Bert Faibish
CFL.ca
In a CFL season that was full of surprises, the culminating game of 2010 is actually a bit on the predictable side.
The year featured slow starts and late pushes by the Eskimos and Lions, surprising success for the Argos and disappointing results for the Ticats.
But through all of that, the championship game will feature two teams whose presence in Edmonton comes as a surprise to no one.
Montreal and Saskatchewan are no strangers to Grey Cup weekend. In fact, in the past five seasons at least one of these two teams has played on the final weekend of November and last season the two met in what is one of the CFL’s all-time greatest games.
After splitting a season series that saw each team win at home and was decided by a total of seven points, these cross-country rivals will clash for a third and deciding time on Sunday with the ultimate prize at stake.
Last year’s Grey Cup was decided by an infamous penalty that eventually decided the fate of the Roughriders and allowed Montreal a second chance at a game-winning field goal. This season, the Riders may just need that 13th man if they are to have a shot at slowing down Anthony Calvillo and the Montreal Alouettes.
Calvillo continues to show that the effects of time are concerns for mere mortals, as he defies conventional logic by performing at an elite level and continuing his assault on the record books. Even after missing two games due to injury, Calvillo finished the season near the top of the league in every quarterback category.
Saskatchewan’s Durant had a very impressive year statistically, but his erratic play led to a league-high 22 interceptions during the regular season.
Basically the game comes down to the potential of the Roughriders versus the experience of the Alouettes and I will take experience anytime.
This year’s version of the Als offence doesn’t feature as many identifiable superstar receivers as teams past but brings a sense of balance that could pose a problem for Saskatchewan’s secondary. With the amount of depth in Montreal’s receiving corps, picking your poison is the only option available.
Last year’s Riders almost came away with the win by pressuring Calvillo into quick decisions and mistakes, but this off-season saw both Stevie Baggs and John Chick leave Regina for new teams and the Riders’ sack numbers have suffered for it.
Montreal’s ability to keep Darian Durant in the pocket will go a long way to deciding the outcome of the game, but if Sasktachewan can’t get to Anthony Calvillo, it won’t matter how many players Saskatchewan has on the field.
