Dominick Gravel/Montreal Alouettes
Week 14 of the season is here and for many teams, this is the start of the final stretch to the playoffs with the second third of the season beginning.
And this week already there are three teams that should be desperate for victories and one team looking to make a major statement.
Let’s start off with who needs a win the most this week.
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes enter this week with a 3-9 record, and with the East Division looking like seven or eight wins will be mandatory to make the post-season, there is no room for the Alouettes to stumble.
Oh, and to make it more desperate, they play Toronto. The season series is also on the line for the Alouettes with a split of the first two games between these two division rivals.
The Alouettes already have lost the season series to Ottawa, the other team above them in the standings. Montreal NEEDS this win.
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B.J. Cunningham looks to help reinvigorate a struggling Alouette offence this week (The Canadian Press)
They also need this win to boost the confidence of their leader, Darian Durant. He could also be desperate to keep his job as the No. 1 quarterback in Montreal after being benched earlier last week.
The new head coach Kavis Reed stated immediately that Durant would retain the starting job for this week’s game, likely with the thought in the back of his mind that a loss eliminates them from a real shot at the playoffs.
Elimination also means Kavis Reed, also the general manager, could get a look at Drew Willy at quarterback with Durant pushed to the sideline.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Tiger-Cats may not be as desperate as Montreal this week based on the fact that not many people believe they have much of a chance anyway.
But don’t believe for a second that a win for Hamilton to give them a 3-3 record in the middle third and a 3-1 record over their last four games wouldn’t be a significant boost, giving that locker-room a thought at the unthinkable.
Jeremiah Masoli is 2-1 since taking over as the Ticats’ starting quarterback on Labour Day (David Chidley/CFL.ca)
Getting to 3-9 would be the same mark Montreal is currently sitting at and I haven’t counted the Alouettes out yet, so why would I count out Hamilton?
2-10? Well, a 6-0 or 5-1 record in the final third of the season is highly unlikely for the Tiger-Cats.
Could you imagine the changeover to some of the roster if they fall out of the playoffs? Yes, it is more than just the quarterback trying to ensure they have a spot on the roster in the final few weeks of the season.
BC Lions
Yes, this game for the Lions is just as big as it is for the Tiger-Cats. The Lions are currently in the same spot Hamilton is and that is last in their division.
Do you know what fifth place in the West gets you?
Squat! Nada. Zilch.
It gets you an extended winter vacation.
A loss to Hamilton and the BC Lions will feel like they lost two to the teams they are trying to keep pace with.
Consistency has been an issue for third-year Lions quarterback Jonathon Jennings (The Canadian Press)
Right now, the BC Lions’ 6-6 record is just one off the Edmonton Eskimos (7-5) and a half a game back of the Saskatchewan Roughriders (6-5).
It’s still a close race with six games left for the Lions, but the tiebreaker comes into play for BC. They lost the season series to Saskatchewan and Edmonton.
The Lions have to clear both of those teams outright and still have two games on the road in Winnipeg.
All of a sudden you start to see how much a win is needed on Friday night.
They need this win to also gain some confidence back after losing five of their last seven games.
BC started the season 4-1 and had some believing they could challenge for top spot in the West Division. Boy, were we wrong.
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan isn’t desperate for a win like the other three. They are the team looking to prove a big point in their home game Sunday against Calgary.
A win and the Riders will close out their middle third of the season with a 5-1 record. They have already defeated BC, Edmonton and Winnipeg in this stretch of six games. Add Calgary to that list and they knock off all four West Division rivals. Only Calgary has been able to beat all four western counterparts this season.
The Riders look to become the first West Division team to beat Calgary in 2017 (Arthur Ward/CFL.ca)
In fact, the Riders would be the first Western team to beat Calgary this season.
Statement made if they get a ‘W’ on Sunday.
While Toronto, Winnipeg, Ottawa and Calgary shouldn’t feel totally comfortable with where they are positioned going into this week, they certainly don’t have to feel pressure these other teams do.
