The Winnipeg Blue Bombers (11-7) visited Percival Molson Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon against the Montreal Alouettes (12-5-1) in the final game of the regular season. A win for Winnipeg would clinch the Western Division and a first-round bye. For Montreal, it was all about keeping players loose and playing the game to get ready for the playoffs.
First Quarter:
Montreal got the ball to start the game from their 41-yard line after returner Tyjon Lindsey returned the opening kickoff for 24 yards. They went two-and-out to start the game. Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros started the drive by throwing 6 of 8 passes for 50 yards. He had an 11-yard pass to Nic Demski called back on an offsides penalty by Kenny Lawler.
Winnipeg’s offense reached the Alouettes’ 41-yard line before kicker Sergio Castillo missed a 49-yard field goal wide right. Montreal returner Tyjon Lindsey returned the missed field goal for 15 yards to reach their 5-yard line with 8:26 left of the first quarter.
Montreal running back Walter Fletcher began the next drive for three yards then the drive stalled. Winnipeg’s offense got the ball on the Alouettes’ 43-yard line with 7:23 left of the first quarter.
Winnipeg running back Brady Oliveira started the drive by running for six yards to reach the Alouettes’ 37-yard line. Next, quarterback Zach Collaros completed 2 of 3 passes for 20 yards before the drive stalled. Kicker Sergio Castillo made a 25-yard field goal giving Winnipeg a 3-0 lead with 4:54 left of the first quarter.
Montreal quarterback Cody Fajardo completed three straight passes for 19 yards to reach the Blue Bombers’ 51-yard line. Next, running back Walter Fletcher had two carries for 11 yards, and Fajardo rushed for three yards reaching the Blue Bombers’ 37-yard line. Kicker Jose Carlos Maltos kicked a 45-yard field goal and the game was tied 3-3 with 1:30 left of the first quarter.
Winnipeg got the ball back with 1:13 left. Quarterback Zach Collaros completed two passes for 23 yards to reach Alouettes’ 47-yard line. He had initially had a pass intercepted by Wesley Sutton but Montreal was called for an illegal contact penalty giving the Blue Bombers a second chance. The game remained tied 3-3 at the end of the first quarter.
Montreal had 36 yards on offense (19 yards passing, 17 yards rushing), two first downs, no red zone opportunities, and the team was penalized two times for 12 yards. Quarterback Cody Fajardo completed 3 of 6 passes for 19 yards.
Winnipeg had 83 yards on offense (77 yards passing, 6 yards rushing), 4 first downs, 0 for 1 in the red zone, and the team was penalized three times for 30 yards. Quarterback Zach Collaros completed 10 of 12 passes for 77 yards.
Second Quarter:
In the second quarter, Winnipeg’s offense reached the Alouettes’ 39-yard line before kicker Sergio Castillo made a 47-yard field goal for a 6-3 lead with 12:53 left. Montreal running back Sean Thomas-Erlington started the next drive with two carries for 34 yards to reach the Blue Bombers’ 36-yard line.
Next, quarterback Cody Fajardo completed two passes for 34 yards moving the ball to the Blue Bombers’ two-yard line. Then, Fajardo threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Charleston Rambo to give Montreal a 10-6 lead with 9:24 left capping off a five-play drive for 70 yards.
Winnipeg running back Brady Oliveria started the next drive with two carries for 11 yards to reach their 48-yard line. Then, quarterback Zach Collaros completed two passes for 22 yards to reach the Alouettes’ 45-yard line then the drive stalled. Kicker Sergio Castillo kicked a 53-yard field goal and Winnipeg trailed Montreal 10-9 with 5:40 left before halftime.
For the next two possessions, Montreal had 19 yards on offense before going two-and-out, and Winnipeg had 21 yards on offense then the drive stalled.
Montreal got the ball back with 47 seconds left. Quarterback Cody Fajardo completed four straight passes for 35 yards, and running back Walter Fletcher rushed for four yards to reach the Blue Bombers’ 26-yard line. Kicker Jose Carlos Maltos kicked a 34-yard field goal for a 13-9 lead at halftime.
First Half Stats:
Montreal had 164 yards on offense (98 yards passing, 66 yards rushing), 9 first downs, 1 for 1 in the red zone, and the team was penalized two times for 12 yards. Quarterback Cody Fajardo completed 12 of 16 passes (75%) for 98 yards, and one touchdown. Running back Sean Thomas-Erlington had six carries for 29 yards.
Wide receiver Kian Julien-Grant made two catches for 34 yards, and Tyler Snead made four catches for 26 yards. Montreal’s defense made one sack.
Winnipeg had 161 yards on offense (131 yards passing, 35 yards rushing, 5 yards lost), 9 first downs, and no red zone opportunities. Quarterback Zach Collaros completed 14 of 17 passes (82.3%) for 131 yards. Running back Brady Oliveira had seven carries for 35 yards. Wide receiver Ontaria Wilson made six catches for 62 yards, and Kenny Lawler made three catches for 33 yards.
Third Quarter:
Montreal got the ball to start the second half from their 26-yard line. Quarterback Cody Fajardo completed four passes for 73 yards, and Walter Fletcher had two carries for 8 yards to reach the Blue Bombers’ three-yard line. Then, Walter Fletcher went untouched scoring a three-yard touchdown extending Montreal’s lead 20-9 with 11:08 left.
Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros threw four passes for 77 yards, plus a four-yard run, and running back Brady Oliveira’s three-yard run to reach the Alouettes’ six-yard line. Kicker Sergio Castillo made a 15-yard field goal and Winnipeg trailed Montreal 20-12 with 6:45 left of the third quarter.
Montreal running back Sean Thomas-Erlington rushed for two yards, and quarterback Cody Fajardo rushed for three yards to reach their 45-yard line facing third down. Winnipeg got the ball back on their 28-yard line with 4:52 left.
Quarterback Zach Collaros completed a deep pass to Kenny Lawler for 72 yards to reach the Alouettes’ 10-yard line. Next, running back Brady Oliveira rushed for one yard before Collaros threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Nic Demski. Winnipeg trailed Montreal 20-19 with 2:56 left capping off a three-play drive for 82 yards.
Montreal’s offense got the ball with 2:35 left. Quarterback Cody Fajardo completed two passes for 26 yards to reach the Blue Bombers’ 52-yard line. Running back Walter Fletcher rushed for a gain of four yards, and Fajardo completed an 8-yard pass to Tyler Snead to reach the Blue Bombers’ 40-yard line to end the third quarter up 20-19.
Fourth Quarter:
Davis Alexander was the new quarterback for Montreal to begin the fourth quarter. He started the quarter by throwing a 39-yard pass to Tajon Lindsey to reach the Blue Bombers’ one-yard line. Then, Alexander scored the one-yard touchdown with a quarterback sneak extending their lead 27-19 with 13:47 left of the game capping off a seven-play drive for 78 yards.
In the next two possessions, both teams went two-and-out. Winnipeg punt returner Janarion Grant returned a 52-yard punt by Joseph Zema for 54 yards reaching the Alouettes’ 18-yard line.
Quarterback Zach Collaros completed a 16-yard pass to Kevens Clercius to reach the Alouettes’ two-yard line. Two plays later, backup quarterback Terry Wilson scored the two-yard touchdown with a quarterback sneak. They tried a two-point conversion and did not get it. Winnipeg trailed Montreal 27-25 with 7:58 left of the game to cap off a three-play drive for 18 yards.
Montreal quarterback Davis Alexander started the next drive by throwing two straight passes for 14 yards, followed by a five-yard run from Walter Fletcher. Montreal’s offense moved the ball to the Blue Bombers’ 53-yard line then the drive stalled. Winnipeg got the ball back with 2:56 left of the game.
Winnipeg’s offense gained five yards then the drive stalled. Montreal got the ball back with 2:18 left. Running back Walter Fletcher rushed for four yards before the drive stalled. Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros completed two passes for 21 yards and rushed for 11 yards to reach the Alouettes’ 53-yard line. After two incomplete passes, kicker Sergio Castillo missed a 61-yard field goal wide left with 1:01 left of the game.
Montreal running back Sean Thomas-Erlington had two carries for four yards taking time off the clock facing third down. Then, from out of nowhere, it began to snow briefly then changing to rain and windy. Montreal punter Joseph Zema’s punt went 21 yards with the wind blowing toward them with 10 seconds left.
Running back Brady Oliveira rushed for two yards setting up a 51-yard field goal attempt by Sergio Castillo. The wind carried Castillo’s kick and it was good and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Montreal Alouettes 28-27 to win the West Division title. As a result, the Saskatchewan Roughriders will host the B.C. Lions in next week’s Western Semi-Final.
Final Stats:
Winnipeg had 384 yards on offense (331 yards passing, 58 yards rushing, 5 yards lost), 19 first downs, 2 for 4 in the red zone, and the team was penalized five times for 37 yards. Quarterback Zach Collaros completed 24 of 32 passes (75%) for 331 yards, and one touchdown. Running back Brady Oliveira had 11 carries for 35 yards.
Wide receiver Kenny Lawler made four catches for 105 yards, while Nic Demski made four catches for 90 yards and one touchdown. Winnipeg’s defense made 41 tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, and eight tackles on special teams.
Montreal had 375 yards on offense (271 yards passing, 107 yards rushing, 3 yards lost), 19 first downs, 3 for 3 in the red zone, and the team was penalized three times for 22 yards. Quarterback Cody Fajardo completed 16 of 20 passes (80%) for 171 yards, one touchdown, and two carries for six yards. Backup quarterback Davis Alexanders completed 7 of 9 passes (77%) for 100 yards, three carries for four yards, and one touchdown.
Running back Walter Fletcher had 12 carries for 53 yards, and one touchdown. Wide receiver Cole Spieker made three catches for 71 yards, and Tyler Snead made 8 catches for 60 yards. Montreal’s defense made 38 tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, eight tackles on special teams.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Montreal Alouettes both have byes next week. They will face the winners of the Semi-Final in two weeks. The Eastern Finals is on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at 3 pm on CTV and CFL+, followed by the Western Final at 6:30 pm on TSN and CFL+. Subscribe to Fubo to watch all of the 2024 CFL Season. Purchase CFL tickets today on StubHub.
