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In his first career post-season start, he completed 24 of 34 passes for 384 yards and a touchdown.
Published Nov 01, 2025 • 4 minute read
Quarterback leaps into the air to celebrate a score.
Alouettes' quarterback Davis Alexander (10) celebrates as he scores during first half Eastern semifinal action against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Montreal on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. Photo by Christopher Katsarov /The Canadian Press
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Davis Alexander is human after all.
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The Alouettes’ quarterback had the temerity to throw an interception in the third quarter of Saturday’s East Division semifinal against Winnipeg. We mention this because Alexander, to that point, had thrown 139 consecutive passes without one falling into the hands of an opposing player.
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“It was a bad decision, a bad ball,” Alexander said. “It can’t happen in that space, with the momentum — I think it was 25-13. It just can’t happen. It’s inexcusable. That will cost you games. If we would have lost this one I would have been sick for 11 months.”
But we’ll also say this about the 27-year-old budding superstar — he’s a winner. And as long as he remains healthy and lines up behind centre, all things remain possible.
In was also in the third quarter of this wild and crazy game, eventually won 42-33 by Montreal, that Alexander had one of his defining moments. Yes, yet another one in a season when he has continued to repeatedly dazzle and perform exploits that haven’t been seen from an Alouettes quarterback since Anthony Calvillo.
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The Blue Bombers struck for three quick second-half touchdowns in less than four minutes, turning a 25-6 halftime deficit into a mind-boggling 27-25 lead. When Alexander and Montreal could have fallen apart after doing their best to self-destruct, he led them to a four-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that included a 50-yard diving reception by Austin Mack. It culminated in Stevie Scott III’s 13-yard score and a 32-27 lead.
“I know it’s not all on me,” Alexander said. “It never has been all on me. I’m just there to kind of ignite the energy and help our squad out. If I need to take over I can do that as well.”
But Alexander, of course, wasn’t done and still had one remaining trick up his sleeve.
With the Als nursing a 39-33 lead in the fourth quarter and barely more than three minutes remaining in regulation time, Montreal took possession at its 18, desperately requiring first downs and time off the clock.
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In quick succession, Alexander escaped danger and found Scott for an 18-yard gain. Following a short pass to Tyson Philpot, Alexander scrambled for an 18-yard gain and another first down. A 39-yard off-tackle run by Scott moved the ball to the Winnipeg 12. Three plays later, Jose Maltos kicked a short field goal.
Running back bulls his way to a first down.
Alouettes’ Stevie Scott (8) runs for the first down against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Winnipeg on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. Photo by John Woods /THE CANADIAN PRESS
With a nine-point lead and 33 seconds remaining, not even the Alouettes could squander that advantage following their brief third-quarter implosion.
“Just that fire, that dog inside of him,” Philpot said of Alexander. “They told him all week not to run; protect that (frequently injured) hamstring. But when it comes down to it, he’s going to make a play. I think he has proven that every game he has started.”
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In his first career playoff start, Alexander completed 24 of 34 passes for 384 yards and a touchdown. He also gained 32 yards on three carries, including a three-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Alexander is now 12-0 in his career as the Alouettes’ starting quarterback, including 8-0 this season.
Now, he’ll have to try and do it again next Saturday, when Montreal travels to Hamilton for the East Division final, a trip to the Grey Cup on the line. While the Als lost twice this season to the Tiger-Cats, Winnipeg also had two wins against Montreal. The common denominator in all four? Alexander didn’t play.
“It’s what we talk about — it’s competing on every play,” Alouettes head coach Jason Maas said about Alexander. “Giving everything you have on every single play. And it’s the next play. Put yourself in that moment and believe. That man does that as good as anybody I’ve been around. He just believes. There’s a belief in him, a competitiveness in him that’s unnatural in my opinion. He’s just one of those guys that does that.
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“That man will fight to the end for his teammates and for that locker room on every single play. It shows. He’s just a competitive individual who believes in his teammates and believes he can make something happen. And he does.”
Offensively, the Alouettes built a 17-0 first quarter lead, marking the first time since the 2010 division final between Montreal and Toronto a team scored that many points over the opening 15 minutes. The Alouettes repeated as Grey Cup champions that year.
Montreal had 29 first downs against Winnipeg, an incredible 556 yards’ net offence and ran 64 plays over 36:39. There were several players who shared in the bounty. Scott gained 133 yards on 18 carries, scoring twice. Philpot caught 10 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown — although a costly third-quarter fumble eventually resulted in a Bombers’ touchdown. Mack caught three passes for 98 yards, while Charleston Rambo had five receptions for 95 yards.
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Defensively, rush-end Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund — the division nominee as outstanding Canadian — put on a one-man show, forcing two fumbles, recovering one and sacking quarterback Zach Collaros.
The Alouettes, despite the loss of suspended defensive-tackle Shawn Oakman, limited Brady Oliveira to 38 yards on eight carries. Considering one of those was a 16-yard gain, he was a non-factor.
Collaros was brilliant in defeat, completing 19 of 26 passes for 306 yards and a touchdown while throwing a late interception. At age 37, he understandably refused to speculate about his future.
The Bombers’ run of five consecutive Grey Cup appearances is now over. The King is dead. Long live the King. Will that be Alexander and the Alouettes?
hzurkowsky@postmedia.com
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