The Montreal Alouettes beat the Toronto Argonauts 33 to 16 on Friday night at BMO Field in the regular season finale for both teams. Dustin Crum ran for two first half touchdowns for Montreal, and Caleb Evans threw two touchdown passes in the second half as the Alouettes finished the season at 14 and 4 and Toronto closed at 9 and 9.
The result changed nothing in the East Division standings, and that was the point of the night. Montreal had already locked up first place and will host the East Division final on Saturday, November 7. Toronto had already locked up second place and will host the East Division semifinal on Saturday, October 31 at BMO Field.
Crum Takes His Chance for Montreal
Crum made his first start of the season and played like a quarterback who had waited all year for it. He completed 17 of 20 passes for 153 yards and added two rushing touchdowns in the first half. His one yard touchdown run at 5 minutes 35 seconds of the first quarter capped a 10 play, 76 yard opening drive, and his nine yard touchdown run late in the second quarter gave Montreal a 19 to 10 halftime lead.
Montreal controlled the ball for most of the first half. The Alouettes ran 43 offensive plays to Toronto’s 14 before halftime and held the ball for more than 22 minutes. Lewis Ward added field goals of 15 yards and 42 yards in the first half, along with three converts on the night.
When you play an 18 game schedule, I am telling you right now we do not concede one of them.
That was Montreal head coach Jason Maas on his team’s approach to a finale with no standings impact. Montreal played to win anyway, swept the season series against Toronto, and now gets a bye week before the East Final.
Toronto Starts Fast, Then Fades
Toronto actually struck first through the air after the opening Montreal touchdown. Tucker Horn, the Argonauts third quarterback who drew the start, hit Dymere Miller on a 71 yard touchdown pass at 6 minutes 10 seconds of the first quarter for a brief 7 to 6 Toronto lead. Miller finished with seven catches for 115 yards and Toronto’s touchdown.
Horn completed 20 of 26 passes for 215 yards with a touchdown and an interception before Luis Perez replaced him in the fourth quarter. Perez completed two of three passes for 26 yards. Lirim Hajrullahu kept Toronto close with three field goals, including a 53 yarder in the first half and a 45 yarder late in the third quarter that pulled the Argonauts within 19 to 16.
The Argonauts also reached a franchise first in the loss. Kevin Mital caught three passes for 27 yards to pass 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career. He is the fourth Toronto receiver to reach that mark this season, joining Damonte Coxie, David Ungerer III and Tyler Kahmann, a first in franchise history.
Evans Closes the Game in the Fourth
Toronto was within three points entering the fourth quarter, but Montreal took the game away in the final frame. Evans threw a touchdown pass to Charleston Rambo for a 26 to 16 lead with 6 minutes 53 seconds left, finishing a short four play drive set up by a long punt return. He then found Kaseem Ferdinand on a 23 yard touchdown pass late in the game to complete the scoring at 33 to 16.
Evans completed 11 of 14 passes for 153 yards in relief, and Ferdinand finished with eight catches for 74 yards and a touchdown. Montreal’s offence totalled 371 yards on the night, with 235 passing yards and 151 rushing yards, and the Alouettes converted in the red zone on three of four trips.
For Toronto, the fourth quarter was a reminder of the gap it still has to close. The Argonauts rested key starters, including quarterback Chad Kelly, with the semifinal already secured, so the result is not a full measure of the team that will play on October 31. Still, Montreal’s backups outscored Toronto’s backups, and depth is exactly what decides playoff games when injuries hit.
The Playoff Picture Is Now Set
The finale clarified the road to the 113th Grey Cup in Calgary on Sunday, November 15. Montreal hosts the East Final on November 7. Toronto hosts the East semifinal on October 31. In the West, Edmonton finished first and hosts the West Final on November 7, while BC hosts the West semifinal on October 31.
The last playoff place was also settled on Friday. Winnipeg beat BC 34 to 10 to clinch the final berth, finish 9 and 9, and reach the playoffs for a ninth straight season. That result eliminated Calgary, whose hope of a home Grey Cup is over. Winnipeg can still finish as a crossover team into the East or stay in the West, depending on Saskatchewan’s result against Edmonton on Saturday, October 24.
Toronto’s path is simple and hard at the same time. Win at home on October 31, then go to Montreal and beat a 14 and 4 Alouettes team that just swept the season series. Friday night showed why that second step is the tallest one in the East, and why the Argonauts will need a far sharper start than the one their reserves produced in the finale.
