The Montreal Alouettes face the BC Lions in Week 15 of the CFL season, a game with real playoff weight. This game, with plenty on the line, is important for both teams. Both teams are looking for a positive result, with the schedule winding down. The Alouettes have a poor track record in Vancouver, a longstanding issue. The team has often struggled in that building, in front of a tough crowd. 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, leaving a mark on the team's history. 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. In his view, 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, prepared by the league, cover the main factors. The list includes what each side must do. Those keys cover what Montreal and BC need to do to come out ahead, to winning the line of scrimmage. The team that executes better will likely leave with the win, according to the game preview.