OK, let’s try this again.
The playoff picture in the CFL’s West Division got a little less murky following action on the weekend. But that’s not to say there aren’t still question marks — because there are plenty.
On Friday, the B.C. Lions beat the Edmonton Eskimos 42-32. The Lions clinched a playoff spot with that victory and kept alive their hopes of finishing in second place in the West.
The loss pushed the Eskimos to the brink of elimination.
On Saturday, the Saskatchewan Roughriders beat the Calgary Stampeders 29-24. Saskatchewan pulled to within two points of Calgary in the race for first place in the West and won the season series against the Stampeders — but the victory didn’t clinch a home playoff game for the Roughriders due to the Lions’ win the night before.
Things could/should get much clearer this weekend, when the Stampeders (12-4-0) visit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (9-7-0) on Friday and the Lions (9-7-0) take on the host Roughriders (11-6-0) on Saturday. Edmonton (8-9-0) has a bye.
Here’s a brief look at what’s happening in the division entering Week 20 of the regular season:
Calgary Stampeders
Games remaining: At Winnipeg on Friday, at B.C. on Nov. 3.
What we know now: Calgary will finish in either first or second place in the West and therefore has clinched a home playoff game.
Playoff possibilities: The Stampeders can wrap up first place (thus earning the right to play host to the Western Final) with a win or a tie in either of their next two games OR with a loss or tie by Saskatchewan against B.C. on Saturday … The Stamps could finish second in the West if they lose their final two regular-season games and the Roughriders beat B.C. on Saturday. Saskatchewan won two of three against Calgary in the regular-season series, so the Roughriders have the tiebreaker on the Stampeders if they finish tied for first.
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Games remaining: Home to B.C. on Saturday, bye in Week 21.
What we know now: Saskatchewan can’t finish lower than third in the West, meaning it will stay in the West for the post-season.
Playoff possibilities: The Roughriders can guarantee themselves a home playoff game with a win or a tie Saturday … If Saskatchewan loses Saturday by four points or more, it will drop the season series to the Lions based on point differential. If B.C. then beats Calgary in the final week of the regular season, the Lions will finish second in the West and the Roughriders will wind up third … If Saskatchewan loses Saturday by two points or fewer, it will finish second … Even if the Roughriders lose to B.C. by four points or more, they can finish second if the Lions fall to Calgary on Nov. 3 … Saskatchewan can finish first in the West if it wins Saturday and the Stamps drop both of their remaining games.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Games remaining: Home to Calgary on Friday, at Edmonton on Nov. 3.
What we know now: Nothing.
Playoff possibilities: The Bombers can clinch a playoff spot with a win or a tie in either of their remaining two games … A Winnipeg win and a Lions loss this week would give the Bombers third place … If Winnipeg and B.C. finish tied for third at 10-8-0, the Bombers would finish third based on their 58-39 points differential in the teams’ head-to-head games … If the Bombers, Lions and Eskimos all finish at 9-9-0, B.C. would finish third with a 3-2-0 record against the other two, Edmonton would finish fourth at 3-3-0, and Winnipeg would miss the playoffs at 2-3-0 … For that latter scenario to happen, both the Bombers and Lions would have to lose their final two games. That would mean a Winnipeg loss to Edmonton in the teams’ regular-season finale.
B.C. Lions
Games remaining: At Saskatchewan on Saturday, home to Calgary on Nov. 3.
What we know now: The Lions have clinched a playoff spot, but that could be in the West OR in the East as the crossover team.
Playoff possibilities: If the Lions beat Saskatchewan by four points or more, they’ll win the season series with the Roughriders. That would give B.C. a shot at second place in the West, but it would have to defeat the Stampeders on Nov. 3 … If the Lions beat the Roughriders by fewer than three points, Saskatchewan would win the season series based on points differential in their head-to-head series. That would leave B.C. in third place if the teams finish tied in the final standings … The Lions also would finish third in the West if they conclude the regular season tied with Winnipeg and Edmonton at 9-9-0 … B.C. would finish fourth — and would cross over to the East — if it completes the regular season tied with Winnipeg for third.
Edmonton Eskimos
Games remaining: Bye in Week 20, home to Winnipeg on Nov. 3
What we know now: If the Eskimos are to reach the post-season, they can ONLY be the crossover team that heads to the East.
Playoff possibilities: The Eskimos need Winnipeg to lose to Calgary on Friday. If the Bombers win or tie, Edmonton will be eliminated from playoff contention … If the Bombers lose to Calgary, the Eskimos will have to defeat Winnipeg in their regular-season finale. That would give Edmonton a 2-1 edge over the Bombers in their three-game season series — and that tiebreaker would put the Eskimos in the post-season and send the Bombers packing.
In the East Division, the Ottawa Redblacks hold down first place with a 9-7-0 record, with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats second at 8-8-0.
Ottawa won the teams’ season series with Friday’s 35-31 victory over the visiting Tiger-Cats, but Hamilton can pull into a tie for first with a win in Saturday’s rematch in Hamilton.
That would set the stage for an interesting final week of the regular season, when the Redblacks play host to the Toronto Argonauts and the Tiger-Cats entertain the Montreal Alouettes.
If Ottawa wins Saturday’s game, the Redblacks will finish first and the Tiger-Cats will place second.
Whoever finishes first will get a bye into the Eastern Final, while the second-place finisher will play host to the crossover team from the West in the Eastern Semi-Final.
