The Winnipeg Blue Bombers had to rise from 3rd place in 2019 to win the Grey Cup. The 2021 squad was the cream of the crop all year long. There were stumbles toward the end but the Blue Bombers won back-to-back CFL titles with a 33-25 overtime win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Hamilton.
Winnipeg trailed at halftime for the second week in a row. The Blue Bombers defence in the fourth quarter remained strong, holding the Tiger-Cats to a tying field goal near the end of regulation.
After a drought since 1990, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are the first CFL team to go back to back since the 2009-2010 Montréal Alouettes.
Every point counts: We make this point often and this Grey Cup game proved this to be true. The kickers were perfect last night in a season with missed field goals and extra points.
Winnipeg scored a punt single in the 1st quarter and 2 kick singles in the 4th quarter when the Blue Bombers had the wind. The wind was not surprisingly a factor in Tim Hortons Field, known for wind issues since its construction. The Blue Bombers did concede a safety in the 3rd quarter when the team did not have the wind at its back.
The Tiger-Cats could have won the Grey Cup in regulation without that final rouge in the 4th quarter.
Hamilton had a 22-10 lead early in the 4th quarter. Winnipeg has dominated the 4th quarter in 2021.
Splish, splash....goin' back to back!#CFL | @GatoradeCanada pic.twitter.com/tVj2Tv1wfT
— CFL (@CFL) December 13, 2021
In overtime, Zach Collaros, voted the Most Outstanding Player in the season and the 2021 Grey Cup, led the team to a touchdown (Darvin Adams) and 2-point conversion (Rasheed Bailey). Hamilton needed 8 points to stay alive. However, Jeremiah Masoli, in for an injured Dane Evans, threw a pass where Winnipeg defenders Deatrick Nichols and Winston Rose before Kyrie Wilson caught the ball to end the 2021 Grey Cup.
Nic Demski won Most Outstanding Canadian for the Grey Cup for Winnipeg.
Kameron Kelly had 2 interceptions for Hamilton. Dane Evans went 4-9 for 24 yards before the injury. Jeremiah Masoli was 20-25 for 185 yards for the Tiger-Cats.
Absolute SCENE at Portage & Main 😳#ForTheW #DefendTheCup pic.twitter.com/TaIj19s75a
— Winnipeg Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) December 13, 2021
2021 Grey Cup preview
This was the 4th overtime Grey Cup game ever. The first happened in 1961 when Winnipeg beat Hamilton 21-14. Edmonton edged Montreal in 2005 and Ottawa took care of Calgary in 2016.
The Blue Bombers previously won back-to-back Grey Cup titles in 1958-1959 and 1961-1962. This was under Bud Grant in Winnipeg. Grant coached Winnipeg for 10 seasons with 6 Grey Cup appearances and the 4 titles. Michael O'Shea is in good company.
We were told the capacity for the 2021 Grey Cup was 24,000. Turns out the actual attendance number was 26,324. Everything we said about the attendance figures last week remain true. Will be curious what the capacity will be for the 2023 Grey Cup in Hamilton.
The back to back wins is rather impressive in modern times. Doug Flutie and the Toronto Argonauts won in 1996-1997. The legendary Edmonton teams led by Warren Moon won from 1978-1982.
CFL attracting attention to the East final for very wrong reasons
2021 CFL division finals preview
— Hamilton Tiger-Cats (@Ticats) December 13, 2021
The 2021 Hamilton Tiger-Cats became the first CFL team to lose a Grey Cup at home since the 2008 Montréal Alouettes at Olympic Stadium. The 2011-2013 Grey Cup games all had the home team win the title.
Hamilton has the longest streak in the CFL without a Grey Cup title going back to winning the 1999 Grey Cup. Montréal is second not having won a Grey Cup since 2010.
2021 CFL playoffs preview
The halftime show with the Arkells, Lumineers, and K.Flay was rather good. Robin Sparkles and Robin Daggers would have been proud.
Short-term solutions for TSN to replace Chris Cuthbert on CFL telecasts
TSN had extensive coverage leading up and including then 108th Grey Cup. The radio side had a new team with Dustin Nielson alongside analyst Natey Adjei. Nielson also did the TV introductions that Rod Black had done for years.
The TV call went well. Rod Smith and Glen Suitor called their first Grey Cup together. The drones could have been used more. We had injuries during the game and the crew barely went to Sara Orlesky and Matthew Scianitti.
Current Calgary quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell was on the secondary TSN panel.
ESPNews carried the last half hour (5:30 pm-6 pm Eastern) of pregame coverage, something we don't recall U.S. television doing. The U.S. channel carried the first few minutes of the regular coverage since ESPN2 joined in progress a few minutes past 6 pm.
CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage
The 14-game season went fairly smooth with a singular COVID-19 hangup. Having 3 East teams in the CFL playoffs was an improvement. A June 2022 kickoff to a season will be a welcome sight. The league still has a number of issues; the offence on the field needs to pick up as well.
The 2022 Grey Cup will be at Mosaic Stadium in Regina.
photo credit: @CFL
Twitter captures: @CFL; @Wpg_BlueBombers; @Ticats