flawless, Alexander was instrumental in Montreal’s emphatic 33-16 victory at Tim Hortons Field in front of 20,426 fans.

He connected with seven different receivers on 19 of his 27 passes for 262 yards. He overcame his early hurdles and made things happen with his legs, often dodging possible tackles and throwing the ball with authority.

In addition, the 200-pound, 6-foot player showed off his toughness by coming back from a brutal helmet-to-helmet tackle by Casey Sayles during the fourth quarter. Although Alexander ought to have done a better job of shielding himself, Sayles—who isn’t regarded as a dirty player—did not try to hit the quarterback in the lower body. After the collision, Alexander’s helmet went off, and it seemed like he hurt his lower back during the play.

Sayles was handed a 25-yard roughing the passer penalty for spearing, but this was just one of many calls that referee André Proulx, his staff, and the league’s command center missed, which should have resulted in Sayles’ instant disqualification. Sayles will definitely pay a fee for making an unauthorized gesture.

Amazingly, Alexander made a triumphant comeback on the Als’ subsequent episode.

He stated, “I’m OK, but that was a big-time shot,” in a post-game interview with Hamilton that was broadcast on television. “I have to throw from there while standing there. It seems as though I did. That’s what it costs to play this role. I’ll be OK.

“I just need to focus on my game. I obviously can’t mess up the first two turnovers. Although there was some slipping, I need to handle the ball more carefully. I have faith in our dramatists. Some of the league’s top playmakers are on our team.

In addition to his touchdown, Rambo gained 86 yards by catching four passes. Philpot, who caught five passes for 82 yards, was also productive. After the Ticats closed to within 11 points, tailback Walter Fletcher ran eight times for 56 yards, including a 26-yard gain, and scored a late touchdown on a five-yard off-tackle run.

“We scored 33 points, even though the game wasn’t as clean as we would have liked,” Alexander said to reporters in Hamilton. “I need to do a better job of guarding the ball. There were a few huge plays that I missed. Reps are included, but there’s no justification at all. I’ll recover by next week.

The starting quarterback for Montreal is still up in the air for their rematch with the Ticats at Molson Stadium on Saturday.

While veteran Cody Fajardo’s condition is uncertain, Alexander is definitely ready to play if needed. After practicing again last week, Fajardo—who had been on the six-game disabled list due to a hamstring—was taken off the list. He could have stayed on the six-game injured list and his contract would not have counted against the salary cap, but instead he was placed on the one-game injured list versus Hamilton, suggesting he’s getting close to making a comeback.

Fajardo’s comeback would be welcome, as it seems Caleb Evans’ right knee injury will keep him out of the game forever.

After the Sayles hit, Evans came in for Alexander and gave the Alouettes a 27-8 lead at 9:20 in the fourth quarter by lofting a 39-yard touchdown throw to fullback David Dallaire. It was Dallaire’s first touchdown in the CFL. In the third quarter, Evans added a touchdown on a one-yard run to finish a four-play, 70-yard drive.

However, Evans departed the game shortly after, having gained seven yards on a bootleg that was naked, soon before Fletcher scored. Evans made an attempt to interrupt his run and slide, but he was smacked and landed awkwardly. He was receiving assistance from the field and was unable to bear any weight on his right knee.

On defense, the Alouettes caused quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell a great deal of misery by coming at him from several directions and giving him a confused appearance. Mitchell completed 240 yards of passing but was twice intercepted. The Ticats’ offensive touchdown streak lasted only 12:19 of the fourth quarter.

Returning to the location of their Grey Cup victory from the previous season, Montreal advanced to 7-1 and tied a team record with their seventh straight road victory. After beginning the season 0-5, the Ticats had been on a modest two-game winning streak, but they failed miserably in this litmus test.