Rating the two teams in the B.C. Lions' 25-14 win over the Montreal Alouettes in the 94th Grey Cup:
MONTREAL ALOUETTES
OFFENCE: D. Only a solid second-half comeback prevented a failing grade here. Then again, after registering just four first downs and 105 total yards in the first half there was nowhere to go but up.
DEFENCE: C-plus. The Alouettes surrendered nearly 250 first-half yards to the Lions' offence, but this unit kept Montreal in the game by limiting B.C. to just one touchdown despite three trips inside the Als' 30-yard line. B.C. quarterback Dave Dickenson might've been the game MVP, but he only had 184 yards passing with no TDs while Geroy Simon, the CFL's outstanding player this year, had four catches for 41 yards.
SPECIAL TEAMS: F. Damon Duval can't be faulted too much for missing from 42 yards out on a cold evening and he punted well, for the most part. But Montreal's return and cover teams were routinely penalized to either put the offence in a hole or give the Lions good field position.
COACHING: D. Montreal's offensive gameplan of seemingly using the pass to set up the run in the first half fell right into what the Lions do best: Pressure the quarterback. Running back Robert Edwards was more of a factor in the second half because he got the ball more. The Als' defence did its best to keep it a game.
B.C. Lions
OFFENCE: C-minus. Moved the ball up and down the field in the first half, but couldn't convert its many scoring chances into touchdowns, thus keeping Montreal in the game. Dickenson finished 18-of-29 passing for 184 yards but had no touchdowns and did give up a costly fumble in the third. And in the fourth, Dickenson could've cemented the victory by hitting an open Joe Smith that would've resulted in a certain TD. But the pass fell incomplete and B.C. had to settle for one of Paul McCallum's record-tying six field goals.
DEFENCE: A-plus. With the game on the line, the unit came through by forcing Edwards to fumble on the B.C. one-yard line that linebacker Otis Floyd recovered to essentially clinch the win. The Lions continually pressured Calvillo, who rarely looked comfortable.
SPECIAL TEAMS: A-plus. Not only did McCallum boot six field goals, but he sported a 45-yard punting average. And the Lions were stellar covering kicks.
COACHING: A-plus. There was no questioning B.C.'s gameplan in all three facets of the game. The only fly in the ointment was an inconsistent offence. Defensively and on special teams, the Lions were terrific.
