By Marshall Ferguson
Let’s be real, it didn’t matter which two teams advanced from the Division Finals to the 112th Grey Cup; we were going to have an amazing matchup.
We could have had the two Most Outstanding Player nominees go head-to-head, Bo Levi Mitchell vs. Trevor Harris in the veteran showdown, or Nathan Rourke vs. Davis Alexander in the young gun battle to claim their first Grey Cup.
All of it hung in the balance heading to the fourth quarter of their respective games, and what we have now is a Montreal Alouettes team looking to play spoiler once again, as they did a few short seasons ago. This team is different with Alexander at the controls, and Saskatchewan has adapted to the Harris way of life wonderfully.
Of course, only one can come out victorious, but here are my three reasons why each quarterback will win the 112th Grey Cup on Sunday.
» Saskatchewan, Montreal to compete in the 112th Grey Cup
» Who has the edge in the 112th Grey Cup?
» Walk-off field goal sends Montreal to 112th Grey Cup
» Riders beat Lions to earn first Grey Cup appearance since 2013
TREVOR HARRIS
1. EXPERIENCE
Trevor Harris has seen it all and played against Noel Thorpe’s complicated scheme on several occasions. Being a veteran is one thing, but having as many live reps against this defence and real-life reference points available to inform decision-making could be a big factor in Harris and the Roughriders celebrating on Sunday night.
2. PATIENCE
One of the more underrated parts of Harris’s game is how his feet and arm are always connected. Every snap he takes, you can almost see an imaginary clock ticking away above his head as Harris processes the defence in real time while understanding that his exit strategy is coming if no receivers can be found on time.
From the repetitive feet and predictable release, Harris can slow the game down as he works his way to the best available option. That’s one way of looking at patience; the other is his understanding of the game, helping the Riders to know when to push and when to take the easiest throw on the field, waiting for that big strike moment to present itself when the time comes, instead of forcing the issue and creating a negative play.
3. PRECISION
He’s accurate. Simple as that.
When Harris wants to put the football somewhere, he does it like an Olympic archer. His touch and trajectory selection have always been elite, a big reason why he’s always up near the top of CFL completion percentage rankings. This year, he led the CFL at 73.6 per cent, but what impressed me the most was his 53.8 per cent completion rate on balls that travelled 20 yards or more in the air downfield. The CFL average was 44.3 per cent.
DAVIS ALEXANDER
1. CONFIDENCE
No player on either side of the ball plays the CFL game with as much swagger as Davis Alexander currently. Is it healthy for your quarterback to constantly be in the face of opponents, talking trash and gesturing first down after every meaningful play? Some will say no, but it’s who he is at this stage of his career, and the Alouettes have embraced it. As Duane Forde said on Saturday in the Eastern Final, “Jason Maas doesn’t want him to change who he is to fit in.”
Alexander has been fitting out, and the antics are more than an act; they fuel his game, decision-making and volatile playmaking ability, which leads us to his second Grey Cup attribute.
2. PLAYMAKING INSTINCTS
Sometimes, you just have to make a play. Alexander seems to understand that at a high level, whether it be thanks to his time as a backup, absorbing the CFL ebbs and flows, time spent with Anthony Calvillo as his quarterbacks coach, or the endless time spent talking through the game with head coach Jason Maas.
Whatever the reasoning, it’s clear he understands the need to stretch plays, use his legs, throw off balance, and find a way, no matter the inevitable challenges presented on any given snap.
The great question going into the Grey Cup is whether or not Alexander’s hamstring will allow him to move around and play the type of free-wheeling, entertaining football we’ve come to understand he’s capable of this season in his first full year as a starter.
3. ARM STRENGTH
The Saturday after OK Tire Labour Day Weekend, I was in Montreal stalking the Tiger-Cats in consecutive weeks, this time on the road. Before the game, as Alexander was recovering from the aforementioned hamstring injury that condensed his season, he put on an aerial display the likes of which I’ll not soon forget.
It started humbly with some outs and crossers, dig routes and curls. All of a sudden, the arm opened up, and the football felt like it had fire coming off the back as the Als pivot ripped the rock 50 yards or more downfield on vertical routes for about ten minutes.
We rarely see a quarterback at the professional level truly show their peak arm talent because the game won’t allow it, but that day I saw it, and if Alexander gets a chance to let it fly in the Grey Cup, rest assured your jaw will hit the floor just like mine did that day at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium.