CFL: Grey Cup Division Finals Preview

As mentioned in an earlier column, BC and Winnipeg upset their respective opening round divisional opponents to advance to Sunday afternoon's finals against Calgary and Montreal.

East Division Final Preview

During the regular season, the Montreal Alouettes took three of the four meetings they had with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. However, the average margin of victory was eight points, which includes a 33-31 win at Winnipeg in late July. Their final encounter on October 15 was the most memorable of them all. A brawl that had stemmed from an interrupted touchdown celebration at the end of the first half saw Bomber receiver Milt Stegal and Alouette linebacker Kelly Wiltshire ejected. Both teams took turns dominating quarters, but Montreal prevailed in the end of a penalty-mired game, 36-30.

The Als had a bye week and will prepare for the Bombers all of this week in what is sure to be one of the hardest-hitting, most entertaining East division finals in recent history. The Bombers come off of a thrilling 22-20 win over last year's champion Hamilton on a field goal by Lee Westwood with two seconds remaining in the game.

The Alouettes are in their fifth consecutive East division final, losing the previous four contests, three of them in the final minutes in the game. The Bombers are in their first East division final since 1994, which was previously the final time they made the playoffs. The Als will get a test from the upstart Bombers, who have matched the Als step-by-step in almost every one of their matches this season. But it will come down to who can run the ball better, and the Als hold the trump card in Mike Pringle. The Als will better the Bombers to advance to their first Grey Cup final since 1995, when they were known as the Baltimore Stallions. Prediction: Alouettes 34, Bombers 25.

West Division Final Preview

McMahon Stadium will be the host of this season's Grey Cup Championship. More than anything, the Calgary Stampeders want to win the Grey Cup at their home stadium. But before they can do that, they have to host the West division final, where they'll face the BC Lions. Two of their three matches during the regular season were washouts, as the Stamps swept the season series. Their last meeting was in October, when Stamps running back Mike Anderson broke the thousand-yard plateau and scored three times to aid the Stampeders to a 45-38 victory. In the same game, BC quarterback Damon Allen became the second passer to break 50,000 yards in a career.

Like their counterparts in Montreal, Calgary had a bye week and prepares for the Lions all of this week leading up to Sunday afternoon. The Lions jumped to an early lead and almost blew it, but survived a 34-32 barnburner against Edmonton. Unlike the East final, this game is almost certain to be a shootout, as two of the best offenses in the league this season face off.

BC proved that anything can happen in the playoffs last Sunday with a big win in Edmonton. They utilized the play-action and the running game to go up early. The last time the city of Calgary hosted the Grey Cup championship, Damon Allen was in Edmonton, and lit up the Stamps as the Esks won the West final and the Grey Cup in 1994. History could repeat itself on Sunday, as the Lions have Allen on their side. But the Stamps defense, second in the league during the season, will come through in the clutch. Prediction: Stampeders 47, Lions 43.

The 2000 Canadian Football League is coming to a close in the cold November air. We'll see who will be playing for the league's grand silver chalice after next Sunday night.