The Montreal Alouettes had a chance to win their second Gray Cup in three years when they faced the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Winnipeg. It all came down to turnovers, and the Als committed too many of them en route to a 25-17 loss.
Below are my thoughts on the game.
Erratic start, then back to normal
Davis Alexander didn't look like himself in the first half. He didn't like the first readings and was unable to connect with his receivers. The games that Jason Maas was talking about kept him in the pocket where he just wasn't comfortable.
He made a run late in the first half, but it wasn't enough for Alam to close the gap before the break. At that point, he was nine of fourteen for 97 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions, one of which came on a Hail Mary to end the second quarter.
His interception early in the third quarter was no better, as his drive ended with a two-and-out, and then he threw an interception on the ensuing drive, forcing the ball into motion.
With the Riders up 17, Alexander showed his courage. He began scouting his receivers and allowed running back Stevie Scott III to work his magic. As a team, the Als eventually fought back and made it a one-possession game. But this was not enough – the ship sank again due to the speed.
Revolutions
After this game people will remember Shea Pattersonwho fumbled the ball at the Saskatchewan two-yard line. The reality is that the Als lost the turnover battle by a score of 4-0. In any football game you cannot expect to win if you make so many mistakes.
Yes, Alexander made three interceptions, but the defense was unable to force turnovers, despite many chances. Kabion Ento should have hit the pick-six on the Riders' first drive after Trevor Harris never saw him on an attempt to pass to AJ Ouellette. The ball was given to Ento and was incomplete, but at that point Montreal should have led by seven.
It was the same story as last year in the Eastern final as the Als turned the ball over too often. This will be a recurring theme again this offseason as Montreal prepares for 2026.
Strong start, no continuation
Noel Thorpe's defense took a nosedive in the final third of the season and remained sharp in the play-offs except for six minutes in the Eastern semi-final. The unit dominated Sunday until the start of the second quarter.
The start of the game was perfect. The Riders' first two moves came to nothing and, with help from Josef Zema, the Als began their third try in midfield, something that had never happened in the entire first half of last week.
The key was removing Trevor Harris' first read, which they did brilliantly in the first quarter. Harris searched but couldn't find his main option.
Then things went south in the second quarter as the Als began to lose the physical battle. AJ Ouellette led the way with runs and catches out of bounds – he could have been the game's MVP. The offensive line helped him and his receivers helped too. Ajou Ajou also showed excellent performance in run blocking.
I must say: there were too many tackles missed by the Als. The defensive line also didn't put enough pressure on Trevor Harris. On that last point, much of the credit goes to Saskatchewan's offensive line, which was stellar.
The troubles continued at the beginning of the second half. Mario Alford returned the punt into Al territory and Ouellette ran confidently for the first down. A couple plays later, Tommy Stevens scored another touchdown.
The Als' defense had no answer for the Riders until the score was 25-7. From there the result was better, but in the end it was too little, too late.
Decisions during the game
Wide receiver Austin Mack and cornerback Mustafa Johnson were listed as game-time decisions by the team. In the end, both played despite hamstring and shoulder injuries respectively, although they didn't have the impact they wanted.
Mack was attacked twice, but did not record the catch and told 3DownNation after the game that he was at 95 percent. Johnson played a few games but was not as effective in run defense.
Call
On the Riders' first drive of the second quarter, the Als appeared to be stalled on third down after Kabion Ento threw a goal-line pass. Saskatchewan challenged and there was pass interference.
It was a 50/50 situation, it could have gone either way. There was contact before the ball arrived, but I'm not sure it was enough to interfere with the pass. The command center decided that this was enough. I would have stayed with the decision on the field because I don't think it was a clear and obvious mistake by the referee.
Interesting choice
The Riders won the toss. With almost no wind at the Princess Auto Stadium, I expected them to win the ball immediately and put pressure on the Als and Davis Alexander. Instead, they delayed their selection until the second half, giving the Als' quarterback the first chance. They won their bet as Marcus Sayles immediately killed Alexander.
The Riders decided to start the second half, and the strategy paid off. Trevor Harris took the field, leading Stevens to the game-winning touchdown.
Hats off to Trevor Harris
Like Cody Fajardo two years ago, Trevor Harris had perhaps the only remaining opportunity in his career to win a Gray Cup as a starter. He certainly didn’t miss his tryst with fame. He was outstanding for the Riders, getting the ball to his receivers on time.
He was helped by Ouellette, who had an outstanding game, but he deserves the flowers. If he decides to retire, he can say, “Mission accomplished.”
Another great Gray Cup
It must be said that both teams gave an excellent game to the fans present and observers from afar.
These were two of the best teams in the CFL and they did not disappoint. Alexander and Alsy fought to the end, but the stronger team won everything.
Corey Mays has completely changed the mentality of the Riders. From the moment he joined the team, they believed they could go all the way and on the biggest stage they did.
This game kicked off another great CFL season. It's crazy to think we won't see another game until May.
What's next?
The Alouettes head home Tuesday for their final meetings of the season. Danny Maccioscia and Jason Maas will speak to the media on Wednesday.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders defeated the Montreal Alouettes in the 112th Gray Cup at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg, 25-17.
Trevor Harris was named MVP after he completed 23 of 27 pass attempts for 302 yards, winning his first Gray Cup as a starter. Samuel Emilus was named the most valuable Canadian after he had 10 catches for 108 yards and just two completions, falling short of a Gray Cup record.
