The Blue Bombers are one win away from giving Winnipeg a super Saturday in two weeks.
A victory in their season finale on Saturday in Montreal against the Alouettes would give the Blue Bombers a first-round playoff bye and home-field advantage for the West final for the third year in a row on Nov. 9.
Earlier this week, the unbeaten Winnipeg Jets announced they were pushing their home game that day against the powerful Dallas Stars to the afternoon from the evening. Left unsaid was that the move would prevent an overlap between the CFL’s West final in the evening and the NHL game.
Throw in the fact that the Manitoba Bisons lead the Canada West university standings in the final year for longtime coach Brian Dobie and these are exciting sporting times for Winnipeg.
“We know what’s on the line here. It’s literally whatever it takes this week,” Blue Bombers star running back Brady Oliveira, the favourite to win the league’s most outstanding player award, told reporters earlier this week.
“We need to crash out. We need everybody’s best effort.”
With the Alouettes locked into first in the East and having nothing to play for, the Blue Bombers (10-7) should be in good position to secure another first-place finish as they attempt to reach their fifth Grey Cup game in a row.
However, the Blue Bombers failed to clinch the West last time out with a loss against the Toronto Argonauts two weeks ago.
If the Bombers lose to the Alouettes, the Saskatchewan Roughriders (9-7-1) can overtake Winnipeg hours later with a win over the last-place Calgary Stampeders in Regina.
“We never want somebody else taking care of our business,” Blue Bombers defensive end Willie Jefferson said, per Paul Friesen of the Winnipeg Sun. “We want to take care of our business. Should have done it last week. Played a good Toronto team … didn’t get it done.”
The Roughriders are in the weird position of not knowing if their game will matter until maybe an hour before kickoff.
If Winnipeg wins, Saskatchewan will finish second and host the B.C. Lions in the West semifinal next week.
“Out of our control,” quarterback Trevor Harris said, per Taylor Shire of the Regina Leader-Post. “We’re just preparing as if it’s a normal week.
“I think it just comes down to us focusing on us.”
The Roughriders have won four in a row in the aftermath of a seven-game winless skid, while the Bombers had emerged victorious in eight consecutive games before the rare home setback against Toronto.
Both prairie teams have rabid fans, so home field for the West final will be a significant boost.
“I want to go and earn it,” Oliveira said. “I want to earn the right to host the West final again, and not putting it into anyone else’s hands.”
To play or not to play
The Ottawa Redblacks and Toronto Argonauts are taking different approaches for the final week of the regular season, ahead of their matchup in the East semifinal next Saturday in Hogtown.
The slumping Redblacks have regular starting quarterback Dru Brown atop the depth chart for Friday’s game against the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
The Argos, meanwhile, are planning to rest Chad Kelly on Friday in Edmonton against the Elks. Cameron Dukes gets the call.
The moves make sense for both teams. The Redblacks are in desperate need of momentum after a woeful start last week in Toronto wrapped up second place for the Argos.
Kelly, on the other hand, has been playing some of his best football in big wins over Winnipeg and Ottawa the past two weeks. It’s all about getting him ready for the playoffs after last year’s East final disaster against Montreal and this year’s nine-game suspension for violating the league’s gender based policy.
Ford’s Edmonton finale?
Canadian quarterback Tre Ford gets the start for the eliminated Elks against the Argos.
After that, all bets are off as Ford is eligible to hit free agency in the off-season.
Ford has won games and done dynamic things for the Elks, but the team hasn’t always shown full confidence in the University of Waterloo product.
“For me personally, (this game) doesn’t show me anything,” Ford said this week, per the Canadian Press. “I know I can compete and play quarterback at this level. Hopefully, it shows other people that — and just go from there.”
