Matt Smith/CFL.ca
Hello, AJ Ouellette.
Now THAT’S the guy we remember. And the dyed hair? *chef’s kiss* I think I will call you Dark Thor for the rest of the playoffs.
Here are the Eastern and Western Semi-Final takeaways.
2024 CFL PLAYOFFS
» Matchups Set: Division Finals head to Montreal and Winnipeg
» MMQB: REDBLACKS can hold their heads high
» Costabile: A look at all 3 Rider interceptions in the Western Semi-Final
» Double Blue Wave: Argos roll past REDBLACKS in Eastern Semi-Final
» Sign up and watch CFL games on CFL+ in the U.S. and Internationally
THAT’S WHY THEY GOT HIM, AFTER ALL
The regular season wasn’t a real masterpiece for AJ Ouellette. There was some good, some lacklustre and a number of injuries thrown in to slow him down.
But Dark Thor was activated for the Western Semi-Final, reminding Rider Nation just why they were so excited to get the Artist Formerly Known As Thor in free agency last winter.
Ouellette bashed, barged and occasionally broke away to lead the Sasky offence in a 28-19 win over the BC Lions, lugging 14 times for 70 yards, with two touchdowns including a 30-yarder. And his 15 yards on two receptions were made up entirely of YAC, so they were kinda, sorta rushing yards too.
As he came off the field at one point, Ouellette looked into a camera and bellowed: “Bully ball, baby!”
Dark Thor likey.
This was the AJ Ouellette the Riders have been looking for and he did it in style, proving that it isn’t necessarily just the blondes who have more fun.
“Dark hair’s gonna stay,” Ouellette told TSN after the game.
BONUS TAKEAWAY: Signing offensive lineman Trevon Tate, last August, worked out pretty well for the Riders.
ON EACH AND EVERY CYLINDER
The Toronto Argonauts’ offence is a blisteringly-hot blur right now, and the Ottawa REDBLACKS got scorched by the friction.
Dominating the time of possession scene, the REDBLACKS looked to be in control of the bout, with light feet and a ‘jab here, jab there’ kind of precision, opening the Eastern Semi-Final with drives of 12 plays and 11, respectfully, sandwiched around an Argos’ two-and-out.
Then came the haymakers.
Toronto’s offence scored points on eight of its next 10 possessions – five of those being touchdowns – including a streak of five possessions in a row. One touchdown “drive” was one play. Another was two. A couple more were five plays each (Why hurry?).
Argos’ quarterback Chad Kelly completed 18 passes in this game, which is not what you’d call a gluttonous amount. Those 18 went for 358 yards, though (a 19.9 yard average), which is what you would call gluttonous.
The Ottawa REDBLACKS landed more overall punches in this game. The Argos, however, found any opening at all and responded with furious roundhouses and uppercuts.
Topping the judges’ scorecards means nothing if you get KO’d before the final bell.
BONUS TAKEAWAY: My my, Makai Polk.
THIS BEAT GOES ON AND ON, AND ON AND ON…
Outside of Ouellette embracing the darkest timeline – follically speaking – the Roughriders continued to do something that has been a hallmark for the whole of the 2024 season so far and that is win the turnover battle.
Saskatchewan was plus-26 in Giveaways/Takeaways during the regular season and the Western Semi would see them keep on keeping on, picking off Lions QB Vernon Adams Jr. three times while coughing up the ball on offence just once, on a turnover on downs.
So the yearly Plus/Minus total now moves to plus-28.
Clean football is winning football and the Saskatchewan Roughriders are the squeakiest of teams heading for the Western Final in Winnipeg.
BONUS TAKEAWAY: Nelson Lokombo has arrived.
SOMETHING EPIC THIS WAY COMES
The results of the Eastern and Western Semi-Finals showed us two winning teams that are absolutely cooking with gas as they head out to road games this Saturday, with more than just formidable hosts awaiting their arrival.
In Montreal, the defending Grey Cup champion Alouettes will get to work, this week, on how to stop that powerful Toronto offence. They knew how to do it last year, that’s for sure. Can Montreal defensive coordinator Noel Thorpe fashion another nightmare for Argos’ QB Chad Kelly? Will the Boatmen avenge last year’s brutal Eastern Final disappointment?
The script seems flippable, for sure. But will it be?
Speaking of flipping the script, the Saskatchewan Roughriders lost back-to-backers against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Weeks 13 and 14, adding to the misery of what was a seven-game winless streak.
But these Roughriders are a far cry from that suffering lot, winners of five of their last six. The Bombers are different, too, opening the season at 2-6 before finishing with a 9-1 run to climb into first.
Both the Bombers and the Roughriders, then, have risen from dark and desperate places this season, with each playing their best football at the right time.
I love that these two haven’t met in two months. I know a lot of people like to see division rivals play each other near the end of the schedule but I’m actually of a completely different mind on that. The absence of a recent game between these two adds so much to the mystique of this Saturday’s match-up. There is mystery here due to the time that’s passed. We know who each of these teams are, now, but who are they against each other?
THEY ARE SET AT QUARTERBACK
Despite the loss to Toronto, the Ottawa REDBLACKS know one thing is for certain and that is that they are truly in a very good place with their quarterback, Dru Brown.
Even though Brown had a wonderful regular season, many wondered how he would look in the first playoff game of his pro football career and the answer came back in glowing terms.
Brown put up 61 (!) pass attempts against Toronto and completed 46 of those jacks, for 476 yards, and three touchdowns. That was despite the Argos knowing that the REDBLACKS had no traditional kind of running back on their game roster and that Brown would have to pass and pass and pass again.
Two interceptions, yes. One of them came when Brown was tricked by the savvy of Toronto’s extraordinary middle linebacker, Wynton McManis (join the club), who did what he so often does; he made a great play. The second one came later, when Brown was in “gotta take all the chances we can” mode, down 51-32 with two minutes on the clock.
After years in the quarterback wilderness, the Ottawa REDBLACKS are now set for the future.
AND FINALLY… I declare “Dark Thor” to be my personal copyrighted property. That’s just in case Marvel hasn’t thought to… what’s that? Damn.
