Courtesy Montreal Gazette:

WINNIPEG - The Winnipeg Blue Bombers held up their end of the bargain. Now it’s up to the Toronto Argonauts today to decide first-place in the East Division.

The Bombers defeated the Alouettes 20-17 last night in the regular-season finale for both teams before 23,744 fans at Canad Inns Stadium. With the victory, Winnipeg ended the schedule with a 10-7-1 record and regained top spot in the division, one point ahead of the Argos, who end their season today at Saskatchewan.

Should Toronto win, the Als return here next Sunday for the division semifinal. Should the Argos lose, the Als have a date in Toronto the same day.
Blue Bombers’ Doug Brown (97) tackles Montreal Alouettes’ Kerry Carter (7). Montreal lost 20-17 at Winnipeg in the last game of the regular season.

Montreal concluded its season in third place, at 8-10. It marks the team’s first losing record since returning to the Canadian Football League in 1996.

Fred Reid scored two touchdowns for Winnipeg, on runs of 18 and one yard, while Troy Westwood added two field goals.

Avon Cobourne, on a three-yard run, and Ben Cahoon, on a 19-yard pass from Marcus Brady, scored for Montreal. Damon Duval added a 15-yard field goal but missed two others, from 50 and 49 yards.

The Als lost another offensive-lineman when tackle Skip Seagraves departed with an injury to his patella tendon.

The game didn’t start the way the Als had envisioned, with the Bombers marching 74 yards on seven plays on their opening possession.

Glenn passed 11 yards to Arjei Franklin. Four plays later, Glenn, the East Division nominee as outstanding player, passed 21 yards to Milt Stegall. On the next play, Reid, filling in for the injured Charles Roberts, ran 18 yards off-tackle for the touchdown at 2:40.

The Als’ offence, meanwhile, was sputtering, held to five plays over their first two drives. But then Brady took them on a 12-play, 68-yard drive that included a 22-yard run by fullback Kerry Carter. Cobourne, starting in place of the injured Jarrett Payton, scored on a three-yard run at 14:14.

The next time the Als had the ball, Brady took them on a six-play, 70-yard drive. The big play of the drive was a 43-yard reception by Elijah Thurmon. The pass by Brady was underthrown, but Thurmon outjumped the nearest defender. The Bombers also were called for roughing the passer on the play.

Three plays later, Brady rolled right and passed to Cahoon in the end zone. The veteran slotback made a great leaping catch, beating cornerback Robert Bean on the play at 2:52 of the second quarter. It staked Montreal to a 14-7 lead.

But the Als couldn’t live with such prosperity.

Three plays after an interception by Montreal safety Etienne Boulay, Damon Duval’s punt was blocked by Bean, who slipped in behind blocker Pascal Masson. It marked the second time this season the Als had a punt blocked.

Winnipeg took over at the Montreal 12 and Reid eventually scored on a one-yard run at 6:16, tying the score.

The Bombers thought they had regained the lead on a 42-yard pass to Derick Armstrong. But the Als challenged and the play was overturned.

Westwood gave the home team a 17-14 lead with a 30-yard field goal at 13:13 following a 44-yard run by Reid.

Brady found Kerry Watkins for a 31-yard gain, but Duval’s 50-yard field goal attempt was wide left.

The Bombers completed the half with a 21-yard field goal by Westwood following a 36-yard pass to O’Neil Wilson, a former Alouette, along with a 26-yard run by Reid. Reid gained 101 yards on eight carries in the opening half.

Westwood failed to increase the Bombers’ lead in the third quarter, missing field goal attempts from 49 and 43 yards.

The Als, meanwhile, were in great position to score following a 44-yard pass to Eric Deslauriers and a 25 yarder to Thurmon, when he literally stole the ball out of the hands of Kelly Malveaux.

But once Montreal got to the Winnipeg 16, it repeatedly self-destructed. The Als took two penalties, Brady was sacked and Duval missed a 49-yard field goal attempt.