Matt Cauz
CFL.ca
The Saskatchewan Roughriders vs. the Montreal Alouettes. Sounds about right doesn’t it?
I couldn’t understand why on Sunday morning all people were talking about was the issues of the playoff crossover format. I liked the format; it meant that the best teams would make the playoffs, regardless of geography. Now all we needed was for the two best teams to win. No one wants a Championship game with a team that really shouldn’t have been invited to the party.
In the end, we got the exact game we should have received.
The Alouettes just crushed the Lions; really there is little that needs to be said about that game. Here’s all you need to know: Jamel Richardson had as many points as the Lions did.
Now the Western final at least had some drama to it. You had to be impressed with Darian Durant; most young quarterbacks would not be able to bounce back from a 10-0 deficit midway through the second quarter. But that is where Durant and the Roughriders found themselves. Instead, playing in his first playoff game, he calmly and coolly went on a 27-1 run, putting the game away early in the 4th quarter.
If anything Henry Burris looked more like a rookie throwing three interceptions and racking up most of his yards when the game was out of reach. Now it wasn’t all his fault, his receivers deserve some of the blame. You rarely saw Copeland, Bryant or Lewis get open, forcing Burris to run for his life for much of the game. Having 4.3 40 speed is nice but being able to create a yard and half of separation between yourself and a defensive back is a far more important asset to posses for a receiver.
When I was grading Saskatchewan I took some heat for the number of B’s that I gave out compared with the other teams remaining in the playoffs. Specifically I was ripped for my B grade for the team’s wide receivers. After watching Andy Fantuz, Chris Getzlaf and Rob Bagg torch Calgary’s secondary I may have to rethink my grading. They’re not the fastest unit in the league but every one of them knows how to get open.
They also understand their routes and how their pass patterns affect one another. Andy Fantuz was open for his touchdown because of a sneaky (illegal) pick play set by Wes Cates that gave Fantuz the separation he needed to get away from Keon Raymond. This team is such a well coached, efficient machine.
So what about next weekend? Well the smart money will be on the Alouettes. It has to be right? If you go down the two rosters and compare position to position, well even the most ardent Saskatchewan fan will have to grudgingly admit Montreal has the superior talent.
However, Saskatchewan does have a big edge mentally. Montreal isn’t just playing against Stevie Baggs and Darian Durant; they’re also playing against history. Their own History.
You will hear all week about the playoff failures that have haunted this team for the past decade, that they’re the Atlanta Braves of the CFL, just without the obnoxious owner or Tomahawk Chop.
How can Anthony Calvillo only have one Grey Cup to his name?
You know the storylines. If Montreal gets down early, doubt could start to seep into that roster. This usually leads to quarterbacks who press passes they shouldn’t and defensive lineman trying to do too much, leaving massive gaps for running backs.
Now will this play out next Sunday? I wish I was smart enough to know.
Clearly, after giving the Roughriders a whole slew of B’s I may not be the best person to predict what’s going to happen. I do know that we should be in store for a great game between the two teams that have clearly earned the right to win the 97th Grey Cup.
