Defensive co-ordinator Noel Thorpe will play a key role for the Montreal Alouettes when they face the Edmonton Elks in the Grey Cup on Sunday.
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The Montreal Alouettes will turn to defensive co-ordinator Noel Thorpe as they look for a second CFL title since 2023 and a ninth in franchise history when they meet the Edmonton Elks in the Grey Cup on Sunday.
Thorpe’s approach is built around using pressure and confusion on opposing quarterbacks, often with unconventional looks rather than a traditional four-man front. The scheme can include disguising a 3-4 front and combining it with zone blitzes, while shifting what the offence expects after the ball is snapped.
The Alouettes’ defence under Thorpe can also change by dropping defensive linemen into pass coverage and sending defensive backs on blitzes from other areas of the field. The team’s coverage disguises can involve safeties and halfbacks rotating into different alignments after the snap.
Edmonton enters the matchup with an offence that led the CFL in rushing in the regular season, averaging 127.6 yards per game. The Elks were also tops in rushing attempts (406) and tied with Calgary for second in average gain per rush (5.7 yards).
Justin Rankin was a major part of that ground game, finishing second in overall rushing with 1,170 yards (5.7-yard average) and nine touchdowns, along with a CFL-best 11 runs of 20-plus yards. Rankin also added 62 catches for 640 yards (10.3-yard average) and a touchdown for 1,810 combined yards.
Edmonton’s other key runner was quarterback Cody Fajardo, who had 517 rushing yards (5.7-yard average) and eight touchdowns, alongside ShunDerrick Powell’s 344 yards (7.2-yard average) and two touchdowns.
Limiting Edmonton’s rushing and creating second-and-long situations would give Thorpe flexibility to use his varied blitz packages, especially as Fajardo threw for a career-high 4,788 passing yards. Still, the Elks ranked sixth overall in passing, averaging 285.9 yards per game, and they were tied for seventh in passing TDs with 27.
Montreal’s offensive strength is led by quarterback Davis Alexander, with Tyson Philpot and Tyler Snead as key receivers. Philpot, the CFL’s top Canadian, recorded 124 catches for 1,809 yards and 13 touchdowns, while Snead had 95 catches for 1,474 yards and 13 TDs.
The Alouettes led the CFL in offensive touchdowns (65), net offence (420.9), second-down conversion (56.7 per cent), average yards per play (7.53) and fewest sacks allowed (19), and they were second overall in passing yards (320.6).
Edmonton’s defence also sets up a direct contrast with those offensive profiles. The Elks led the CFL in fewest offensive points allowed (23.6) and fewest net offensive yards (338.6), were tied with Hamilton in fewest offensive TDs allowed (44), and ranked second in both fewest rushing yards (81.4) and passing yards (272.7).
The Elks were also highly disruptive, forcing a CFL-high 53 turnovers and scoring 178 points off turnovers, while holding a plus-23 turnover ratio (first overall). Montreal, meanwhile, committed the fewest turnovers (23) and interceptions (six) and posted the league’s second-best turnover ratio at plus-21.
Individually, Edmonton defensive back Tyrell Ford led the CFL with seven interceptions, while Malik Carney had 11 sacks, one more than teammate Noah Taylor.
The Grey Cup will be the 12th meeting between Montreal and Edmonton, with the Elks holding an 8-3 edge. The teams split their season series 1-1, and in head-to-head regular-season action Alexander threw for 708 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for another, while Philpot had 18 catches for 251 yards and three touchdowns.
In that same series, Snead made 10 catches for 226 yards and two touchdowns. For Edmonton, Fajardo threw for 462 yards and three touchdowns but also ran for 63 yards and two touchdowns, while Rankin had 30 touches for 292 yards and Austin Mack recorded 13 catches for 158 yards and two touchdowns.
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