The playoff picture in the Canadian Football League is getting crowded.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders and Calgary Stampeders are leading the way in the West Division, while the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Edmonton Elks, and BC Lions are all racing for either the third Western playoff seed or the cross-over spot in the struggling East Division.
With Edmonton, Winnipeg, and BC all facing Eastern teams this weekend, a lot can change in the standings in just a couple of days.
Friday, September 12
Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Hamilton Tiger-Cats (5:00 PM MT)
After back-to-back losses to Saskatchewan, the Blue Bombers sit third in the West with a 6-6 record. There isn’t much room for error for Winnipeg, as the Elks and Lions are right behind them in the standings with 5-7 records.
The Tiger-Cats are leading the East with a 7-5 record following a commanding 26-9 win over the Montreal Alouettes last week. Hamilton will host Winnipeg later this month for the second of two regular-season meetings between the teams.
Ottawa Redblacks at BC Lions (8:00 PM MT)
The Redblacks completed a fourth-quarter comeback at home last week to beat the Lions by a score of 34-33. BC is currently mired in a two-game losing streak, having lost to the Toronto Argonauts 52-34 back on August 23.
This is an important home game for the Lions, who have a tough schedule to finish the season. BC has two games left against Calgary and one on the road against Saskatchewan, along with key head-to-heads with Edmonton and Toronto.
Saturday, September 13
Edmonton Elks at Toronto Argonauts (1:00 PM MT)
Depending on what happens in the games on Friday, Edmonton could have a chance to gain ground on two West Division rivals.
Fresh off last week’s huge rematch victory over the Stampeders, the Elks will head to Toronto to face a well-rested Argonauts team. Coming off a bye week, the Argos are on a two-game winning streak. They hammered the Lions 52-34 at home on August 23 and then beat the Ti-Cats 35-33 in Hamilton on Labour Day.
After starting the season with eight losses in ten games, Toronto’s mini winning streak has them back in the playoff picture at 4-8. This game feels like a must-win for both sides.
Montreal Alouettes at Saskatchewan Roughriders (5:00 PM MT)
The final game of the weekend will come in Regina as the CFL-leading Riders host the Alouettes. Saskatchewan has the best record in the league at 10-2, while Montreal is clinging to the second playoff spot in the East at 5-7.
Both of Saskatchewan’s losses this season were against Calgary, so they’re undefeated against the rest of the pack. The Riders hammered the Alouettes 34-6 back on August 2.
