Mark your calendars for Sunday, November 19, as Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ontario hosts the 110th Grey Cup. The Montreal Alouettes are set to battle it out with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Montreal ended their season with an 11-7 record, while Winnipeg boasted a strong finish at 14-4.
During their regular season encounters in weeks 4 and 12, the Bombers triumphed over Montreal both times. The first win was a strategic 17-3 victory in Montreal, followed by a commanding 47-17 victory back on their home turf at the end of August.
For the Bombers, this marks their fourth successive Grey Cup appearance. They emerged victorious in 2019 and 2021, falling short last year against the Toronto Argonauts in a close 24-23 battle. Meanwhile, the Alouettes have not been in the Grey Cup spotlight since their triumphant 2010 season when they clinched their seventh cup compared to Winnipeg's dozen.
Should the Bombers seize another win, they’ll be flirting with the brink of dynasty status akin to the Edmonton Eskimos, who claimed the Grey Cup five times consecutively from 1978 to 1982. That iconic team also lifted the trophy in 1975 and was the runner-up in three other seasons spanning a decade.
The Bombers are still a few strides away from such dynastic glory, now entering their fourth consecutive appearance, yet they're already eyeing the 2025 season when they'll have the home advantage at IG Field.
This game is shaping up to be a marquee event for betting enthusiasts, with a considerable turnover anticipated. The Bombers might appear to be the overwhelming favorites on paper, but will this narrative play out on the field? Let's delve into the details of the 2023 Grey Cup.
Calling the outcome of this game a shock would be an understatement. Despite their pre-game narrative as favorites, the Toronto Argonauts couldn't hold it together under pressure, fumbling the ball nine times, which the Alouettes capitalized on. This level of mismanagement made a loss inevitable.
Acknowledgement of the Alouettes' victory is deserved, yet their triumph seemed heavily laced with the Argos' self-sabotage. The Als' defense performed commendably, but it felt more like the Argos squandered a prime chance to feature in another Grey Cup Final.
Key plays came from both Kabion Ento and Marc-Antoine Dequoy, whose pick-sixes led to a game-turning four-interception performance. Despite Toronto's offensive yardage nearly doubling Montreal's, their ball security failures rendered that advantage moot.
Dequoy’s pivotal 101-yard interception was the game's icebreaker, disrupting the Argos' promising drive in the end zone. Subsequently, Toronto found themselves chasing redemption, often exacerbating their setbacks.
A substantial portion of the Alouettes' 38 points stemmed from turnovers, including a caused fumble. The defense checked Toronto on downs four times, signaling a need for similar defensive fortitude against the Bombers this coming weekend.
As victors of the West Division, the Blue Bombers have only tackled one postseason game, defeating the BC Lions 24-13, who shadowed the Bombers throughout the divisional faceoffs, having delivered them a formidable defeat back in week 3.
Holding an 18-10 lead at half-time, the Bombers' defense stifled the Lions of any second-half resurgence, restricting them to a singular field goal and confining them to 189 net yards. Their defensive unit claimed three interceptions and nine sacks, securing control in a low-scoring skirmish.
Though not their most prolifically scored game of the year, Brady Oliveira's dominant rushing in the first quarter set the tone for the Bombers, with ten carries alone giving them an early grasp.
A 45-yard Hail Mary touchdown for the Lions was the first half's only blemish on the Bombers' scoreboard control. Without it, the score would have heavily weighted in favor of the Bombers as they neutralized any Lion advances.
Closing out at 14-4, the Bombers lagged only behind the Argonauts in the regular-season standings. Their away record bore three losses, including a slip against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the home ground for this year's Grey Cup.
At the helm is Mike O’Shea, boasting an impressive six Grey Cup victories—three as a player, one as a special teams conductor alongside Jason Maas in 2012, and twice steering the Bombers as head coach.
Zach Collaros emerged as the regular season's top touchdown passer with 33, though his 15 interceptions stood as a second league-high, a stat that looms larger given the Alouettes' interception prowess shown in the East Final.
Brady Oliveira embraced a strenuous role this season, commanding the league in carries and yardage, placing nearly 400 yards ahead of his closest competitor. He also shared the league's rushing TD mantle with nine scores.
Dalton Schoen was Collaros's preferred target, leading the league with 10 receiving touchdowns and 1233 yards, securing second in rankings. Leading the Bombers in interceptions with five was Demerio Houston, while Willie Jefferson topped the sack leaderboard with 11.
Critics struggle to find any glaring weaknesses within the Blue Bombers. Their offensive strength is poignantly balanced by an equally formidable defense. Sergio Castillo shines as one of the league's reliable kickers, leaving little room for vulnerability to opponents.
Their early-season face-off resulted in a modest 17-3 victory for the Bombers in Montreal. Both teams' net yardages were closely matched, yet the Bombers asserted dominance whenever the Alouettes' progress crossed the halfway line.
Three fumble recoveries and an interception solidified the Bombers' defensive supremacy. Despite receiving standouts like Kaion Julien-Grant and Austin Mack who managed 129 and 110 yards, respectively, Montreal couldn't breach the goal.
Oliveira stacked up 120 rushing yards, reinforcing the Bombers' control over the game clock. Their touchdowns came from Schoen and Drew Wolitarsky’s passes, while Montreal's sole 27-yard scoring came in the fourth quarter with just over six minutes remaining.
The return game at Winnipeg mirrored its Montreal predecessor in dominance, yet offered more thrill for those counting on scoring. The Bombers concluded this encounter with a resounding 47-17 blowout, borne from a potent second-half resurgence.
The Alouettes struggled to dent the scoreline initially but gave a spirited effort, trailing just 20-17 by halftime. Their second half saw a dud scorers-wise, accentuating their reliance on defensive plays just to stay competitive.
Interceptions thrice thwarted Collaros, with Dequoy claiming two, even returning one 57 yards for a decisive score. Similarly, Tyrell Richards penned his own defensive score, highlighting Montreal's reliance on its defence for points.
Montreal’s lackluster rushing yield of just 42 yards from 14 attempts sharply impacted, coupled with 13 penalty setbacks costing 142 further yards. Their Sunday hopes will hinge on cleaning these forays, as gifting free yardage to the Bombers could spell disaster.
Brady Oliveira, yet again, turned in an electrifying performance, clocking in 119 rushing yards, a close parallel to his first meeting metrics. Their calculated defensive craft and time control underscore the Bombers’ strategic prowess.
Though the Alouettes have stunned once this postseason, the Bombers are unlikely to blunder like the Argos. Indeed, this season's encounters have seen the Bombers' defense dominant, keeping Montreal at bay with five fruitless quarters.
In their clashes thus far, Montreal's offense hasn't found the endzone. Their 20 total points courtesy of two field goals and a pair of pick-sixes against the Bombers stand testament to their offensive struggles.
The defensive heroics were key versus Toronto, yet they'll face monumental demands anew as the Bombers hold sway over the Alouettes' offensive capabilities, making this a daunting endeavor for Montreal.
The betting scene sees the Blue Bombers as the -7.5 favorites (-110 on the spread), pegged at -330 to win outright, while Alouettes hang in at +270. The spread may entice skeptics while others might deem the odds as cautionary, given the Bombers' apparent prowess.
With an over/under set at 46.5, it's slightly bold, given both teams' defensive lean. Those leaning into the over will need the Alouettes’ offensive game to light up better than previous tests this year.
We firmly anticipate a Blue Bombers victory, leaning toward backing them against the spread. It would be quite the monumental upset if they fail to extend a clear margin into double digits—a rarity for Grey Cup surprises.
