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112th GREY CUP\u00bb Landry\u2019s 5 takeaways from the Division Finals<\/a>
\u00bb Walk-off field goal sends Montreal to 112th Grey Cup<\/a>
\u00bb Riders beat Lions to earn first Grey Cup appearance since 2013<\/a>
\u00bb\u00a0Sign up and watch CFL games on CFL+ in the U.S. and Internationally<\/a><\/p>\n
We\u2019ve got two great teams set to line up for Canada\u2019s annual football celebration on Sunday, each with unique strengths and weaknesses that will be picked apart all week in the film room.<\/p>\n
QUARTERBACKS<\/p>\n
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I\u2019m hesitant about Davis Alexander<\/a> due to the hamstring strain he suffered in the Eastern Final and his injury history this season. Add in how much his mobility factors into his big-play ability, and it\u2019s fair to question what version of him we\u2019ll see.<\/p>\n The Roughriders, meanwhile, have a steady, high-percentage leader in Trevor Harris. He can make every throw on the field. While he\u2019s often critiqued for not being a more vertical passer, Harris trusts his eyes and understands that timing and efficiency in taking big chunks are often more valuable than frequency. ADVANTAGE: SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS<\/p>\n RUNNING BACKS RB AJ Ouellette rushed for 113 yards in the Western Final against BC (Matt Smith\/CFL.ca)<\/p>\n AJ Ouellette<\/a> is built for this time of year. Cold breath hanging in the air, defenders bouncing off his shoulder pads, and icy fields that turn every cut into a test of will.<\/p>\n The longer the game goes, the stronger he gets. Expect his power to show up in a big way during the second half on Sunday.<\/p>\n ADVANTAGE: SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS<\/p>\n RECEIVERS<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Saskatchewan boasts an impressive group of pass-catchers capable of those jaw-dropping, highlight-reel plays that make people like me in the booth yell in disbelief.<\/p>\n But this category comes down to two factors: Tyler Snead<\/a>\u2019s chemistry with Davis Alexander<\/a>, and Tyson Philpot<\/a>\u2019s massive performance earlier this season in Regina.<\/p>\n Can Philpot put up the same kind of ridiculous numbers again in the Grey Cup? Probably not, but he\u2019ll enter this game with confidence and belief, which can be just as dangerous.<\/p>\n ADVANTAGE: MONTREAL ALOUETTES<\/p>\n OFFENSIVE LINE OL Jermarcus Hardrick anchors Saskatchewan\u2019s offensive line (Arthur Ward\/CFL.ca)<\/p>\n Steamrollers. People movers. Pass protectors. The Saskatchewan offensive line has it all. ADVANTAGE: SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS<\/p>\n DEFENSIVE LINE DL Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund finished the regular season with 11 sacks (David Kirouac\/CFL.ca)<\/p>\n Both units can cause chaos. The Alouettes\u2019 ability to disrupt as a group is impressive, and statistically, the two teams are nearly identical in sacks and tackles for loss.<\/p>\n For Saskatchewan, Micah Johnson<\/a>\u2019s presence in the middle can wreck game plans, while Montreal\u2019s edge rushers have been heating up at the perfect time.<\/p>\n ADVANTAGE: TOSS-UP<\/p>\n LINEBACKERS LB Darnell Sankey finished the regular season with 101 defensive tackles (Timothy Atticus\/CFL.ca)<\/p>\n It\u2019s tough to bet against Darnell Sankey<\/a> and Tyrice Beverette<\/a> in a Noel Thorpe-led defence. As much as I respect what Corey Mace has built around Jameer Thurman<\/a> and A.J. Allen<\/a>, Montreal\u2019s linebacking corps has been exceptional.<\/p>\n Holding the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to minimal gains and preventing their passing game from ever taking flight in the Eastern Final was a total team effort, but the linebackers were the difference over the middle.<\/p>\n ADVANTAGE: MONTREAL ALOUETTES<\/p>\n DEFENSIVE BACKS<\/p>\n TIP DRILL X3!<\/p>\n Saskatchewan takes it away, Marcus Sayles has it on a wild play!<\/p>\n \ud83d\uddd3\ufe0f: Western Final LIVE NOW \u2014 CFL (@CFL) November 9, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Tevaughn Campbell<\/a> has been electric in 2025, but the strength of this unit lies in its cohesion. As the season wore on, the group found its rhythm, racking up 24 interceptions, second only to Hamilton\u2019s veteran-laden secondary.<\/p>\n ADVANTAGE: SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS<\/p>\n KICKERS<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Jos\u00e9 Maltos-D\u00edaz gets the nod here. He\u2019s had a special season, and there\u2019s no reason to think he\u2019ll falter on the biggest stage.<\/p>\n Joseph Zema<\/a> continues to be one of the league\u2019s best at pinning punts inside the 10-yard line, and Byron Archambault<\/a>\u2019s coverage unit has been rock solid from top to bottom.<\/p>\n ADVANTAGE: MONTREAL ALOUETTES<\/p>\n RETURNERS Mario Alford gained 876 yards on kickoff returns in 2025 (Arthur Ward\/CFL.ca)<\/p>\n
That said, if Alexander is healthy enough to be his full, dynamic self, the Alouettes are on one of those special playoff runs, and he\u2019s the catalyst behind it.<\/p>\n
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With Jermarcus Hardrick<\/a>, the odds-on favourite for Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman, leading the way, the Riders\u2019 front should be at its best when it matters most.<\/p>\n
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\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6: TSN, RDS
\ud83c\udf0e: CFL+#GCPlayoffs<\/a> | @sskroughriders<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/SkTyquc5pV<\/a><\/p>\n
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