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MONTREAL - No one needs to tell Troy Smith or Kevin Glenn they have to step up their games following disappointing Week 1 losses in which both quarterbacks struggled as the Alouettes welcome the Lions to Montreal for their home opener.The Heisman Trophy-winner replacing future Hall of Famer Anthony Calvillo at quarterback completed fewer than half his passes as the Montreal Alouettes offence fired blanks in its CFL season opener last week in Calgary.Smith hopes to start clicking with his receivers and moving the ball when the Alouettes (0-1) take on the B.C. Lions (0-1) in a bounce-back game for both teams at Percival Molson Stadium on Friday night.It falls on my shoulders as a quarterback, said Smith, who put up only 154 passing yards in a 29-8 loss to the Stampeders. I have to do a better job of decision-making and distributing the ball.We have weapons all over the field, but if we dont protect and get the ball out on time, these weapons mean nothing. So its on me.The Lions 35-year-old pivot Kevin Glenn may be thinking the same. His team took an early 14-0 lead but he then threw four interceptions in a 27-20 loss to the Edmonton Eskimos. It was only the third time the Lions lost at home since 2011.And this week the Lions go into the game with the virtually unknown Ryan Cave playing the key position on the offensive line, left tackle. Cave was rushed in this week after Andre Ramsey fractured an ankle, Cave had only two practices with his new team.The upside is that Cave spent most of training camp with the Alouettes and knows the players he will be trying to block.Everyone knows theres a new guy on the offensive line whos had two days of practice, but hes a very intelligent guy, very football smart, said Glenn. Hes picked up the scheme and blocking assignments very quickly.Well see what happens in a game but I have confidence hell do well.The Alouettes got a break on Thursday when CFL disciplinarians elected to give linebacker Kyries Hebert a fine rather than a suspension for his clothesline tackle on Calgarys Jon Cornish.So the stage is set for yet another in a long history of close battles between the Alouettes and Lions in Montreal. Last season, a last-play Sean Whyte field goal gave Montreal a 39-38 win.B.C. coach Mike Benevides played film of that game to his players as a reminder.What happened last year was BS, said Benevides. We had multiple turnovers and didnt score off it.We became unglued somewhat and, at the end of the game, theres a quarterback that hadnt played a lot (Tanner Marsh) who finds a way to get into field goal range and beat you. You cant let that happen.Smith was tabbed as the Alouettes starter going into their first season since 2000 without CFL al-time passing leader Calvillo behind centre.He had an impressive array of receivers led by S.J. Green, but wasnt able to find them consistently, often overthrowing them. The teams lone touchdown by running back Steven Lumbala came on the final play of the game after pair of Calgary roughing calls put the ball on the one.More reps, more practice, was Smiths answer to what he needs to find his groove. As a quarterback, I think staring down the eye of adversity and understanding that only you can surface yourself out should be fun.Anybody who is worth their weight in marbles would not want to dig themselves into a situation like this, but would love to dig themselves out.How long first-year coach Tom Higgins will stick with Smith if the offence doesnt click remains to be seen. Marsh is the backup, and third stringer Alex Brink has CFL experience.When asked about it, Higgins didnt rule it out. But he expects that Smith only needs time and experience with CFL football to succeed.I dont know if were going to a two-quarterback system, he said. Im hoping thats not the case.But Troy has been under pressure before. Its about production. Its about us giving him an opportunity to be successful. I think we have the ability to run the football. We need to do that. We need to get the ball out of Troys hand quicker in certain situations, but also give him an opportunity to air the ball out.The Alouettes will be without key receiver Duran Carter, as well as safety Mike Edem, with ankle injuries.The Lions have started the season without No. 1 quarterback Travis Lulay, who is on the six-game injured list with a shoulder injury. The 35-year-old Glenn completed 18 of 28 passes for 251 yards against the Eskimos, including 102 yards to Andrew Harris.Cutting down on turnovers will be the top priority, although that will be a challenge against a ball-hungry Montreal defence.Theyre an attack defence, said Glenn. They come after you.They want to disrupt the offence and cause turnovers, and thats one thing we learned last week, that we cant turn the ball over and win.Former Lions defensive end Chris Wilson will likely line up across from Cave, but linebackers like Hebert and Chip Cox will no doubt also test the newcomer as he tries to play one of the most difficult positions on the field with little practice time.Benevides is confident the six-foot-five 345-pound Cave wont be trampled.With the challenge a very good Montreal defence presents, at least his advantage is that hes seen those men and what they can do, said Benevides. Yeah, its not an ideal world to have a professional player playing after two days with the program, but thats the challenge we have to face.Hes done a good job. Hes a smart player, a big player. In three days of knowing him, I like him a lot.Note to readers: CORRECTS Smiths passing yards to 154 sted 148 in fourth graf. Carson Kelly Jersey . -- Chris Jones and Louisville have done a tremendous job protecting the basketball this season and thats led to easy victories. Custom Arizona Diamondbacks Jerseys . Tottenham claimed top spot in Group K by winning 2-0 at Tromso after defender Adnan Causevic scored an own goal before Mousa Dembele put the result beyond doubt. Valencia made sure it will finish first in Group A with a 1-0 win at Swansea thanks to an early goal from Dani Parejo. https://www.cheapdiamondbacksjerseys.us/...dbacks.html.com) - The Boston Bruins announced Monday that the team has signed goaltender Niklas Svedberg to a one-year contract. Brian Anderson Jersey . -- Houstons All-Star tandem of James Harden and Dwight Howard refused to let the Rockets give in to fatigue. Joel Payamps Jersey . Blown save in the ninth inning? No problem.ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals clinched a playoff spot on Sunday, and then lost 7-2 to Jay Bruce and the Cincinnati Reds. St. Louis secured its fourth consecutive post-season appearance when Milwaukee lost to Pittsburgh earlier in the day. But the Cardinals lead in the NL Central was sliced to 2 1/2 games over the Pirates. Bruce hit two of Cincinnatis four homers as the Reds snapped a six-game losing streak. Todd Frazier and Devin Mesoraco also went deep. Reds right-hander Alfredo Simon (15-10) allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings. He was working on a 17-inning scoreless string before St. Louis scored in the fifth. Bruce hit a solo shot in the fourth and another in the eighth. He also had an RBI single in the sixth that gave Cincinnati a 3-1 lead. Yadier Molina and Randal Grichuk hit consecutive RBI doubles in the St. Louis sixth, but the Reds responded with four runs in the eighth. Mesoraco had the big blow, a three-run drive against Sam Tuivailala that made it 6-2. The Reds hit four homers in a game for the third time this season. Lance Lynn (15-10) gave up three runs and four hits in six innings for St. Louis. He also struck out nine to run his season total to 181, making him the first St. Louis pitcher to fan 175 or more in three successsive years since Bob Gibson (1970-1972).dddddddddddd The Cardinals have won seven of nine and close the regular season on the road with three-game sets in Chicago and Arizona. TRAINERS ROOM Reds: Mesoraco returned the lineup after leaving Saturdays game in the fifth inning with the flu. Cardinals: 3B Matt Carpenter and 1B Matt Adams did not play for the second successive night due to stomach illnesses. Both are day to day. UP NEXT Reds: Cincinnati will close out the season with a six-game homestand beginning Tuesday against Milwaukee. RHP Johnny Cueto (18-9, 2.33 ERA) will face RHP Mike Fiers (6-3, 1.78 ERA) in the opener. Cueto, who will also start on Sunday, is looking to become the first Cincinnati pitcher to win 20 games since Danny Jackson went 23-8 in 1988. Cardinals: St. Louis will face the Cubs in the first game of a three-game set on Tuesday in Chicago. RHP Adam Wainwright (19-9, 2.45 ERA) will take on LHP Travis Wood (8-12, 4.86 ERA). Wainwright has thrown two complete games in winning his last four starts. THEY KEEP COMING A crowd of 45,747 gave the Cardinals their 52nd sellout of the season. They averaged 43,712 during the regular season and totalled 3,540,649, the second-highest total in franchise history behind the 2007 campaign. ' ' '