1973 Award Finalists

*Disclaimer: I have come to the decision not to do voting from the community this season. I want to do at least one season this way, I might come back to it at the end of next season.

Most Outstanding Player
*This award will now be determined across 6 overall finalists, 3 finalists for offence and 3 for defence. The finalists double for the Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards. Again, I maintained that a player can’t win both MOP and OPOY or DPOY in the same season.

Offensive Player of the Year

RB Reggie Whitehead - Boston Independents
STATS: 17 Rushing Touchdowns (1st), 1st in Rushing Yards
Boston’s offence ran through Whitehead this season with QB Nathaniel Braddock having a down year. The lead back tallied up 17 touchdowns and led the league in rushing yards. 

WR Casey Coleman - Louisville Thunder
STATS: 16 Receiving Touchdowns (1st), 1st in Receiving Yards
Coleman remains the top WR in the league, leading the way in both key statistics once again. In fact he had 5 more receiving touchdowns than the next players tied at 2nd (Sterling Underhill [OTT], Taylor Austin [PIT], and Akira Sakamoto [VAN]). 

QB Kevin Westwood - Vancouver Wolves
STATS: 31 Passing Touchdowns (T-1st), 2nd in Passing Yards, 7 Interceptions (1st among QBs who started a majority of games for their team)
Westwood was by far the most consistent and dominant QB in the league. Tied the league lead for touchdowns, but threw only 7 interceptions. He also just barely missed out on the passing lead due to not playing the final game of the season.

Defensive Player of the Year

LB Reuben James - London Tigers
STATS: 6 Forced Fumbles (T-1st), 1st in Tackles
James showed that he is one of the best LBs in the league, dominating the middle of the field for the Tigers this season. He was a force, leading the league in tackles this year, as well as knocking the ball loose 6 times. 

DL Johnathan Ellison - Long Island Raiders
STATS: 5 Forced Fumbles (T-3rd), 1st in Sacks
Ellison made his mark in the backfield this season, leading the league in sacks this season, narrowly beating out DL Arthur Bradshaw (PIT) and DL Butcher Callahan (REG). 

DB Lamar Brown - Montreal Rouge
STATS: 9 Interceptions (T-2nd), 1st in Pass Deflections, 1 Defensive Touchdown
Brown was a shutdown corner for the Rouge this season. He got a hand on most balls thrown his way, allowing very few scores all season long. He also had 9 interceptions to show for his efforts.

Special Teams Player of the Year

K Woody Woodstock - Boston Independents
K Nimrod Handsworth - London Tigers
K Vic Greatwood - Long Island Raiders
K Ray Bough - Minnesota Serpents

Each of the top 5 kickers this season in total points scored all had 35 or 36 field goals this season. K Ryan Perch is the only one of those kickers not among the finalists with a pair of these guys tying for 3rd. The most impressive name here is Greatwood, who spent last season as a free agent. 

Offensive Lineman of the Year

OL Carlton Vanderbilt - Boston Independents
Vanderbilt was a big part of the success that OPOY finalist, RB Reggie Whitehead, had this season, paving the way for the star back to pick up yards.

OL Robert Pelletier - Louisville Thunder
Pelletier is one of the league’s strongest pocket protectors and kept the pocket clean for QB Buck Murphy to throw 31 passing touchdowns this season.

OL Elliot Barrett - Montreal Rouge
Barrett has proven to be a consistent and agile O-lineman who helped RB Bo Frazier to another strong season.

Rookie of the Year

DB Oliver Benson - London Tigers
STATS: 8 Interceptions (T-4th)
Benson started the season on the bench, but once he was given a chance to start, he didn’t look back and picked the ball off 8 times, even leading the league in the category at one point. A stellar rookie season for the 9th overall pick.

WR Evan Moore - Montreal Rouge
STATS: 5 Receiving Touchdowns (T-1st among Rookies), 2nd in Rookie Receiving Yards
Moore was excellent in relief for the Rouge throughout the season with various injuries to their WR corps. The 3rd overall pick had a knack for scoring and showed his potential.

WR Colt Robbins - Regina Wheat Kings
STATS: 5 Receiving Touchdowns (T-1st among Rookies), 1st in Rookie Receiving Yards
The pick that was used to pick Moore was Regina’s which they traded to Montreal. The 6th pick then became another WR in Colt Robbins. It is safe to say both teams got their guy as Robbins would score 5 times as well, becoming an integral part of Regina’s offence in his first season.

Coach of the Year

Levi Bray - Long Island Raiders - Record: 9-5
Bray was faced with a lot of pressure going into the season to get the Raiders back to the playoffs. He was able to meet the pressure head on, reforming the Raiders into a major player in the East Division this season. QB Ivan Sanchez had a career year with the help of Bray’s coaching, getting the Raiders back to the playoffs for the first time since the team won the Title in 1970.

Lou Granger - Louisville Thunder - Record: 10-4
Granger has continued to keep the Thunder rolling. While the team didn’t start or finish great, a 10-1 run through the middle portion of the season (the only loss coming in overtime) was impressive. The team captured their second straight Central Division title on the back of a stellar offence and solid defence.

Johnnie Dawson - Vancouver Wolves - Record: 11-3
The Wolves somehow continue to get better with each season. The Wolves were dominant this season posting the league’s #1 offence and #1 defence. Dawson’s football knowledge was on full display as the Wolves cruised to first in the league this season, capturing their first division title since joining the NAAF. 

Breakout Player of the Year

DB Oswald Martell - Indiana Victors
STATS: 4 Interceptions
Martell was one of the few bright spots on the Victors this season. His 2nd year in the league saw him pick up 4 interceptions as he was forced into a top spot this season with injuries taking out his teammates. 

LB Grover Smith - Montreal Rouge
STATS: 3 Forced Fumbles, 1 Interception
Smith’s first season with Montreal was strong, showing that he was worth the contract Montreal gave him this offseason. He was very reliable in the middle of the defence next to LB Jean-Christophe Bain.

LB Lochlan Bourne - Vancouver Wolves
STATS: 4 Interceptions
Bourne broke out as one of the strongest coverage LBs in the league. Bourne had 4 picks, leading all linebackers in the stat this season. He’s quickly become a unique strength for the Wolves’ #1 defence.

1973 NAAF Playoffs: Quarter-Finals

Roster Moves
LDN: TE Pete Mayfield | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
LDN: TE Dave Pira | Reserve List -> Active Roster
LI: OL Alan Mitchell | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
LI: OL Dennis Gould | Reserve List -> Active Roster
LI: DL Dallas Breaker | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
LI: DL Richard Kraatz | Free Agent -> Active Roster
LOU: DB Darian Quesada | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
LOU: DB Dale Dalebroux | Reserve List -> Active Roster
OTT: DL Leonard Albert | Injured Reserve -> Active Roster
OTT: DL Chuck Thomas | Active Roster -> Reserve List
OTT: WR Charles Toothacre | Injured Reserve -> Active Roster
OTT: WR Valentine Botwright | Active Roster -> Reserve List
PIT: OL Robin Beard | Injured Reserve -> Active Roster
PIT: OL Viktor Stahl | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
PIT: RB Raymond Green | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
PIT: RB Kevin Gallagher | Free Agent -> Active Roster
VAN: RB Chavez Arrington | Injured Reserve -> Active Roster
VAN: RB Jeff Toney | Active Roster -> Reserve List
VAN: S Gunpai Koizumi | Injured Reserve -> Active Roster
VAN: DB Allen Wong | Active Roster -> Reserve List

(7) Ottawa Royals @ (2) Louisville Thunder - Thunder Stadium - October 6, 1973 - 2:00 PM ET - Weather: Mostly Cloudy - 22°C | 72°F - Attendance: 46,149


1st Quarter
Out of the gate, the Royals' offence seemed to get a step on the Thunder defence. QB Drake Young connected with WR Sterling Underhill and TE Luiss de Brands to get over midfield in just two plays. The Thunder were able to hold them up at midfield, leading to a punt. K Ira Foster would send the ball bouncing into the endzone, leading to a single and the first point of the game. The Thunder offence had very little luck as QB Buck Murphy’s first pass of the game was intercepted by DB Jerome Caldwell. The Royals’ offence was right back on the field and a few plays later, Young found Underhill for a touchdown to give the Royals an 8-0 lead less than 5 minutes into the game. The Thunder were able to recover and hold Ottawa off the board for the rest of the quarter. On offence, they would manage a field goal to cut into the lead.
OTT 8-3 LOU

2nd Quarter
Louisville kept their cool early in the 2nd, scoring another field goal to cut the lead down to just 2. Ottawa’s offence had completely dried up since their early touchdown. Louisville’s defence was getting in the face of QB Drake Young, forcing many incompletions. Eventually, the pressure would loosen when star DL Aaron Henderson would get blocked via a big hit from OL Clifford Pratt that would send him to the ground. He would land awkwardly on his left arm and would leave the game with a fractured wrist. The Royals would take advantage of a shaken Thunder defence, marching down to the 13. Young would eventually hit WR Charles Toothacre, who made his return to the lineup, for a touchdown to put them up by 2 scores heading into halftime.
OTT 15-6 LOU

3rd Quarter
To start the 2nd half, the Thunder were determined to climb back into the game. The defence shook off the earlier injury and were once again applying the pressure to Drake Young. Eventually, with pressure coming, Young would attempt to escape the pocket and spin off a tackle attempt from DL Lucas Kipling. Young then saw RB Corbyn Knight on the checkdown. As he pulled back to throw, he was obliterated by LB Ricky Wildgoose. The ball came flying loose and Louisville pounced on it. There was debate over whether the ball was moving forward, but the refs called it a fumble. Louisville would take over and Buck Murphy would put the ball into the endzone, hitting TE Rex Williamson across the middle for the score. The Royals would get some bad news ahead of their next drive as Young was struggling to throw a ball on the sideline, due to injuring his shoulder on the hit. QB Logan West, a 1969 5th Round Pick out of Central Pennsylvania, would replace him. The ensuing drive was West’s first legitimate snaps in the NAAF. He went 2 and out. After possession flipped a couple of times, the Thunder would get back into striking range after a WR Casey Coleman grab that would set them up at the 14. From there, RB Neil Bradley would cut his way through the Royals to give the Thunder their first lead of the game.
OTT 15-20 LOU

4th Quarter
It was now the Royals that were shaken by an injury as the Thunder completely flipped the game on them. HC Jean Matieau would adjust the offensive game plan to try and get West more comfortable with simpler calls, which helped, but they were still unable to get into scoring range. Louisville remained aggressive, hoping to put the Royals to bed while they had them in their crosshairs. Eventually, WR Ray Howard would make a solid grab down the field to set up Louisville at the 10. They nearly were able to score, but DB Sergio Alvarez was able to get enough to force a rare Casey Coleman drop. Louisville would settle for 3, keeping the game at 1-score. Ottawa’s next drive went nowhere, and Louisville had the ball back, still looking for the killing blow. QB Buck Murphy thought he would have it with WR Ben Graham across the middle. Graham caught it and took two steps upfield before S Nick Prince hammered him. The hit knocked the ball loose and S Joseph Ackerman picked it up. He began to run and made some headway. He was about to be caught when he would pitch the ball to DB Sergio Alvarez. Alvarez would get the ball down to the 23 before finally being stopped. The Royals would work down to the 2, where on 2nd and goal, RB Corbyn Knight punched it in. Knight would also tack on the 2-point conversion to tie the game. Louisville’s offence returned to the field, but a DL Robin Lucas sack on 2nd down would lead to a punt. QB Logan West would make a couple of solid throws to start the next drive. After a run from Knight, the Royals needed 6 for a first. West would drop back and then flip and hit RB Nikki Yang for a screen pass. Yang would dance around a couple of tackles before breaking off for a 34-yard gain, putting the Royals in field goal range. They would run some of the clock before K Ira Foster would put up a go-ahead field goal. There was less than a minute to go, and the Thunder were unable to come up with a score, solidifying another Royals’ comeback win.


(8) Pittsburgh Blacksmiths @ (1) Vancouver Wolves - Vancouver Exhibition Stadium - October 6, 1973 - 7:00 PM ET/4:00 PM PT - Weather: Cloudy/Windy - 10°C | 51°F - Attendance: 35,135


1st Quarter
The battered Blacksmiths headed back to Vancouver for the 3rd time in 4 years for a playoff game, hoping to finally get past the Wolves. They would be in for a tough one on a cold and windy day on the West Coast. They would start the game well with QB Louis Vaughn getting the Blacksmiths’ offence down the field for a field goal in the early stages of the 1st. However, shortly after, Vancouver’s offence put together a lengthy drive. The team was moving the ball about 5-10 yards at a time to take the wind factor out. They would get down to the 5, and then RB Richard Morin would punch in a touchdown to give Vancouver the lead. 
PIT 3-7 VAN

2nd Quarter
In the 2nd frame, the Wolves’ offence maintained their steady pace. However, Pittsburgh’s defence was holding strong to keep them out of the endzone. K Sterling Brooks would miss his first field goal attempt of the game, with the wind taking it left of the uprights. The ball would still carry through the endzone for a single. On offence, the Blacksmiths were being completely smothered by the Wolves. QB Louis Vaughn was struggling to pick up more than a handful of yards through the air, and RB Alain Ducharme, who was starting in place of the injured RB Max Tracy and RB Raymond Green, was being swallowed by the Wolves’ front. They would be unable to score in the frame, while another methodical Wolves’ drive would get them another field goal.
PIT 3-11 VAN

3rd Quarter
The 2nd half would see some adjustments for Pittsburgh in an attempt to get something going offensively. QB Louis Vaughn was a little more aggressive with the ball, finding WR Owen Paisley for a sizable gain. However, a couple of plays later, Vaughn would throw an interception to S Gunpei Koizumi, ending the scoring opportunity. Vancouver started their next drive by moving the ball as they had been all game, but then QB Kevin Westwood finally took a shot as WR Akria Sakamoto broke loose behind the defence. Sakamoto was chased down by DB Zed McLaughlin at the 16. From there, Westwood would hit WR Tristian Lewis for the touchdown to extend the lead to 15. Pittsburgh didn’t let the misstep deter them, however, as Vaughn would keep the offence moving with his aggressive play, getting the team down to the 3-yard line. After RB Alain Ducharme failed to punch it in, the Blacksmiths would turn to RB Cambyses Wynn, who would use his power to score, keeping the Blacksmiths in the game.
PIT 10-18 VAN

4th Quarter
Pittsburgh tried to build off of the touchdown, however, Vancouver’s defence pushed back, not allowing for much. Vaughn had to be perfect to get the ball moving a bit. Unfortunately, it was not enough as they would continuously be turned away. Vancouver’s offence continued to keep the ball moving, running the clock, putting the pressure on Pittsburgh. The Blacksmiths eventually seemed to find a break with WR Taylor Austin breaking off from DB Apollo Duckworth. With open space in front of him, Austin watched the ball hit him in the hands and slip through. Frustration instantly overcame Austin, who dropped to his knees and looked to the sky. Vancouver would take over shortly after. A few plays into the new drive, RB Chavez Arrington would drive home the dagger. The rookie RB would cut a hole right through the Blacksmiths’ defence, taking the ball 64 yards to the house. The party was on in Vancouver as Pittsburgh was sent packing yet again.


(5) Minnesota Serpents @ (4) London Tigers - Western Fair Stadium - October 7, 1973 - 2:00 PM ET - Weather: Cloudy - 18°C | 65°F - Attendance: 28,464


1st Quarter
The crowd in London was ecstatic for the team’s return to the postseason, filling up Western Fair Stadium. The Tigers did start the game a little shaky, going 2 and out on both of their first two drives. The Serpents were also a little slow out of the gate, certainly feeling the pressure of trying to get past the first round. After trading possessions, the Tigers were the ones to finally break the silence with RB Jeremy Royal slipping through the Serpents’ line and into open space. Royal would take the ball down to the 4. Then, a couple of plays later, he would punch it in. Royal’s late touchdown would stand as the only score of the first.
MIN 0-7 LDN

2nd Quarter
The Serpents would finally get the ball moving to start the 2nd. RB Tyler Kuhn would pick up some chunks of yardage that would eventually set up a K Ray Bough field goal to get them on the board. On the other side of the ball, the Serpents are notorious for their umbrella defence that adds an additional defensive back to the field. They were doing a good job of containing the dangerous trio of Lloyd Lane, Cole Fletcher, and Juwan Sylvester, however, an injury to S Gérard LaCroix would leave a weak point for the Tigers to attack. WR Lloyd Lane would exploit it, getting open, catching a deep pass, and outpacing S Paul Christopher for a touchdown to give the Tigers a 3-14 lead. The Serpents’ offence was able to make it a 1-score game again with another field goal. However, London’s offence continued to roll, getting down the field in under 1:15 to nullify the field goal at the end of the half.
MIN 6-17 LDN

3rd Quarter
The Serpents came out of the break, pushing the offence to be more aggressive. QB Martin Keller, who had been up and down all season, found a bit of an up and had the offence back over midfield with a couple of strong throws to WR Sebastian Dassler and TE Xavier Francis Langford. With a push from RB Tyler Kuhn, the Serpents would get another field goal to pull back to within 8. The Serpents’ defence held strong and forced the Tigers to a 2 and out. They looked poised to begin the comeback. That is, until Martin Keller completely overthrew WR Matthew de la Cruz, landing the ball in the outstretched arms of S Marcus Harris. Luckily for Keller, Harris was reminded that he is not a receiver and could not complete the catch. However, the near pick did seem to affect Keller’s confidence. As he became more hesitant, leading to a couple of sacks. As the Serpents slowed, the Tigers would get back to scoring, adding a Nimrod Handsworth field goal to leave the game at 9-20 after 3.
MIN 9-20 LDN

4th Quarter
Keller’s hesitancy continued into the final quarter. It didn’t hurt the team too badly in general, as they were still moving the ball with quick, smart plays, but eventually, it would cost them. Keller would get trapped second-guessing, and DL Christopher Hearson would get to him and knock the ball loose. The Tigers would take over. Shortly after, WR Juwan Sylvester would take the ball down to the 9 before WR Lloyd Lane added his 2nd of the game. The touchdown was a shattering blow. The fans in London were as loud as ever as they began the party. On the next drive out, the Serpents changed it up and sent QB Ulysses Lawyer out to try and spark something. It would work to an extent, getting the team down for another field goal to make it a 2-score game once again. Unfortunately, the defence was unable to hold off the Tigers, who would respond with another field goal after RB Jeremy Royal and RB Maxwell Greenfield slowly pushed the ball down the field. The Tigers would hold on for their first playoff win since 1963 (45th McCallister Cup). 


(6) Long Island Raiders @ (3) Montreal Rouge - Mount Royal Stadium - October 7, 1973 - 7:00 PM ET - Weather: Partly Cloudy - 10°C | 50°F - Attendance: 46,477


1st Quarter
Mount Royal Stadium was rocking for Montreal’s return to the playoffs. The Raiders would attempt to take the ruckus crowd out of the game early. HC Levi Bray would lay out a well-organized plan that QB Ivan Sanchez would execute. He would lead the offence down the field, unfazed by the volume coming from the fans, eventually hitting WR Doug Piva for a touchdown. The crowd got a bit nervous after that, but the Rouge were able to answer back on the next drive, bringing them back into it. QB Tom Applewhite, in his return to the playoffs, would lead the charge back the other way. He would answer the Raiders' touchdown with his own, finding WR Nathan Hackman to tie the game. Before the quarter ended, the Raiders would tack on 3 more points to regain the lead.
LI 10-7 MTL

2nd Quarter
The offence slowed in the 2nd quarter. Both defences were finally able to get a grip on the opposing offence and make some plays. Both sides would trade punts before Montreal finally got a break. WR Antonio Villaneuva caught a pass heading to the sidelines, and DB Rutherford Winters would lose his footing, allowing Villaneuva to escape. Villaneuva would juke S Calvin Hobbes right out of his shoes before finally being dropped by S Valentine Kitcher. The play set up Montreal deep in Raiders’ territory. A few plays later, RB Bo Frazier was able to punch in the touchdown to take the lead. The rest of the quarter would remain scoreless.
LI 10-14 MTL

3rd Quarter
Kicking off the 2nd half, the game remained tight; however, the teams were moving the ball offensively, but were struggling to convert it into points. The Raiders had a drive going, but a drop from WR Nick Spalding killed it. Montreal got a break from a solid Bo Frazier run, only for Applewhite to throw an interception 2 plays later to S Valentine Kitcher. The Raiders would finally get a big play late in the quarter when S Ian Outlaw was able to get to K Buster McDooley and block the punt. The Raiders recovered in field goal range. Montreal’s defence was able to minimize the damage, only allowing a field goal to cut the lead down to 1.
LI 13-14 MTL

4th Quarter
To start the final frame, Montreal was finally able to convert a strong drive into points. The offence moved their way deep into Long Island territory the same way they had been doing in the 3rd. On this occasion, WR Antonio Villanueva would make sure the ball got across the line, catching a pass at the 18 before bobbing his way through the entire Raiders’ defence and reaching the ball over the goal line to score. It was a heroic play that put Montreal out in front. The Rouge would go for 2 to take a 9-point lead and make it a two-score game, but RB Bo Frazier was stuffed at the line. The Raiders now had a chance to tie, and much like Montreal, were able to get back into scoring range. From 8 yards out, QB Ivan Sanchez would drop back to pass and look to the endzone. Pressure was closing in from the Rouge defence, and Sanchez would force a throw somewhat over the middle, which would be jumped by LB Grover Smith, but Smith couldn’t reel it in, giving the Raiders a second chance. Sanchez would shake off the near interception and deliver a pass to TE Eric Peterson, who powered through a tackle from LB Walker Colson for a touchdown to tie the game. The next two drives would be stopped by either team, taking some of the time off the clock. Montreal had the ball now with around 3 to go. The offence was moving the ball once again, getting into the Raiders’ end. There would be resistance as the Raiders were able to stop Montreal on 2nd down, leaving them with an interesting 3rd and about a yard. The Rouge would elect to go for it and stack up the line. QB Martin Michaud came on with the short-yardage unit. Michaud would still hand it off to the power back in Bo Frazier, who hit the line. There was quite a pile-up, but Frazier got the yard, and Montreal kept moving. They would get down to the 12 when Applewhite would drop back and deliver a pass toward the front corner of the endzone for WR Taylor Karis. The veteran WR would easily make the grab in the endzone for the go-ahead touchdown. The Raiders would still have time, but with less than a minute to go, they had to force the ball down the field. It worked for one play with TE Eric Peterson picking up 22. However, on the next play, Sanchez’s pass towards WR Nick Spalding would be undercut by DB Lamar Brown, who would clinch the game with an interception.


Injury Report
LI: DL Zane Tannith - Minor Bruise - Day-to-Day
LI: WR Larry Mossholder - Pectoral Strain - 6 Weeks
LOU: DL Aaron Henderson - Fractured Wrist - 5 Weeks
MIN: S Gérard LaCroix - Sprained Ankle - 1 Week
MIN: S Shane Derfus - Fractured Rib - 6 Weeks
MIN: LB Garrett Roberts - Cramping - Day-to-Day
MTL: DL Mateo Cousineau - High Ankle Sprain - 11 Weeks
OTT: LB Maxwell Trevorrow - Tight Hamstring - Day-to-Day
OTT: QB Drake Young - Shoulder Injury - 3 Weeks
PIT: S Chris Berger - Mild Soreness - Day-to-Day

Players of the Week

OFF: WR Antonio Villanueva MTL - 1 Receiving Touchdown, 114 Receiving Yards

DEF: S Gunpei Koizumi VAN - 1 Interception, 8 Tackles, 1 Pass Deflection

Semi-Finals Matchup Preview

(7) OTT (9-5) @ (1) VAN (11-3) - OCT 13 - 7:00 PM ET
1973 Head-to-Head: Did Not Play
Historic Head-to-Head: Have Never Played
Historic Playoff Head-to-Head: Have Never Played
The Royals and Wolves will face each other for the first time since Vancouver joined the NAAF. The Royals will be facing an uphill battle with QB Logan West set to make his first career start with the injury to QB Drake Young. West should be a steady enough hand under HC Jean Matieau’s guidance, but it is likely that the Ottawa defence is going to have to make some plays if the team stands a chance. On the other side, the Wolves are riding in off of a dominant win over the Blacksmiths, where they showed why they were the #1 seed. The defence was playing as a unit with perfect chemistry, while the offence was methodical. If they keep up the same level of play in this game and force the inexperienced West to make plays, the Wolves might just have their 3rd McCallister Cup appearance in 4 years.

(4) LDN (9-5) @ (3) MTL (9-5) - OCT 14 - 7:00 PM ET
1973 Head-to-Head: Did Not Play
Historic Head-to-Head: LDN 14-14 MTL
Historic Playoff Head-to-Head: Have Never Played
The Tigers and Rouge have never met in the postseason despite the long history between the teams, including several seasons in the 50s being in the same division. The Tigers showed few signs of playoff inexperience in a commanding win over the Serpents. Their offensive attack is as dangerous as ever through the air and on the ground, putting up the most points out of anyone in the 1st Round. The defence was not too bad under the guise of HC Aengus Lynch, keeping Minnesota out of the endzone. Montreal gets a second game in front of their home fans, which could be a factor once again. Both sides of the ball were making plays in the much more intense battle with the Raiders. WR Antonio Villanueva and QB Tom Applewhite have continued to develop their chemistry and could take advantage of a much more inexperienced Tiger secondary. Expect fireworks and big plays from both sides in what looks to be an exciting match-up between two teams hoping to capture their first titles in a while (London 1963, Montreal 1953).