Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca
And then there were four. Welcome to Division Finals weekend, which gives us a pair of rematches from last year.
Can Toronto keep their chances of a Grey Cup repeat alive or can Montreal pull off the upset? And will Winnipeg make it four straight appearances in the big game, or can BC avenge their 28-20 West Division Final loss from last season?
Here are a few things I’ll be keeping my eye on come Saturday.
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How healthy will the Bombers be?
Receivers Dalton Schoen (ankle), Nic Demski (ankle), and Rasheed Bailey (knee) have yet to hit the field through Winnipeg’s first two practice days on Tuesday and Wednesday. Respectively, that’s a CFL All-Star, a West Division All-Star, and an extremely reliable pass catcher with 15 combined touchdowns the last two seasons. While it’s early for panic, it’s definitely something to keep an eye on.
Positively, Blue Bombers ace play-by-play broadcaster Derek Taylor reports both Demski and Bailey were getting sideline sprints in during Wednesday’s practice and it sounds like they have a decent chance of playing on Saturday. Schoen, who’s led the league in receiving touchdowns the last two seasons, feels far more questionable. Winnipeg has plenty of offensive options, but it’s still a story that warrants attention as the week continues.
AJ Ouellette, Toronto Argonauts
The last time we saw Toronto’s bruising tailback in a playoff game, he was bulldozing his way to a pair of touchdowns in last season’s Grey Cup win over the Bombers. Now, with a full year as a starting running back under his belt, I’m super interested to see what Ouellette has in store for Saturday’s Eastern Final.
Ouellette finished fourth in the CFL with 1,009 rushing yards during the regular season but also appeared in at least two fewer games than the three players ahead of him. He’d likely have finished second overall with 18 games, but thanks to their dominant campaign, the Argos had the luxury of managing players down the stretch. A rested and even more confident Ouellette in playoff action is a terrifying thought.
Montreal’s pass rush vs. Chad Kelly
One of the biggest keys in Montreal’s convincing Eastern Semi-Final win over the Tiger-Cats was how they got to the quarterback. Led by a pair each from Shawn Lemon and Darnell Sankey, the Als racked up five sacks in their 27-12 win over Hamilton. Saturday’s task in Toronto gets that much more difficult, though.
Montreal, who averaged just over two sacks per game during the regular season, was able to double that output against a strong Ticats offensive line. But the Argos were at a different level at the line of scrimmage during the regular season. Darius Ciraco, Ryan Hunter, and Dejon Allen are CFL All-Stars on a line that allowed just 19 sacks during the regular season. Let’s see if the Als can make their life difficult.
Kenny Lawler, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
As of writing this, we don’t know the status of Schoen and Demski, who were Winnipeg’s two leading receivers during the regular season. Positively, though, there’s no uncertainty about Lawler. The two-time West Division All-Star only appeared in 12 games this season to the tune of 901 receiving yards. A full season, however, would have had him right near the top of this year’s league leaders.
Even if everyone is healthy in Saturday’s showdown with the Lions, Lawler would still be one of Winnipeg’s top weapons. But if one or both of Schoen and Demski can’t suit up, Lawler is going to be that much more important. And we know he’s up for the challenge.
Can Cody Fajardo reach his first Grey Cup as a starter?
Fajardo is no stranger to being in the CFL’s final four. Prior to things ending in frustrating fashion with the Roughriders, Fajardo led them to two straight Western Final appearances in 2019 and 2021. And while Saskatchewan wasn’t ultimately successful in either game, Fajardo came to play and averaged more than 315 passing yards each time.
Now, after throwing for 212 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 62 more yards last weekend vs. Hamilton, Fajardo is back in the final four. And the challenge in front of him isn’t new either. After facing an elite Winnipeg defence in both Western Final appearances, Fajardo will face an Argonauts team that forced a league-leading 54 turnovers during the regular season.
Vernon Adams Jr. vs. Winnipeg’s pass defence
The Lions were the CFL’s most prolific aerial offence during the regular season with 5,672 passing yards, which was good for an average of more than 315 yards per game. Then, in last weekend’s Western Semi-Final vs. the Stampeders, Adams threw for 413 yards in a spectacular performance.
Now Adams, playing in his first ever Division Final, tries to bring that momentum into this weekend. But he’ll do so against the league’s best regular season pass defence. The Bombers led the league allowing less than 230 passing yards per game with opponents completing less than 60% of their passes. And don’t forget Demerio Houston lurking at boundary corner as he just happened to pace the CFL with seven interceptions this season.
