By Pat Steinberg, CFL.ca/@Fan960Steinberg
The countdown is on ahead of Sunday’s 112th Grey Cup in Winnipeg.
With both Montreal and Saskatchewan settled and well into their routines in the Manitoba capital, we’ve got five burning questions for Sunday’s showdown.
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HOW HEALTHY WILL DAVIS ALEXANDER BE?
“Davis will be ready, he’ll start and he’ll play,” Alouettes head coach Jason Maas confirmed earlier this week.
But what remains to be seen is how effective Montreal’s still unbeaten quarterback will be in Sunday’s big game. Alexander had to gut through the latter stages of last weekend’s Eastern Final after aggravating a stubborn hamstring injury. Although knowing who we’re talking about, we shouldn’t expect anything but Alexander’s best on the biggest stage.
Alexander didn’t miss a snap last weekend, and the injury didn’t seem to noticeably slow him as he helped engineer a seven-play drive to win the game.
There’s a clear plan in place to get Alexander ready for the biggest start of his career.
“It’s what he’s been dealing with,” Maas said. “There’s a treatment protocol that goes with that. And as the week goes on, he’s going to get stronger and stronger.
“He’s going to be getting treatment all week. There’s stuff to work through, but he’ll work through it. I know he’s going to start, and I know he’s going to play. That’s the bottom line. We (have to) work like hell to get him the best he can be and go out there and compete.”
WHAT OTHER INJURED PLAYERS MIGHT BE GOOD TO GO?
KeeSean Johnson has 123 yards and two touchdowns on eight receptions in Saskatchewan’s two games against Montreal this season. (Arthur Ward/CFL.ca)
The Roughriders held out hope that star receiver KeeSean Johnson would be able to play in the Western Final before he was ultimately ruled out. On the shelf since October 11 with a knee injury, a Johnson return would be a massive boost for Saskatchewan. In 16 appearances, Johnson racked up 1,159 receiving yards and four touchdowns en route to his first All-CFL nod.
While all eyes will be on Alexander’s status, the Als have a couple of other names to watch, too. Defensive tackle Mustafa Johnson has missed both of Montreal’s playoff games with a shoulder injury but is trending in the right direction. Optimism also feels high surrounding offensive lineman Pier-Olivier Lestage, who missed the Eastern Final with a neck injury.
CAN THE ALOUETTES GET TO TREVOR HARRIS?
One of the most accurate passers in CFL history, few quarterbacks can pick apart opposing defences better than Saskatchewan’s Trevor Harris if he has time. And, with one of the league’s best offensive lines in front of him, that’s what we saw last weekend. The Riders didn’t allow a sack in the Western Final, while Harris showed everyone exactly how proficient he can be when he has time, as he led his team 76 yards downfield for a game-winning touchdown.
Protecting Harris has been one of Saskatchewan’s strengths all year, but the Alouettes will be up for the challenge. Montreal co-led the league with 45 sacks during the regular season thanks to playmakers like defensive end Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund and linebacker Tyrice Beverette. A potential Johnson return will only bolster Montreal’s defensive front.
HOW MUCH OF A FACTOR WILL AJ OUELLETTE BE?
The Roughriders wouldn’t have been in position to stage last weekend’s spectacular finish without AJ Ouellette’s contributions throughout. Ouellette totalled 113 rushing yards on 17 carries in the Western Final, which was his third-highest total of the season. By establishing Ouellette as a threat early, Saskatchewan ensured he was a factor even into Saturday’s latter stages.
Set to make his second Grey Cup appearance, Ouellette is coming off a career season that saw him record 1,222 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. And let’s not forget how important his two touchdowns were for Toronto in their 109th Grey Cup triumph over Winnipeg three years ago.
WHO HAS THE SPECIAL TEAMS EDGE?
On paper, you have to lean towards the Alouettes when it comes to Sunday’s kicking matchup. José Maltos-Díaz has made six of his seven field goal attempts this post-season, walked it off for Montreal in last weekend’s Eastern Final, and led the league with 58 successful field goals during the regular season.
But it does feel like things are starting to normalise in that department for the Riders. Making 39 field goals on 54 attempts, Brett Lauther struggled for much of the season but seems to have found his game when it matters most. Lauther nailed all three of his tries last weekend and has missed just one in his last three outings overall.
And then there’s the return game, which feels like a wash. Either of Montreal’s James Letcher Jr. or Saskatchewan’s Mario Alford is good for a big return at a moment’s notice. Both limited due to injury during the regular season, Alford and Letcher have the potential to be important x-factors for their team come Sunday.