The Montreal Alouettes face the BC Lions in Week 15 of the CFL season, a game with real playoff weight. This game, as a late-season test, is important for both teams. Both teams are looking for a positive result, with the standings tight. The Alouettes have a poor track record in Vancouver, an obvious weakness. The team has often struggled in that building, particularly in this stadium. The Montreal Gazette cites 11 years of misery there, a stretch of bad results. Montreal has not found success in that stadium for more than a decade, giving the media plenty to write about. That drought has been talked about often, around the team.

Quarterback Davis Alexander said he does not believe in curses. He expects Montreal to win despite the history, without a trace of doubt. For the team's starter, the losing streak is just a set of old results. He believes the current group is different, with a different mindset. He brushed off the past, calling it irrelevant. The CFL published three keys to victory for both teams before the matchup. Those keys, released before the game, cover the main factors. The list includes the main factors for both teams. Those keys cover what Montreal and BC need to do to come out ahead, to limiting costly mistakes. The team that executes better will likely leave with the win, based on the league's breakdown.