CFL East Final preview: What you need to know about Argonauts vs. Alouettes

The CFL’s East closing includes a acquainted matchup however in a special setting.

The Montreal Alouettes might be searching for a well-recognized final result after they face the Toronto Argonauts in a rematch of final yr’s closing.

Though Montreal (12-5-1) owns the most effective document within the CFL, repeating as champions might be a tricky job.

For Toronto (10-8), this sport supplies a possibility for redemption and, maybe, a return to the Gray Cup.

A sellout crowd might be available with the East being performed in Montreal for the primary time since 2012, when the Alouettes misplaced to the Argos in entrance of fifty,122 at Olympic Stadium.

Here’s a capsule take a look at the East closing.

The schedule

Saturday, 3 p.m. ET / midday PT, at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium.

The road

The Alouettes had been favoured by 2.5 factors as of Thursday by BetMGM.

Climate

The afternoon excessive is 7 C with winds at a modest 14 km/h and gusts up to 26 km/h.

At stake

The winner goes to the Gray Cup on Nov. 17 in Vancouver towards the winner of Saturday’s West closing between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The Argonauts booked their ticket to play Montreal with an exciting 58-38 win over the Ottawa Redblacks within the East semi in Toronto.

The Alouettes began the season with 5 straight wins and had been within the driver’s seat within the division with, at one level, a 10-1 document. Toronto handed Montreal its first loss, ending the Alouettes’ streak, which started in September 2023. Throughout the common season and playoffs, the Alouettes received 13 straight video games.

Season sequence

The Argos received two of three towards the Alouettes, successful the final two conferences.

Montreal took the primary sport 30-20 in Toronto with Cody Fajardo finishing 33-of-41 passes for 284 yards with a landing and interception.

The Argonauts would get some revenge in Montreal with a 37-18 street win, with their defence getting a pair of interceptions off backup Caleb Evans, who took over for Fajardo, who left the sport within the first quarter with an harm.

Within the rubber match later within the season, the Argos received 37-31 in a back-and-forth affair that featured eight fields from kicker Lirim Hajrullahu.

Playoff historical past

The Alouettes will look to observe the Blue Bombers’ path of successful back-to-back Gray Cups. Technically, Montreal was the final crew to win in consecutive years, again in 2009-10 with the Blue Bombers successful in 2019 and 2021 with the 2020 season being cancelled.

That is the fifth straight yr the Alouettes have made the playoffs and the third straight time they’ve performed within the East closing.

With their Gray Cup win final yr, Montreal ended a 13-year championship drought.

Toronto had made it to the East closing the final 4 years, which it hadn’t accomplished since 2007 when the crew went on a six-year run to the finals.

The Argos have received three Gray Cups since 2012, with their final title coming in 2022.

The coaches

Jason Maas (Montreal) vs. Ryan Dinwiddie (Toronto)

Maas, 48, might be making his fifth look in a divisional closing the place he has a 1-3 document.

As a participant, Maas has received two Gray Cups and earned two in his teaching profession, one as an assistant in 2012 and his first as a head coach in 2023.

Dinwiddie is 46-24 since becoming a member of Toronto in December 2019, successful the East Division 3 times and qualifying for the playoffs annually. 

The previous quarterback guided his crew to a 10-8 document and, together with his beginning quarterback, suspended for the primary 9 video games. Final season, Dinwiddie guided the Argos to a 16-2 document through the common season, the most effective mark within the franchise’s 150-year historical past. 

The quarterbacks

Chad Kelly (Toronto) vs. Cody Fajardo (Montreal)

That is the second assembly between Kelly and Fajardo within the playoffs.

The Argos quarterback was suspended the primary 9 video games of the season for violating the CFL’s gender-based coverage after a former Argos energy and conditioning coach filed a lawsuit towards him for sexual harassment. He returned on Aug. 22 towards Saskatchewan and threw for two,451 yards, 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions whereas including 214 yards and 5 touchdowns on the bottom.

In his first yr as a CFL starter, in 2023, Kelly went 15-1 and was awarded the CFL’s Most Excellent Participant. He misplaced his solely playoff begin to Montreal final yr after serving to the Argos win a Gray Cup in 2022 after relieving an injured McLeod Bethel-Thompson within the fourth quarter.

Fajardo lastly climbed the mountain as a CFL starter after main Montreal to an upset win over Winnipeg in Hamilton final yr.

The veteran appeared in 14 video games this season, throwing for 3,105 yards, 16 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. He additionally had his greatest quarterback score of 105.6 as a starter.

4 matchups to watch

Argonauts RB Ka’Deem Carey vs. Alouettes run defence

The final time the Argonauts performed the Alouettes, it was a day to bear in mind for his or her operating sport, with 234 dashing yards. Ka’Deem Carey led the way in which with 13 carries for 90 yards and a landing. In three video games towards Montreal, Toronto ran for over 500 yards complete. 

Toronto was second within the CFL with 121.3 yards per sport and dashing touchdowns with 20. It was one thing the crew relied closely on with Kelly suspended, and an enormous a part of that was Carey remaining wholesome all season.

He rushed for 1,060 yards and 7 touchdowns this season and Montreal is aware of that containing the Argonauts operating again might be essential because the Argos will need to run a balanced assault on offence.

“That’s a great challenge for us, I think everything you play a team that’s capable of that, you’d like to stop the run,” Maas told reporters. “Stop the run first and then go from there. Obviously, I know we’ll play team defence, gap sound, alignment technique and play fast and physical footall.”

Chad Kelly vs. Montreal secondary

It’s no secret {that a} massive speaking level heading into this yr’s East closing has been a reminder of what Kelly went by in 2023.

Montreal is aware of that it could like nothing greater than to have a repeat efficiency on the 9 turnovers it compelled towards Toronto in final yr’s East closing.

The Argos have been making some extent to transfer ahead from that sport but additionally use it as a studying software and hopefully find out how to take care of the highs and lows that this sport will doubtless deliver.

“It’s done and over with,” Kelly stated of final yr’s East closing. “I definitely looked at it throughout this year but it’s about managing. Take what they give you and if it’s not there, don’t force it.”

After sitting out the primary 9 video games of the season, Kelly had to modify and check out to rise up to pace. Upon his return, there have been some video games wherein he was responsible of making an attempt to power the ball into conditions he didn’t need to.

Nonetheless, he discovered his stride to finish the season and delivered debatable his greatest sport of his CFL profession with 358 yards and 4 touchdowns on simply 18 completions.

Kelly can have his fingers full towards defenders reminiscent of Marc-Antoine Dequoy and Tyrice Beverette, who will hunt for turnovers and any potential errors the Argos quarterback makes.

Alouettes offensive line vs. Argonauts defensive position

The Alouettes will need to strive to hold the stress of Fjardo as a lot as potential on Saturday and it is going to be a tricky job towards this Argos’ go rush.

Toronto had 48 sacks as a crew to lead the league with rookie Ralph Holley main the way in which, adopted by Jake Ceresna and Folarin Orimolade.

In accordance to Professional Soccer Focus (PFF), the Alouettes earned the very best pass-blocking grade and the third-highest general grade.

In 2023, Fajardo was the second-most sacked quarterback within the league through the common season however the Alouettes make strides in defending their quarterback, as he was taken down solely 21 instances by 14 video games.

Cody Fajardo vs. Toronto secondary

The Alouettes offence has been by a tricky time, with Canadian Tyson Philpot struggling a season-ending harm. Nonetheless, there was a variety of pleasure with Austin Mack returning to the CFL after getting lower from the NFL.

Nonetheless, Mack hasn’t discovered his type from final yr simply but, and the Alouettes will need to discover a manner to make performs towards the Argonauts secondary that allowed Dru Brown to throw for 487 yards.

Fajardo received’t hesitate to strive to throw the ball deep however the Alouettes will decide their spots and check out to put on down the Argonauts.

Prediction

Toronto 38, Montreal 31

Extra from Sportsnet

Kelly throws 4 TDs, Argonauts return to East closing with win over Redblacks

Argonauts, Roughriders led manner in voting for CFL All-Star groups