The Western Final returns to IG Field!#CFL | #GCPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/geL7saVcQf
— CFL (@CFL) October 21, 2023
Home teams reigned supreme in the division semifinal games. Those home teams are now the road teams in the 2023 CFL division finals, just as they were in 2022.
Montréal handled Hamilton rather easily 27-12 at Molson Stadium. The Alouettes defence held the Tiger-Cats without a touchdown of any kind. The BC Lions outlasted Calgary 41-30 at BC Place.
Vernon Adams Jr. got his first playoff win as a starting quarterback. Adams had 413 passing yards, 54 rushing yards, and accounted for 5 touchdowns.
Toronto and Winnipeg are the home sites once again, just like in 2021 and 2022. Montréal and BC won playoff games for the second straight year. The Alouettes had a playoff winless streak since 2014 and 2016 for the Lions.
Both of these teams want to win on the road to advance to the 2023 Grey Cup in Hamilton. The 2021 Tiger-Cats were the last team to win a road game in a division final.
Toronto had a perfect record against the East Division in 2023, including 3 games against Montréal. The Argos had a 35-27 win over the Alouettes in Montréal on July 14; a strong 39-10 win at BMO Field on September 9; and a thriller with a 23-20 victory in Montréal on September 15.
BC had a lone win over Winnipeg at IG Field 30-6 on June 22. The Blue Bombers also had a blow out win at home 50-14 on August 3. Winnipeg outlasted BC 34-26 in Vancouver on October 6.
TSN
Saturday
Montréal @ Toronto, 3p
BC @ Winnipeg, 6:30p
JAKE HARTY LEGACY GAME. HE EXTENDS THE @MTLAlouettes LEAD#GCPlayoffs on TSN, RDS
— CFL (@CFL) November 4, 2023
📲 Stream on CFL+ pic.twitter.com/0Ie9Rtu0FG
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have the longest drought between CFL championships, going back to 1999. The Alouettes are second with the last win in 2010. The BC Lions are third with a win in 2011.
We noted that every CFL team won a Grey Cup in the 2010s except for Hamilton. The gaps in Montréal and Vancouver feel large even if they don't seem that long ago.
Toronto won last year and Winnipeg won 2 years ago.
Mr. 1500: @bradyoliveira 🔥
— CFL (@CFL) October 28, 2023
Oliveira becomes just the SECOND CANADIAN IN #CFL HISTORY to surpass 1500 yards rushing in a single season. @Wpg_BlueBombers 🍁 pic.twitter.com/as1YsfcTM2
The Argos matched the 16-2 mark (with an 18 game schedule) with the 1989 Edmonton squad. That Edmonton team got upset in the playoffs.
2023 CFL playoffs preview
2023 CFL Week 21 preview: Final regular season weekend
The attendance numbers in Vancouver for the last 2 home playoff games in 2022 and 2023: 30,149 (2023) and 30,114 (2022) in Vancouver. Rather impressive.
We hear promising things about Toronto's expected attendance at BMO Field on Saturday, though the numbers won't hit 30,000.
Start time for @DallasStars at @NHLJets game on Nov. 11 changed to 3 p.m. ET.
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) October 26, 2023
Details: https://t.co/cPjFtif47b pic.twitter.com/7BjR1MfBGq
No fancy Jets/Blue Bombers doubleheader in Winnipeg like we saw in 2021. The Winnipeg Jets have a home game on Saturday moved to 3 pm (from 4 pm) to not interfere with the 6:30 pm start for the West final at IG Field. Sara Orlesky, who featured prominently in that 2021 doubleheader, will root for the Blue Bombers but her focus will be on the action at Canada Life Centre.
TSN3 won't carry the East final but will carry the West final. TSN4 has the East final though Raptors instead of the West final. TSN5 isn't carrying any CFL. TSN1 will have both games.
CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage
Rod Smith and Duane Forde with Matthew Scianitti were in Montréal for the East semifinal. Dustin Nielson and Glen Suitor with Farhan Lalji were in Vancouver for the West semifinal.
logo credit: CFL
Twitter captures: @CFL (x3); @PR_NHL
Comments