Distribute six additional cards, face down, to each player. You may look at these cards. Select three of these cards and place them face up on your 3DOWN cards to create your 3UP 3DOWN pile, as shown below.

None of that matters if they don’t deliver in the playoffs, however, and they’ll look to avoid the fate of the legendary 16-2 Edmonton team of 1989, which fell to a far weaker opponent than these Alouettes to end their historic run. For their part, Montreal has embraced the underdog role and delivered a decisive victory over Hamilton last week. An aggressive defence has pushed them to their best record since the retirement of Anthony Calvillo, but couldn’t figure out the Argos in three losses this year. Canadian players have always been the heart and soul of the CFL, even if attempts have been made in recent years to minimize the impact of homegrown talent. Specialists: Rene Paredes, Calgary Stampeders; Marc Liegghio, Winnipeg Blue Bombers; Tyson Philpot, Montreal Alouettes

Object of the Game

The value of the card you play must be equal to or greater than the value of the card in the discard pile. Note: You may play any card on an open/cleared discard pile. TOTALS AGAINST THE SPREAD: Montreal 8, Toronto 3 Photo: Neil Noonan/3DownNation. All rights reserved. BALLANTINE: The forecast puts this game right around the freezing mark which takes away the potential deep-freeze home-field advantage. The Lions will take the crowd out of it early.

The "Clear", "Clear + 1", and "Clear + 2" cards are greater in value than all numbered cards. Refer to the "CLEAR CARDS" section for how to play each type of Clear card.ABBOTT: With all due respect to Cody Fajardo, the reason why the Alouettes have been underdogs all season is that they haven’t beaten anybody of substance. The Montreal offence is about as scary as a kitten and their impressive defence is dwarfed in talent by that of their opponent. If the Argos are who they say they are, this will be over by halftime. FILOSO: If this game was being played in Vancouver, I’d be taking the Lions. But it’s not, and I don’t see B.C.’s offence — predicated on precise timing — working well in the snow. SMITH: The Als beat up on teams that aren’t all that good, as they did last week against Hamilton, and lose to very good teams, like the one they’ll play this weekend in Toronto. That spread is just a touch too high for me, though.

HODGE: Montreal will need close to a perfect performance to get the upset here. Toronto has been champing at the bit for almost two months and is simply the better-coached and more talented team. If the Alouettes cover this spread, it’ll likely be thanks to a touchdown in garbage time. KLEIN: The Argos are simply too good. Full credit to the Als for getting here but Toronto is just better. GRANT: Montreal is capable of winning this game, but EVERYTHING would have to go right. I think it’s going to be tight at times, but ultimately Montreal won’t be able to keep up offensively.

The second-year passer took the league by storm during the first half of the season before undergoing foot surgery in late August. Rourke threw for 3,281 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions and ran for 304 yards and seven touchdowns over nine starts and was on pace to shatter a number of single-season league records before getting hurt. He earned this spot by a country mile. Honourable mention: Jeshrun Antwi, Montreal Alouettes Photo: Bob Butrym/3DownNation. All rights reserved.