Reid vaults Blue Bombers to 1st in CFL East

Fred Reid and his Winnipeg Blue Bombers teammates have put themselves atop the Canadian Football League's East Division, but perhaps for only a few hours.

Reid, starting in place of injured running back Charles Roberts, rushed for 139 yards and his first two CFL touchdowns to lead Winnipeg to a 20-17 win over the visiting Montreal Alouettes Friday night.

"I'm glad I can just contribute in a good way," said Reid, who rushed one game for 200 yards with Mississippi State in 2004 when he replaced the starter. "I feel like I can play a big part in this offence."

The Blue Bombers improved to 10-7-1 with the win, one point ahead of the Toronto Argonauts (10-7-0), who visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders in their final regular-season game on Saturday (CBC, 3 p.m. ET).

A Toronto victory or tie would allow the Argos to regain first place in the East and earn a bye to the division final on Nov. 18, while Winnipeg would host Montreal Nov. 11 in the East semifinal.

"It matters, it matters a lot," said Blue Bombers quarterback Kevin Glenn, who'll watch the Toronto-Saskatchewan game with his wife, if his teammates don't organize a get-together.

"Even though we were in control of our own destiny and we didn't handle it [last week] and now we're hoping that somebody else takes care of it for us.

"Finishing in first place would sound a lot better than finishing in second. Not saying that second place is bad, it's still a home playoff game."

Winnipeg lost 16-8 to the Argos on Oct. 27 in a game where the offence featured some overthrown balls by Glenn, missed catches by receivers and breakdowns that led to two Toronto touchdowns.

Friday's loss dropped the Alouettes to 8-10-0, the first time they failed to reach the .500 mark since returning to Montreal in 1996.

Reid came up huge late in the game, first with a tackle on Ashlan Davis on a punt return at the Montreal 35-yard line.

'Best kept secret'

And with three minutes left in the fourth quarter, the 25-year-old rookie hauled in a 34-yard pass from Glenn to move Winnipeg to its own 48-yard line and take some precious time off the clock.

"I know somebody may have said this before, that he was the best kept secret in the CFL," Glenn said. "He's no secret right now."

Glenn, who appeared to hurt his left arm late in the game, completed 15 of 29 passes for 196 yards to surpass the 5,000-yard mark for the first time in his seven CFL seasons.

The East nominee for the league's most outstanding player award also set a new Bomber record for pass completions in a season with 397.

Kicker Troy Westwood found the range from 30 and 21 yards in the second quarter to put the Blue Bombers ahead to stay at 20-14 after a rocky start, making only18 of 29 field-goal attempts this season. He also missed from 49 and 43 yards.

Running back Avon Cobourne and slotback Ben Cahoon had touchdowns for the Alouettes, while David Duval's 15-yard field goal was the only scoring in the second half.

Early lead thanks to 73-yard touchdown drive

The game featured backup running backs on both sides as Roberts (deep thigh bruise) and Montreal's Jarrett Payton (ribs) were nursing injuries.

Reid, who entered the game with 131 yards gained on his first 23 carries, gave Winnipeg a 7-0 lead less than three minutes after the opening kickoff by capping a 73-yard touchdown drive with an 18-yard run.

After Cobourne pulled the Alouettes even, quarterback Marcus Brady found Cahoon in the end zone on second-and-15 for a 19-yard major, the 54th of Cahoon's career, to move him into a tie with Peter Dalla Riva atop Montreal's all-time touchdown reception list.

He also moved into 10th place all-time in CFL receiving with 10,329 reception yards after catching three passes for 53 yards.

Defensive back Robert Bean helped set up Winnipeg's second touchdown when he blocked a Duval punt. Reid hit pay dirt a few plays later on a one-yard run.

Injuries hit both teams

Bean stood out midway through the fourth quarter, making a strong defensive play in the end zone to take away a potential touchdown by Alouettes wide receiver Kerry Watkins, and forcing Duval to kick a field goal.

With Montreal trailing 17-14, Duval missed the first of two field goals from 49 yards and then watched Glenn march the Bombers downfield, culminating in a 21-yard Westwood field goal with 16 seconds remaining in the first half.

The Alouettes lost more than just the game.

Starting offensive tackle Skip Seagraves was carted off the field at Canad Inns Stadium after tearing the patella tendon in his left leg late in the second quarter.

Winnipeg centre Obby Khan is likely out the rest of the season after tearing a tricep muscle.