Dru Brown finished the CFL regular season with a bang.
The Ottawa quarterback ended it with consecutive 400-yard passing performances, including 445 yards with three touchdowns and an interception in a 37-31 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last week. That snapped a five-game losing streak just in time for the Redblacks to visit the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday afternoon for the East Division semifinal.
Also on Saturday, the Saskatchewan Roughriders host the B.C. Lions in the West Division semifinal.
Ottawa returns to the CFL playoffs for the first time since losing to Calgary in the '18 Grey Cup.
Two weeks ago, Brown threw for 400 yards with four TDs and an interception in Toronto's 38-31 home win that earned it second in the East Division. But Ottawa made it interesting, outscoring the Argos 25-0 in the fourth quarter, recovering two onside kicks in the process.
The teams split their season series 1-1. Ottawa earned a 41-27 home victory Sept. 7, with Brown completing 30-of-40 passes for 349 yards and a touchdown and Dominique Rhymes recording 10 catches for 138 yards.
Toronto's Chad Kelly finished 36-of-56 passing for 463 yards with three TDs and four interceptions. In the last meeting, Kelly completed 21-of-26 passes for 331 yards and three TDs while rookie Makai Polk registered three catches for 104 yards and a touchdown.
Toronto finished the regular season second overall in rushing (121.3 yards per game) with Ka'Deem Carey (1,060 yards, 5.5-yard average, seven TDs) leading the way. Establishing the ground attack Saturday would allow the Argos to not only control the ball but also keep Brown and Co. off the field.
Ottawa counters with the CFL's third-best run defence (95.9 yards per game). But Toronto is 4-1 in Kelly's last five starts.
Toronto's defence led the CFL in sacks (48) while Ottawa was tied for second with B.C. (39). Jake Ceresna and Ralph Holley of the Argos and Lorenzo Mauldin IV and Michael Wakefield of the Redblacks all had eight sacks to finish tied with Edmonton's Elliott Brown for the league lead.
Brown also has plenty of weapons at his disposal, including Justin Hardy (league-high 97 catches for 1,343 yards, five TDs) and Rhymes (72 catches, 1,011 yards, two TDs). Newcomer Kalil Pimpleton (45 catches, 715 yards, three TDs) is also dangerous.
Polk (61 catches, 1,024 yards, five TDs) was Toronto's lone 1,000-yard receiver. But the unit still boasts veterans Damonte Coxie (59 catches, 860 yards, four TDs) and DaVaris Daniels (48 catches, 622 yards, two TDs).
Both teams were 3-5 within the East Division but Toronto was 7-2 at BMO Field. Ottawa was just 2-7 on the road.
Pick: Toronto.
B.C. Lions versus Saskatchewan Roughriders
At Regina, Vernon Adams Jr. gets the start for B.C. Canadian Nathan Rourke started eight games, posting a 3-5 record with over twice as many interceptions (nine) as TD passes (four) and just one 300-yard contest.
Adams not only won six of his nine regular-season starts but had 16 touchdown passes against nine interceptions. He also threw for 300 or more yards six times.
B.C. ended its regular season with a 27-3 home win Oct. 19 over a Montreal squad that had long since sewn up first in the East. But Adams was 26-of-36 passing for 385 yards with two TDs and two interceptions.
He also rushed for 39 yards and a touchdown while Keon Hatcher had eight receptions for 117 yards and Canadian Justin McInnis recorded seven catches for 106 yards.
B.C. and the Riders split their season series 1-1. Adams threw for 451 yards with a TD and two interceptions in a 35-20 Lions victory July 13 at B.C. Place Stadium while rushing four times for 39 yards and a TD.
McInnis recorded 10 catches for 243 yards and a touchdown.
Shea Patterson was Saskatchewan's quarterback that day, completing 17-of-25 passes for 278 yards with an interception. A.J. Ouellette rushed for 72 yards and two TDs on 12 carries while Samuel Emilus had eight catches for 161 yards.
Veteran Trevor Harris was under centre for Saskatchewan's 39-8 home win Oct. 12, completing 25-of-30 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns. Ouellette ran for 84 yards on 156 carries while Emilus had six receptions for 94 yards.
Rourke completed 15-of-23 passes for 200 yards and two interceptions. McInnis had six catches for 119 yards.
Home field could also be a factor as Saskatchewan was 5-4 at Mosaic while B.C. was 3-6 on the road. Both were 5-5 within the West Division.
Pick: Saskatchewan.
Last week: 2-2.
CP's overall regular-season record: 49-32
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 30, 2024.
Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
