TORONTO — Following the Edmonton Eskimos’ 37-29 victory over the Montreal Alouettes and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers knocking off the Stampeders 35-14, the 2019 Division Final matchups are set.
The Eastern Division Final will have the Eskimos take on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Tim Hortons Field on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
At 4:30 p.m. ET the Western Division Final will take place in Saskatchewan where the Winnipeg Blue Bombers will play the Roughriders at Mosaic Stadium.
EASTERN FINAL
Edmonton at Hamilton
Tim Hortons Field
Tickets: Purchase here
At a glance:
- Hamilton is hosting the Eastern Final for the first time since 2014.
- The Tiger-Cats will be appearing in the Eastern Final for the fifth time in seven seasons.
- Hamilton has a 28-17 (.622) home record in the playoffs.
- Home teams in the Eastern Final are 32-13 (.711) since 1973.
- Edmonton is 21-30 (.412) as the road playoff team.
- Hamilton claimed the season series 2-0:
- Week 15: HAM 30 – EDM 27 in Edmonton
- Week 17: HAM 42 – EDM 12 in Hamilton
- In their lone playoff matchup, Edmonton crossed over and defeated Hamilton in the 2016 Eastern Semi-Final. The Eskimos went on to fall 35-23 to the Ottawa REDBLACKS 35-23 in the Eastern Final.
- Orlondo Steinauer will be making his head coaching debut in the postseason.
- Jason Maas is 3-2 as a head coach in the playoffs.
- Hamilton’s Dane Evans will be making his first-career start in the playoffs, while Edmonton’s Trevor Harris will start in his fourth playoff game (2-1).
- Evans is 2-0 against Edmonton in his career; Harris holds a 5-4 mark against the Tiger-Cats.
- In two games this season against Edmonton, Bralon Addison tallied nine receptions for 179 yards and one touchdown and Brandon Banks caught 13 passes for 153 yards and two majors.
- Edmonton’s Vontae Diggs recorded 15 tackles this season against Hamilton. Larry Dean and Forrest Hightower also recorded 10+ tackles against the Tiger-Cats in 2019.
WESTERN FINAL
Winnipeg at Saskatchewan
Mosaic Stadium
Tickets: Purchase here
At a glance:
- Saskatchewan is hosting the Western Final for the first time since 2009. However, Saskatchewan did play a Division Final in 2017 (vs Toronto).
- The Roughriders have not played for the West Division crown since they won the Grey Cup in 2013.
- Saskatchewan owns a 23-17-1 (.573) home record in the playoffs.
- Home teams in the Western Final are 27-19 (.587) since 1973.
- Winnipeg is 23-33 (.411) as the road playoff team
- Saskatchewan won the season series 2-1.
- Week 12: SSK 19 – WPG 17 in the Labour Day Classic
- Week 13: WPG 35 – SSK 10 in the Banjo Bowl
- Week 17: SSK 21 – WPG 6 in Saskatchewan
- They have met in the West Final 3 times: 1972, 1966 and 1941 and in a total of 14 previous games with each team winning seven
- Winnipeg has not beaten the Roughriders in the West Final since 1941. Most of Winnipeg’s seasons have been in the West-North division for 60 seasons and 21 in the East Division.
- This will be Craig Dickenson’s first playoff game as a head coach, while Mike O’Shea will be in his sixth playoff game where he has gone 2-3.
- Cody Fajardo will be making his first start in the playoffs; Zach Collaros will be starting in his 4th career playoff contest (2-1).
- Fajardo is 2-1 against Winnipeg including two 300+ passing yards games. However, in those games Fajardo was sacked 13 times. Zach Collaros 4-3 against Saskatchewan and his against Saskatchewan (July 8, 2017).
