FINALLY.
We made it. You made it. The teams made it.
Playoffs have arrived and the Eastern Semi-Final features the most recent iteration of the crossover rule coming into effect as the Alouettes host a playoff game for the fourth consecutive season.
Plus, Winnipeg crosses over to play in the East bracket for the first time in franchise history.
2025 GREY CUP PLAYOFFS
» Buy Eastern Semi-Final Tickets: Winnipeg at Montreal
» Division Semi-Final Saturday heads to Montreal and BC
» Where to watch the Division Semi-Finals
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At 28-11 (.718) in home playoff games and with Davis Alexander still undefeated as a starter, Montreal will be favoured, but by how much, and where do each team’s strengths and weaknesses lie?
Here is a position-by-position breakdown ahead of Saturday afternoon’s kickoff.
QUARTERBACKS
The legend vs. The kid.
One (Zach Collaros) will make his ninth playoff start, while the other (Davis Alexander) gets his first chance to make lasting Montreal memories in the post-season. There’s no disputing how key Alexander has been to the Alouettes looking and feeling like themselves this season. When he’s in the lineup, the huddle to snap to whistle operation is significantly smoother and more dangerous.
Collaros is a savvy vet who knows how to manage these moments. Alexander playing less than half the season leaves the theoretical door open for moments of rust or playoff tension to appear as Collaros says, “been there, done that, and I’ll do it again.”
However, I haven’t seen any signs of that in the second half of the season for Montreal, and at home Alexander will have the emotional leverage he needs to play at his best.
ADVANTAGE: MONTREAL ALOUETTES
RUNNING BACKS
The Alouettes running game hasn’t been effective for much of this season even before injuries struck. Now with Sean Thomas Erlington out, Travis Theis dinged, Stevie Scott III hurt this past weekend in Winnipeg and a potential rookie getting the start, one wonders if the Alouettes will become too single-phased Saturday.
On the other side, Brady Oliveira will run hard and undoubtedly punish a lacklustre Montreal rush defence. Despite having Collaros beside him, it feels like the best equation for victory in what could be a cool, wet playoff showdown is Brady ball over and over again. In Week 12 against Montreal, Oliveira had 16 carries for 137 yards and one touchdown while adding nine catches for 73 yards. That’s solid film for the Als to learn from, but it’s still daunting.
ADVANTAGE: WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
RECEIVERS
TYLER SNEAD MAKES AN INSANE DIVING CATCH!
🗓️: Bombers vs @MTLAlouettes is LIVE NOW!
🇨🇦: TSN, RDS
🇺🇸: CBSSN
🌎: CFL+ pic.twitter.com/lTJ5Wd6qXd
— CFL (@CFL) August 22, 2025
Nic Demski is the straw that stirs the drink, but after him you have to look all the way down to 29th in CFL receiving yardage this season to find a Robin to his Batman in Keric Wheatfall.
Montreal will feature Tyler Snead, whose chemistry with Davis Alexander has been essential to the Als attack this season. The support of Tyson Philpot, Austin Mack and Cole Spieker gives a well rounded and versatile group the tip of the cap here.
ADVANTAGE: MONTREAL ALOUETTES
OFFENSIVE LINE
Can the Bombers offensive line help Brady Oliveira to a big outing against the Als on Saturday? (Candice Ward/CFL.ca)
I like Montreal up front, especially the rookie right tackle Tiger Shanks locking down the position without creating stress on the rest of the roster. They do a good job of protecting Davis Alexander as a whole, but those rushing disparities between these two leave me admiring the way Winnipeg has grown together through decent turnover the last few years to find their groove and help Brady Oliveira look like the dominant downhill rusher we all know him to be.
ADVANTAGE: WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
DEFENSIVE LINE
CFL sack leader Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund adds another to his total! 🔥#CFLGameDay
🗓️: Bombers vs @MTLAlouettes is LIVE NOW!
🇨🇦: TSN, RDS
🇺🇸: CBSSN
🌎: CFL+ pic.twitter.com/WOsPZmiQ5O
— CFL (@CFL) August 22, 2025
Much of this hinges on the health of Mustafa Johnson, who, when healthy, is amongst the most disruptive interior pass rushers in the CFL.
Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund flying off the edge alongside Shawn Oakman’s natural talent and Dylan Wynn’s bullrush brutality all play off each other nicely. On the other side, it’s a simple question of how much can James Vaughters and, especially, Willie Jefferson frustrate Davis Alexander? As we all know, if Willie has one of “those days,” nothing else matters. He can take the game over all by himself.
ADVANTAGE: MONTREAL ALOUETTES
LINEBACKERS
Tony Jones accumulated 102 defensive tackles in the regular season (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca)
Earlier this season, Bombers middle man Tony Jones had nine tackles against the Als, but this is about the sum of the parts and variety of bodies Montreal can use. Tyrice Beverette and Darnell Sankey are well known creators of chaos, but Geoffrey Cantin-Arku makes so many plays and Najee Murray seems to always be around the ball.
Winnipeg’s strength defensively is when the rush ends can make quarterbacks uncomfortable and Jones capitalizes. Montreal can shut teams down in multiple ways, thanks to their personnel, but the ground game of Hamilton dominating those Montreal linebackers on a short week after OK Tire Labour Day Weekend and Brady Oliveira coming to town does give me pause.
ADVANTAGE: MONTREAL ALOUETTES
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Will Wesley Sutton (middle) or any of the other Montreal defensive backs take over the Eastern Semi-Final? (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca)
The veteran boundary pairing of Deatrick Nichols and Demerio Houston could come up large in a playoff scenario against a first time CFL playoff game starter, but again the play of Dionté Ruffin and Wesley Sutton in the short side with the length of Kabion Ento at field corner and Ciante Evans communicating to get things organized with what appears to be an energized Marc-Antoine Dequoy leaves Montreal with the advantage.
Winnipeg has been particularly ineffective creating interceptions, as they created just 13 this season, tied for the CFL-low with Edmonton, despite Most Outstanding Defensive Player nominee Evan Holm’s range.
ADVANTAGE: MONTREAL ALOUETTES
KICKERS
Game recognize game.
Jose Maltos Diaz and Sergio Castillo showin’ each other love as they end the regular season.#CFLGameDay pic.twitter.com/QdmWk09BHs
— CFL (@CFL) October 25, 2025
How are they not both positives?!
Sergio Castillo and José Maltos-Diaz have had special seasons and are equal weapons in cashing in when the time comes with big legs and clutch kicks.
ADVANTAGE: MONTREAL ALOUETTES/WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
RETURNERS
Will James Letcher Jr. be available for the Montreal Alouettes in the Eastern Semi-Final? (Davis Kirouac/CFL.ca)
If James Letcher Jr. is in the lineup, his one play game-breaking ability is king and Montreal gets the nod.
Otherwise, the Als special teams don’t allow much in the way of explosive or touchdown returns and are excellent at punts inside the 10 yard line, preventing any long returns from the Bombers.
ADVANTAGE: TBD
OVERALL ADVANTAGE: MONTREAL ALOUETTES
Montreal has the advantage in a close one.
Winnipeg has made the playoffs for nine straight seasons. They’re hosting the 112th Grey Cup and have an unproven road to get there thanks to the crossover, but the last time they had a road playoff game in 2019, and we all know how that run ended.
The Bombers are battle tested and proven playoff threats, but the Alouettes have the right pieces to make this one and done as the Blue Bombers become Grey Cup spectators. That is UNLESS Brady Oliveira and that offensive line can deliver an all-timer.