Thomas Skrlj/CFL.ca
Because Brady Oliveira had such a monster season in Winnipeg’s backfield, any conversation about the run game leading into Sunday’s 110th Grey Cup is going to revolve around him. There’s no question Montreal’s task in slowing Oliveira down will be a tall one.
But this ground game matchup has some interesting layers to dig into.
Impeding Brady
Oliveira’s 1,534 rushing yards during the regular season were the most by a CFL tailback since Calgary’s Jon Cornish went for 1,813 a decade ago. Oliveira led the league in yards and carries (260) and his 5.9-yard per-carry average ranked second amongst regular backs. There’s a reason why Oliveira is the West Division’s nominee for Most Outstanding Player.
As such, the Alouettes are going to have their hands full trying to slow down Winnipeg’s rushing attack. Powered by Oliveira, the Blue Bombers were the CFL’s number one running team during the regular season averaging more than 139 yards per game.
110th GREY CUP
» Four storylines to watch in the 110th Grey Cup
» Prediction Time: CFL.ca writers’ 110th Grey Cup picks
» Head to Head: Who has the edge in the 110th Grey Cup
On the other hand, Montreal allowed just over 109 yards rushing against per game during the regular season, which ranked them fifth overall. In their two head-to-head matchups, Oliveira torched the Als for 120 and 119 yards in Week 4 and Week 12 wins. Slowing down the opposition ground attack won’t be easy for Montreal defensive coordinator Noel Thorpe.
But Thorpe has a weapon he didn’t have in either of those two showdowns. The late addition of linebacker Darnell Sankey is something that can’t be overlooked. After leading the league in defensive tackles in both 2021 and 2022, Sankey returned to the CFL in September with Montreal after spending the first part of the year with the XFL’s Arlington Renegades. The results have been solid.
Sankey racked up 31 defensive tackles in six regular season appearances before taking his game to the next level in a pair of playoff wins. Sankey led the way with eight tackles as the Alouettes smothered Hamilton 27-12 in the Eastern Semi-Final. He added six more in their 38-17 win over Toronto in the Eastern Final one week later.
Having someone as rangy and punishing as Sankey patrolling the middle of the defence helps even the playing field for Montreal. And with the way fellow linebacker Tyrice Beverette came on in the second half, mixed with a pair of strong playoff performances, the Als have a formidable duo.
Truly shutting down Oliveira may be an unrealistic ask. But with the pairing of Sankey and Beverette, Montreal might have a chance of slowing him down.
The X-factor
The Alouettes were an up and down team from a traditional rushing perspective during the regular season. But when you’ve got a player like William Stanback lurking in the backfield, there’s always the potential for a big night.
And Stanback, who picked up steam down the stretch, lived up to the billing to open the post-season. Stanback ran for 95 yards on 18 carries in Montreal’s win over the Tiger-Cats in the Eastern Semi before he and the rest of offence took a backseat to a dominant defensive performance in Toronto the following weekend.
Stanback, who ran for over 1,000 yards in both 2019 and 2021, is still one of the CFL’s most dynamic backs when he’s on. And he’s going to need to be on as he faces one of the league’s stingiest run defences on Sunday. Winnipeg allowed just over 90 yards per game on the ground during the regular season, which ranked them third overall. The Bombers doubled down in allowing just 31 rushing yards in their 24-13 win over BC in the Western Final.
But there’s one big question hanging over Sunday’s matchup: the status of future Hall of Famer Adam Bighill. If Bighill, who’s status feels doubtful at best, is unable to go with a lower body injury, Winnipeg will be without one of the best run-stuffing linebackers the CFL has ever seen.
There’s no way to sugar-coat how big a loss Bighill would be. In saying that, though, the Blue Bombers have embraced a “next man up” mentality better than perhaps any team over the last few seasons. If Bighill can’t suit up, the likes of Kyrie Wilson, Malik Clements, Brian Cole, and others will need to band together to make up for the loss.
And let’s not forget Montreal’s ace up the sleeve. Quarterback Cody Fajardo, who ran for 341 yards during the regular season, has brought that part of his game in a big way in two playoff games. Fajardo ran for 62 yards vs. Hamilton before leading the Alouettes with 38 more against the Argos.
All season Montreal’s offence has been based on a balanced, methodical approach. That’s how they finished 11-7. That’s how they racked up a pair of convincing playoff wins. And, at least on offence, that’s how the Alouettes are going to have success vs. Winnipeg come Sunday.
