Roles reversed: Defending champion Alouettes host Argonauts in East final rematch

By Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press on November 8, 2024.

Montreal Alouettes quarterback Cody Fajardo (7) looks for a receiver during first half CFL action against the Toronto Argonauts in Toronto, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nick Iwanyshyn

MONTREAL – Cody Fajardo knows the roles are reversed.

The reigning Grey Cup MVP still likes where his Montreal Alouettes stand compared to the Toronto Argonauts 12 months ago, because they know what it takes to win as the underdog.

The Alouettes and Argos are facing off in the CFL’s East Division final for the third consecutive year on Saturday at Molson Stadium.

Last year, Toronto was the defending champion with the league’s best record. This time around the Alouettes are in those shoes.

“We’re in a better spot than they were in last year,” Fajardo, the quarterback, said Friday near the Alouettes’ locker room at Olympic Stadium. “We understand what their mentality has to be to come into our stadium and win that football game.

“We understood what it took, how locked in we were last year in order to beat the best team in the CFL, and so we know what it takes to win or lose this game tomorrow.”

Montreal forced nine turnovers – including four interceptions by Toronto quarterback Chad Kelly – in a stunning 38-17 upset last year at BMO Field after the Argos posted a historic 16-2 record in the regular season.

With Montreal (12-5-1) now the team to beat, Toronto is eager to flip the script.

“No question,” head coach Ryan Dinwiddie said. “Us playing at home last year was disappointing, we had a good fan base that was (in Toronto) for that game. They’ve got a sellout so it’s going to be a great environment.

“You’ve got to win on the road when you don’t get a first-round bye so we’ve got to go in there in order to get to our goal to play in the Grey Cup.”

Toronto (10-8 in the regular season) finished second in the East but has the hotter hand entering the game. The Argos have won five of their last seven, including a 58-38 victory over Ottawa in the East semifinal last week.

Meanwhile, Montreal went 2-4-1 in its last seven games and hasn’t played a meaningful contest since clinching first in the East on Sept. 28 – despite losing 37-31 to Toronto on that same date.

The Argos won two of three games against the Alouettes this season, exposing a shaky Montreal run defence by rushing for over 100 yards on each occasion.

Montreal’s defence has been at the forefront of the team’s success dating back to last season, but this year it ranked seventh against the run.

“They got a great offence, they got a great O-line, great scheme, and a great running back in Ka’Deem Carey,” Montreal safety Marc-Antoine Dequoy said of Toronto. “That will be our mandate – we definitely have to stop the run. They’re a great team, (but) I’m confident that we’ll be able to do this job.”

Kelly, last year’s most outstanding player, missed the first nine games of this season for violating the CFL’s gender-based violence policy.

After shaking off some rust, he rounded into form late in the season and dominated with 358 passing yards, four TDs on 18-for-20 completions and a rushing major against Ottawa.

Alouettes head coach Jason Maas believes Kelly likely exorcised some playoff demons with that performance.

“He’s probably a better quarterback because of it,” Maas said. “We’re going to face the best Kelly that we’ve seen because he’s gone through that adversity.”

However, one area Montreal still excels in is limiting explosiveness. The Alouettes allowed the fewest 30-yard completions this season.

“They play really sound defence,” Kelly said. “Noel (Als defensive coordinator Noel Thorpe) is a heck of a coach back there, obviously 24 (Dequoy) a really good player.

“They’re going to try to rattle us, they’re going to bring pressure. We know they like to do weird things that other teams throughout the CFL might not do so we’re going to have to be ready.”

After getting off to a hot start, the Alouettes’ offence didn’t fire on all cylinders during the team’s end-of-season dip.

Over the final seven games, Fajardo posted a highest single-game total of 240 passing yards while running back Walter Fletcher’s best on the ground was 53, although both facets showed promise in a 28-27 loss to Winnipeg to end the season.

With all that in mind, Fajardo said it feels like Montreal can embrace an underdog mentality after all.

“It feels like the same situation,” he said. “Everybody wanted to talk about Toronto all last year, and going into this game seems like everyone wants to talk about Toronto.

“It’s lit a fire under the guys, I’ll be honest with you. Lit a fire under me.”

NOTES: Alouettes star receiver Austin Mack (hamstring) was on Montreal’s depth chart after missing practice Thursday, but listed as a game-time decision. Defensive lineman Mustafa Johnson is out. “¦ For Toronto, receiver Damonte Coxie is a game-time decision after missing the East semifinal. Linebacker Fraser Sopik is off the injured list.

– With files from Dan Ralph in Toronto.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.