A game that’s been a year in the making is finally here, as the Montreal Alouettes will host the Toronto Argonauts in Saturday’s Eastern Final, with a berth in the 111th Grey Cup on the line.
This marks the third year in a row that these teams have met in the Eastern Final and a collision between the last two Grey Cup champions. The Argos advanced to and won the 109th Grey Cup in 2022 and the Alouettes upended the Argos in the 2023 Eastern Final, moving on to claim the 110th Grey Cup.
Saturday’s rubber band match is loaded with fascinating matchups, featuring some of the league’s top defenders and if you remember how last year’s Eastern Final unfolded in Toronto, plenty of drama. Here are five things to know about Saturday’s game.
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REVENGE: A DISH BEST LEFT IN THE PAST
One theme that the Argos are not interested in diving in on, at least publicly, is the one of revenge. Facing the Als once again in a winner-moves-on setting, Chad Kelly would only say, “We’re all hungry, hungry for a win.”
Argos’ head coach Ryan Dinwiddie acknowledged that revenge will be on some people’s minds, but said that it’s not a productive thing to bring into game day.
“I told them, ‘Don’t even talk about it,” the coach said. “It’s not a revenge thing. Now it might be on some guys’ minds, but I think if we get into that aspect, in our minds, we might lose our focus as far as what we need to do on each snap. Where we’re at in the game, where’s the clock at, what’s the down distance. We need to focus on those things.
“I’m certain that everybody in the building wants a little bit of revenge. It was a tough Eastern Final. It was tough. We had to live through it. We want to go out there and focus on the game when it comes to this Eastern Final.”
ALS: NOT FANS OF THE TORONTO NARRATIVE
You’ll remember that last year’s Grey Cup-winning Alouettes squad was fuelled by their doubters. Being picked last in CFL.ca’s off-season Power Rankings was instant print-it-out, pin-it-up bulletin board material.
This year has been different, with the Als setting the pace for the rest of the league through much of the season, posting a league-best 12-5-1 record. That hasn’t stopped the team from looking for extra motivation, though. They find it in the narrative around the Argos as they head into the Als’ house for the Eastern Final.
Counting last week’s playoff victory, the Argos have picked up wins in five of their last seven games. They put up 58 points on the REDBLACKS in the Eastern Semi-Final, with both teams forcing massive updates to a slew of records. After the Als clinched the top spot in the East Division, the wins came less frequently, with the team’s offensive play taking a hit in that span.
With much talk about the Argos having momentum going into the Eastern Final, there’s ample supply of fresh bulletin board material out there, it seems.
“A lot of people want to talk about how we were flipping roles, right? But for us, it feels like the same situation,” Fajardo said on Friday.
“Everybody wanted to talk about Toronto all week last year. Going into this game, it seems like everyone wants to talk about Toronto. So it’s lit a fire under the guys. I’ll be honest with you, it lit a fire under me. There’s a narrative that has been written personally that I’ve seen and has lit a fire under me.”
DAMONTE COXIE, AUSTIN MACK GAME TIME DECISIONS
Both teams have listed one of their top receivers as game time decisions. For Toronto, Damonte Coxie sat out last week’s Eastern Semi-Final win over the Ottawa REDBLACKS with a knee injury. The team’s second-leading receiver, Coxie has made 59 catches for 860 yards and four touchdowns. First-year receiver Jake Herslow filled in well for Coxie, catching all four of the passes thrown his way for 47 yards and a touchdown, in just his second-ever CFL game. If Coxie is unable to play on Saturday, Argos’ head coach Ryan Dinwiddie will have full confidence in Herslow to step in once more. Dinwiddie is hopeful to dress both players on Saturday, to throw two different skill sets at the Als.
“(His) first eight weeks here with us in practice roster he was making some plays,” Dinwiddie said of Herslow.
“We had good trust in him. Drew (Tate, the Argos’ offensive assistant coach) had him in Saskatchewan last year. So Drew brought him up to us and we got him in here this season and Drew was right, he makes plays. He’s got a bigger catch radius than you’d think, for how small he is (six-foot, 185 pounds). He can go up and sky and get up. He’s got long arms too. He’s made some big 50-50 catches in practice.”
Austin Mack is determined to get on the field on Saturday to help the Als in the Eastern Semi-Final (Bailey McLean/CFL.ca)
Mack rejoined the Als after he was released by the Atlanta Falcons. He sat out of Thursday’s practice with a hamstring issue but on Friday, sounded determined to play. A breakout star in 2023 (78 catches, 1,154 yards, four touchdowns), he has 10 catches for 145 yards through three games this year and is hoping Saturday marks his first touchdown of the 2024 season.
“It’s the longest year I’ve had but the shortest season,” Mack said, recalling having to shift his mindset from trying to crack an NFL roster to returning to Montreal with his team in Week 10.
“The product, the work I’ve had, it’s not my typical year. I wish I could have had more time with the guys. The injury really sucked happening at the time that it did. You’ve just got to take it with what it is, being a pro, and just trying to be ready for the opportunities regardless.
“I felt like the last game against Winnipeg, I was able to get out there and put some good stuff on film. My body is the best it’s been, I’m really looking forward to it.”
HAJRULLAHU IS ON HIS GAME
One of the first things that Dinwiddie said about kicker Lirim Hajrullahu is that he knows what it’s like to see him kick against your team. Dinwiddie was on the Calgary Stampeders’ staff in 2017 when Hajrullahu kicked the game-winning field goal in the 105th Grey Cup, where the Argos stunned the heavily favoured Stamps.
He’s been thrilled to have him on his side this year.
“He’s consistent,” he said. “That’s one thing why I wanted to bring Lirim in this year, because I’ve been on the opposite end of it when he’s been the kicker, so I know he’s clutch.”
Hajrullahu connected on a season-best 53-yard field goal last week, helping the Argos capitalize on the REDBLACKS’ botched kickoff to close out the first half. The field goal turned a six-point deficit into three going into the locker room.
“It’s great for me to be able to trust it,” Dinwiddie said of seeing him connect from that far out.
“I know he’s got plenty leg to make those field goals. It was a clutch field goal. That set the tone for us going into the third quarter.”
GETTING BATTLE-TESTED
Their start to the Eastern Semi-Final wasn’t what they wanted, but it might have been what the Argos needed in the long run. Trailing 10-0 and 13-3 in the first half against the REDBLACKS, the Argos got to stare the worst case scenario in the face, a year after their Eastern Final meltdown against the Alouettes.
They stuck together, endured a relentless REDBLACKS’ offensive effort, found some offensive punch and went into the half with the momentum, trailing 23-20. Two big defensive plays in the fourth quarter allowed the Argos to come out with a comfortable-looking 20-point win.
It’s one thing to say that it’s a 60-minute game that’s full of ebbs and flows. It’s another to live it and come out the other side of it with a win.
“We had our first drive we were two-and-out,” Dinwiddie said. “Once I felt confident in what we were doing, how we were going to scheme those guys up, we did a great job hitting the home runs, the big plays. We had three plays in that second quarter with two touches. (It was a) big challenge for us offensively to have to put the ball in the air to get back in the game.”