Blue Bombers turn to Dru Brown for East semifinal vs. Argonauts

The Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers achieved identical 9-9 records by different paths, but only one will still be playing after Saturday's East Division semifinal in Toronto.

Toronto clinched second place in the East weeks ago, while Winnipeg needed a victory over the BC Lions in its regular-season finale to secure a second straight crossover berth.

The Bombers will have to continue their season without quarterback Zach Collaros, who was ruled out Friday with a rib injury. Dru Brown will start after providing the spark that clinched Winnipeg's playoff berth last week.

Brown replaced Collaros with Winnipeg trailing BC 10-3 and completed all 11 of his passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns as the Bombers scored the game's final 31 points in a 34-10 victory.

Toronto, meanwhile, welcomes back starting quarterback Chad Kelly, who missed the regular-season finale with a knee injury but practiced in full this week and will start Saturday.

Kelly threw for 5,067 yards with 33 touchdowns during the regular season, but his league-high 24 interceptions make ball security particularly important against Winnipeg.

"I got a text from my Uncle Jim this morning. He said, ‘Take what the defense gives you.' So I gotta make sure I do that," Kelly said Friday, referring to his uncle, Hall of Fame Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly.

Winnipeg allowed a league-low 272.1 passing yards per game. But Toronto can counter with four 1,000-yard receivers in Damonte Coxie, David Ungerer III, Tyler Kahmann and Kevin Mital.

Winnipeg could lean heavily on CFL rushing champion Brady Oliveira, who finished with 1,493 yards and ran for 149 yards and two touchdowns against BC. Oliveira, however, is questionable after missing practice Thursday because of an ankle injury.

Winnipeg also has history to overcome. No crossover team has reached the Grey Cup, a challenge Oliveira is embracing.

"No team has ever done it. I still love that challenge, and I know we're all still up for that challenge, and that really does fire me up, and that excites me," Oliveira said Friday.

Toronto and Winnipeg split their regular-season meetings, both played in Manitoba. The Bombers won 30-21 in Week 6 before the Argonauts answered with a 30-28 victory in Week 17.

The winner advances to visit the Montreal Alouettes in the East final on Nov. 7.

--Field Level Media