Overview
- On Saturday afternoon, Dru Brown threw a 23-yard touchdown to Nick Demski with 44 seconds left to lift Winnipeg to a 25-22 East semifinal victory over Toronto.
- Brown started because Zach Collaros was sidelined with rib injuries and finished 18-of-30 for 206 yards with two TDs and two interceptions after leading a 52-yard, five-play final drive.
- Toronto’s Chad Kelly left with just over nine minutes remaining with an apparent right shoulder issue after completing 18-of-30 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown.
- Toronto forced multiple turnovers but settled for five field goals from Lirim Hajrullahu instead of touchdowns, while a recovered punt fumble by former Argo Thiadric Hansen set up Winnipeg’s winning march.
- Winnipeg will travel to face the Montreal Alouettes in the East final next weekend as a crossover team, a run that underscores Winnipeg’s special-teams strength including Trey Vaval’s back-to-back top returner honors and the historical note that no crossover team has yet reached the Grey Cup.