111th Grey Cup Playoffs: Division Finals Recap

And then, there were two.

The second Saturday in November featured the Division Finals, the last step before the big game, the Grey Cup. This game introduced the first place teams to this year's playoffs: the Montreal Alouettes and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers--the same two teams who faced off in last year's Grey Cup. Would we see these same two teams back in the big game again? Let's find out, shall we?

I was excited for this Eastern Final: the Alouettes and the Toronto Argonauts. I still have that bad taste of last year's game in my mouth. So many mistakes, so much bad play, the Boatmen were sunk from the moment the opening kick commenced. This year, we would be ready for the Als. At first, it didn't look that way. Our first drive ended with an interception, but a funny thing happened. They fumbled the return. Argos recovered and got the ball back. We didn't score on that, but right after, we took the ball from the Als again. So we already had un (one), and that other fumble makes deux (two). Even so, no score. Then on the Als' next possession, Cody Fajardo's pass is tipped and intercepted. Trois (three). In this case, trois was the charm, as the INT was returned all the way.

After an Alouettes field goal, the Boatmen led 7-3 after the first quarter, but the defending champs started to break away. 13 more points followed, putting us down by nine. My thought, "We needed something." After forcing Montreal to punt, Janarion Grant picks up the ball, and takes it to the house! 16-14 after the Argos return TD, and on the Alouettes' next possession...fumble! Quatre (four). What happens after that? Two long bombs, the second one for a touchdown! At halftime, the Argos led 21-16!

Argos' lead increased to eight after a field goal late in the third quarter, but the Als were moving down the field and into the red zone. What happened next? Fajardo fumble, Argos recover. Cinq (five). The drive ends with a field goal, but right before that kick, Chad Kelly suffered a terrible injury to his right shin, and had to be carted off. Kelly out, Nick Arbuckle in. Argos led by 11 entering the fourth, but the Alouettes would find the end zone early in the fourth. Two pointer failed, Argos led 27-22. Argos added another field goal to make it an eight point game again, leaving the Als with just a few minutes left. Despite that, the Als scored again, and were a two-pointer away from tying it. If they get it, there was 1:56 left, a lot of time to just get in FG range. Instead, the two-pointer is intercepted. That's six (yes, "six" in French is the same as in English, but in French, it's pronounced, "sees"). Argos got one first down, and a second via a DPI penalty to clinch it!

In 1963, the late, great singer Lesley Gore gave us her most memorable hit song, It's My Party. We know the lyric: "It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to." That song represents last year's Eastern Final. The hit song was followed by the sequel, Judy's Turn to Cry. That song represents this year's Eastern Final. This year, it was Montreal's turn to suffer through the miscues and turnovers--six of them. It was also their turn to lose the Eastern final on their own home turf. Even so, this was one hell of a game between these two teams; Argos/Als is definitely the top rivalry in the East Division, and it shows. In the end, we're in the Grey Cup for the second time in three years, and we're going for #19!

In the West, it was the Saskatchewan Roughriders against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and this wasn't as nail biting as the East game. It was the Kenny Lawler show for the most part; he had two touchdowns in the first quarter alone! 14-0 already, and it was 14-3 Bombers after one quarter. Saskatchewan could not do a thing in the second, only mustering two field goals while the Bombers got that and another touchdown. Bombers led 24-9 at halftime. It was over. Despite that, I kept watching, because it's the Western Final, but I knew a comeback would not happen.

Riders finally found the end zone in the third, but so did the Bombers, and it was Lawler again. 31-16 was the score after the third quarter, and yeah, it was over but the shouting. The fourth quarter was only a formality.

Amazing. This team was 0-4 and damn near dead in the water to start the season. 0-4 in any football league usually means season over. Not for the Bombers. Winnipeg marched on and got the wins they needed to get, and managed to finish first in the West Division to earn the right to host this year's Western Final. Their dismantling of the Roughriders places them one win away from fulfilling the dynasty, a chance to win their third Grey Cup in five years. Wow! As for the Roughriders, well, they have a lot to be proud of. They went from 6-12 last year to playing for the West Division this year. One hell of a turnaround for this team. We will see of the Riders can maintain this momentum and turn it into something good in 2025.

And here it is, folks! The 111th Grey Cup will feature the Toronto Argonauts and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in a rematch of the 109th Grey Cup two years ago. I remember that one; the Argos winning that game, 24-23, to lock up #18 and keep the Bombers from three-peating. This meeting is a bit on the special side. It's a Bombers team who wasn't supposed to even be in the playoffs after their bad start, against an Argos team who was up and down thanks to certain off the field drama from our quarterback. Despite the fact that the Bombers had the bye, both teams did it the hard way. This will be a very gritty Grey Cup for sure.

The 111th Grey Cup will take place on Sunday, November 17, 2024 in Vancouver, British Columbia. The game will air on TSN, RDS, and CTV in Canada, while those of us in the U.S. will have the pleasure of watching this game on CBS Sports Network. Fans outside of both countries will watch the game on CFL+. I'm all ready for this game, and here's hoping the Argos take it!

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