The Montreal Alouettes will face the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the 112th Grey Cup at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg on Sunday. Montreal edged out Hamilton 19-16 in the Eastern Final on a walk-off field goal from Jose Maltos. Saskatchewan staged a comeback to defeat BC 24-21 in the Western Final, with Trevor Harris delivering 305 yards and two touchdowns.
Game Details:
Date/Location: Sunday, November 16 / Princess Auto Stadium, Winnipeg, MB
Kickoff Time: 6:00 PM ET, 3:00 PM PT
Channel: CTV, TSN, RDS (Canada), CBSSN (USA) CFL+ (Global)
Odds (If you place bets, please do so responsibly in moderation):
Spread: Montreal +3.5 (-114), Saskatchewan -3.5 (-106)
Moneyline: Montreal +152, Saskatchewan -184
Over/Under: 48.5 (Over -110, Under -110)
Previous playoff postseason articles showcasing standout performances and observations.
Montreal Alouettes (10-8): The Alouettes are back in the Grey Cup for the second time in 3 years. In 2023, we saw Montreal emerge victorious in the Grey Cup 28-24 on a game-winning 19-yard touchdown pass from Cody Fajardo to Tyson Philpot with 13 seconds left against Winnipeg.
Now the Alouettes are back in the Grey Cup this time with Davis Alexander as their starting QB. Alexander has the best win-loss record to begin a CFL career at 13-0. Over his 2 playoff starts, he has completed 43 of his 60 passes for 594 yards and 2 touchdowns with 2 interceptions while dealing with a lingering hamstring injury.
The Alouettes’ path to the Grey Cup saw them first defeat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at home 42-33 in a dramatic game with both teams having scoring runs and turnovers. Last week saw Montreal defeat Hamilton 19-16 on a walk-off game-winning field goal.
Saskatchewan Roughriders (12-6): The Roughriders posted the best record in the CFL and return to the Grey Cup for their first time since 2013, which saw them emerge victorious 45-23 over Hamilton with running back Kory Sheets winning the MVP.
The Riders are coming off a thrilling Western Final that saw them defeat the BC Lions 24-21 on a touchdown with only time left for a couple of plays left.
Trevor Harris had another season with an exceptional completion percentage that saw him lead the league in that category (among players with more than 20 passes) after completing 73.6% of his throws for 4,549 yards and 24 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. Last week saw him complete 26 of his 38 passes for 305 yards with 2 touchdowns and lead a 76-yard drive with 63 seconds left to take the lead.
Alouettes Keys to the Game
Generate QB Hits and Sacks on Trevor Harris
Harris was pressured at times last week, but was still able to keep the offense going when pressured often sliding in the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield. He was hit on 2 plays, the first of which he completed a 31-yard pass, and the second of which he completed a 3-yard game-winning touchdown.
The Alouettes will want to pressure him effectively in this game and ensure they get to him before he is able to make a play. Montreal is creative with how they generate pressure, frequently using different linebacker blitzes.
Last week, defensive ends Josh Archibald had 4 pressures, and Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund had 3 by my count.
Tight Coverage to Eliminate Easy First Downs
Montreal’s secondary had the lowest passing yards allowed per game at 256.9 this season. While the Alouettes must prevent deep passing plays, they must not over fixate on it and ensure they make every yard challenging for their opponents. BC switched to a prevent style defense in the final 6 minutes of the game last week, and Harris flourished against it, shredding them as he completed 9 of his 14 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown in that span.
Saskatchewan’s leading receiver, KeeSean Johnson, is once again out this week due to a knee injury. Saskatchewan does still have a 1,000-yard receiver still in their lineup in Dohnte Meyers, who caught 65 passes for 1,056 yards and 8 touchdowns.
Offensive Line Must Overperform Against Saskatchewan’s Front Seven
The Riders’ defensive line is no joke and very likely could be the biggest hurdle for Montreal to overcome in this contest. Saskatchewan had the lowest rushing yards allowed per game at 76 and tied for the lowest yards per carry at 4.6.
Additionally, they have an effective pass rush. 3 of the 14 players to have 6 sacks or more played for Saskatchewan this season. Defensive end Malik Carney led the team in sacks with 8. Both starting defensive tackles Micah Johnson and Mike Ros,e had 6 sacks. Saskatchewan’s other starting defensive end, Habakkuk Baldonado, had a sack last week and led the team in pressures generated with 9 by my count (1 of which was a secondary source of pressure on the play.
Capitalize on Special Teams and Field Position
Montreal kicker Jose Maltos led the CFL in field goals over the season with 58. Joseph Zema was tied for the most punts in the league after punting 98 times over the season for an average of 48.9 yards per punt. The Alouettes have a strong emphasis on their special teams play in the team’s culture and will look to try to gain an advantage through strong return game and coverage play as they aim to win all 3 phases.
The Roughriders were the only team not to allow a return touchdown this past season.
Roughriders’ Keys to the Game
Balance the Offense and Pound the Rock
Montreal had the third-most yards per rush allowed at 5.4 this season. They had a strong game against the run in the East Semi-Final, although they were not tested often, limiting Brady Oliveira to 38 rushing yards on 8 carries. Last week saw Greg Bell rush 10 times for 66 yards (6.6 average), indicating a possible area of weakness, but again were not tested often as Hamilton passed nearly 4 times then they rushed.
This game could be a good time to lean into the run for Saskatchewan, as they have often this season.
Take What the Defense Gives You: Patient, Turnover-Free Passing
Montreal has an elite pass defense, and Harris will need to avoid turnovers and take what the defense gives him, which is a strength of his. Montreal can punish quarterbacks when they get too hungry and make impatient throws.
Pressure Davis Alexander and Flush Him Out
Davis Alexander has never lost a game yet, 13 starts into his CFL career. At times over this postseason, we have seen a decrease in his accuracy when pressured. Saskatchewan will want to get pressure on him and flush him out of the pocket and test his ability to move laterally with his injured hamstring.
Maintain Defensive Discipline and Limit Explosives
Montreal has an impressive cast of receivers, with all 5 starters capable of having a big game. Saskatchewan will need good play from every member in their secondary. Stevie Scott III is a difficult runner to bring down, so the tackling will also need to be consistent.
Alouettes to Watch
#8 RB Stevie Scott III
Scott was effective last week, rushing 9 times for 48 yards against Hamilton. He was on fire the week before against Winnipeg, rushing 18 times for 133 yards with 7 missed tackles forced by my count, with 2 touchdowns. He often gains more yards than expected, fighting for yards and falling forward.
#6 WR Tyson Philpot
Philpot led the CFL 2 weeks ago when he caught 10 of his 11 targets for 135 yards and a touchdown. Last week, he was the most targeted for Montreal, catching 5 of his 7 targets for 30 yards.
#85 Tyler Snead
Snead caught all 3 of his targets last week for 57 yards and a touchdown.
Adeyemi-Berglund had 4 tackles last week, including a sack and 2 forced fumbles. He had 3 additional pressures by my count. He led the team in receiving over the season, catching 84 passes for 1,129 yards and 4 touchdowns.
#48 CB Kabion Ento
Ento had a rare, frustrating game last week as 6 completions came his way for 74 yards and a touchdown on 7 targets (by my count). He’s been one of the most consistent corners in the league, and this is a perfect time to show that that was an anomaly. Last time he was in the Grey Cup, he had 2 passes defended, 1 of which was in the end zone, and an interception in the end zone.
#1 LB Darnell Sankey
Sankey had 10 tackles last week, making his presence felt all over the field.
Roughriders to Watch
#19 Samuel Emilus
Emilus led the team in receiving last week, catching 9 of his 11 targets for 100 yards.
#89 Kian Schaffer-Baker
Schaffer-Baker was targeted 10 times and caught 3 passes for 56 yards and a touchdown last week.
#95 DE Habbakkuk Baldonado
Baldonado was a source of problems last week for BC as he generated pressure on 9 total plays by my count, including a sack. He had 4 tackles and was in on 2 shared run stops.
#6 LB Jameer Thurman
Thurman had 7 tackles, including a solo run stop last week, and was in on 2 shared run stops as well.
#8 CB Marcus Sayles
Sayles had 2 tackles last week, including a solo stop against the pass. He had 5 targets come his way in coverage by my coun,t resulting in 2 completions for 22 yards, a pass breakup, and an interception.
Injury Report:
Montreal defensive tackle, Mustafa Johnson, is notably listed as a game-time decision and has missed the last 2 weeks with an arm injury. He was listed as a full practice participant on Friday. WR Austin Mack is playing through a hamstring injury, as is his quarterback. HB Ciante Evans is out due to a shoulder injury, and fullback David Dallaire continues to be out due to a knee injury.
Saskatchewan is notably without star receiver KeeSean Johnson again this week. WR Ajou Ajou is back in the lineup after missing last week. Saskatchewan has a very long injury list with 12 players listed as out.
Depth Charts:
Score Prediction:
With Davis Alexander playing through a hamstring injury, I have questions regarding his ability to laterally move to escape Saskatchewan’s pressure. Nathan Rourke was able to mitigate the effects of it at times, but I don’t have confidence in that happening from a player dealing with a leg injury. It’s a tall task for the young quarterback entering the Grey Cup in his first year as a CFL starter.
I am going to predict a close game with Saskatchewan coming out on top, 27-20.
