After beating the Toronto Argonauts last week, the Alouettes will face another imposing challenge: the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Team Manitoba finished first in the West Division with a 14-4 record. The Bombers led the CFL in points scored with 594 and points allowed with 377. Players to watch include Gray Cup MVP quarterback Zach Collaros in 2021, running back Brady Oliveira, first in rushing yards and touchdowns, as well as defensive back Demerio Houston, leader in the league with seven interceptions.
The Alouettes finished second in the East Division with an 11-7 record. They hosted the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Percival-Molson Stadium for the divisional semi-final and won 27-12. In the Eastern final, the Alouettes faced the powerful Toronto Argonauts, the best team in the CFL, in the Queen City. The Alouettes caused quite a surprise with a crushing 38-17 victory. The Montreal defense, as it has done all year, propelled the Alouettes. Head coach Jason Maas’ squad is riding a seven-game winning streak.
At the start of the season, almost no one saw the Alouettes in the playoffs, let alone in the Gray Cup final. The team decided to start from scratch in the spring: a new owner, Pierre Karl Péladeau, a new president, Mark Weightman, a new head coach, Jason Maas, and a new quarterback, Cody Fajardo. Despite the doubts, everyone on the team had the same goal: to win the Gray Cup. And no one hid it. This victory would therefore not only be unexpected, but above all a promised land for the members of the Alouettes. It would also be the first major championship for the city of Montreal since the Alouettes’ last triumph in 2010.
As defense has been the Alouettes’ unit par excellence this season, let’s start with this one. Defensive back Marc-Antoine Dequoy was dominant all year, returning a third interception for a touchdown, 101 yards, in the game against Toronto. Linebackers Darnell Sankey and Tyrice Beverette were essential to the team’s success late in the season. Then Shawn Lemon and Lwal Uguak are terrifying on the offensive line. On offense, Cody Fajardo has been exceptional at times, average at times, but he has shown more mobility in postseason games. Austin Mack proved to be Fajardo’s target of choice as the season progressed. The receiver can make a difference. Then on special teams, James Letcher proved to be one of the most effective punt returners in the league.
The Canadian League pulled out the big bucks to attract the Green Day group to keep fans busy during halftime. The performers of Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Wake Me Up When September Ends and When I Come Around will perform for around ten minutes at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton. Say what you want about the CFL, but halftime shows rarely disappoint. In the last ten years, The Lumineers, Keith Urban, Alessia Cara, Shania Twain, One Republic and Imagine Dragons have notably been invited to host the mid-match break.
