Johany Jutras/Argonauts.ca
A pair of teams had the opportunity to secure important positions in the final week of the season. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Toronto Argonauts controlled their own playoff fates, but also had very little margin for error. All either team had to do was win, though, and both teams did just that in emphatic fashion.
When it mattered most
For the Bombers to go into McMahon Stadium and convincingly beat the Calgary Stampeders 23-5 is impressive enough. The fact they did so without starting quarterback Matt Nichols at the helm is even more noteworthy. Winnipeg needed a win to guarantee a home playoff date, and made sure to leave no doubt.
Sure, there were mitigating circumstances. The weather was awful and the Stamps were playing without a few regulars, most notably Bo Levi Mitchell, with the West Division already wrapped up. But for the Bombers to force four first-half turnovers, score a pair of defensive touchdowns and hold Calgary to just a field goal offensively still needs to be underlined.
All the Bombers could do was beat the team in front of them, and they did in some tough circumstances. Dan LeFevour hadn’t started a game since last season and had been number three on the team’s depth chart heading into this week, so he definitely had a tall task against the vaunted defence of the Stamps.
But give LeFevour some credit; he did nothing spectacular but he managed the football in a game very much dictated by the weather. That was the overall story for the Bombers, in fact. The offence protected the football for the most part, which, in a game like Friday’s, was enough to let the defence do the talking.
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Andrew Harris crossed the 1,000-yard mark during Winnipeg’s Friday night win over Calgary (The Canadian Press)
Had Winnipeg lost to Calgary, the Bombers would have been in danger of losing second place in the West Division to Edmonton and thus home field for next week’s playoff game. Instead, the Bombers took care of what they could control and were able to sit back and watch the Eskimos and Riders go at it the next day. Winnipeg deserves a lot of credit for that regardless, but even more so knowing the circumstances it was presented with.
If you want the definition of emphatic, though, it was Toronto’s 40-13 win to finish off the 2017 season in BC. The Argos were in a black and white spot: win and finish on top of the East Division or lose and finish second. Well, Toronto made sure it did the former and thus earned a bye into the Eastern Final in 13 days, and did so in style.
I bet the Argos sure did love getting Shawn Lemon back in the fold, because he makes such a difference on their defensive line. With Lemon in the fold, opposing teams have to worry about two threats coming off the edge thanks to Victor Butler on the other side. In Lemon’s first game since Sept. 4, I don’t think there’s any coincidence Butler picked up his first sack since Sept. 23.
Toronto went to work on the Lions and never took its foot off the gas. It would have been easy for the Argos to look at BC’s disappointing season and take them lightly, but with so much on the line, they made sure that didn’t happen. Toronto opened up a 33-2 lead before the Lions were able to scrape out a few in the fourth quarter when the game was out of reach. With a ton on the line, the Argos gave us a textbook example of how to close out a season.
Pick your poison
Thanks to Edmonton’s 28-13 win at Mosaic Stadium on Saturday, we know the Riders will be 2017’s crossover team. Saskatchewan will travel east this weekend to take on the Ottawa REDBLACKS in the Eastern Semi-Final. But while some would suggest the crossover path is more desirable than going through the West Division, I would tend to disagree.
The way things are trending right now, I think Saskatchewan is going to have just as difficult a time going through the East as it would staying in its own division. I say that because of what we’ve seen from teams on both sides of the country.
For the Riders to get where they want to go, they’ll have to go through both Ottawa and Toronto on the way. Well, the way both those Ontario teams are playing right now, beating them in back-to-back weeks does not look like an easy task.
First off, the REDBLACKS enter the post-season on a three-game win streak, including a stunning 33-32 win in Saskatchewan in Week 17. You could certainly make the argument Ottawa is getting hot at the right time, which is a dangerous proposition. After all, an 8-9-1 REDBLACKS team just happened to win the Grey Cup in 2016…that just happens to be their record entering the post-season one year later.
With three straight wins, Trevor Harris and the REDBLACKS are heating up at the right time (Patrick Doyle/CFL.ca)
This year’s Ottawa team has an offence to be reckoned with. Yes, receiver Brad Sinopoli is done for the year, and that hurts, but with Trevor Harris behind centre, the REDBLACKS will always be a big time aerial threat. Greg Ellingson finishes the regular season third in receiving while Diontae Spencer gives Ottawa a solid receiving target and a devastating return threat.
A win over the REDBLACKS would then set Saskatchewan up for a road game against Toronto. Well, the Argonauts enter their bye week playing some of the league’s best football and crushed the Lions to finish the regular season. With wins in five of the last seven games, Toronto seems to be peaking at the right time; that’s even more evident when you consider the last two losses came by a combined six points.
We talked above about the Argos on defence, and they deserve a little more credit than perhaps they’re getting. And the way this group is playing with the ball, Toronto has the ability to put up enough points for any defensive group.
Ricky Ray is in some kind of groove right now and he’s put himself at the front of the Most Outstanding Player pack. Led by S.J. Green, Ray’s receivers are formidable and the Argos might also boast the league’s most exciting running back.
For the fourth time in six games since taking over the starting role, James Wilder Jr. put up another 100-plus yard game on the ground Saturday. This guy has quickly turned into one of the most dynamic players in the league and has rounded out Toronto’s offence in a big, big way.
Okay, so that’s the story in the East Division, but what about the West? Had you asked me a month ago, I would have definitely told you going through Winnipeg and Calgary on the road was one heck of a tough ask. It still won’t be easy, but the thought of it doesn’t seem quite as terrifying right now.
Yes, the Bombers took care of business and finished their season with a win, and that was important. But, Winnipeg also lost three of its last five games down the stretch and lost quarterback Matt Nichols in the penultimate game. At this point, we don’t know if Nichols will play on Sunday and if he does, will he be at 100 per cent? It’s definitely a factor.
Then there’s Calgary, which enters the 2017 post-season riding a three-game skid for the first time since the 2007 (!!) season. The league’s best team all season is way better than what it’s shown the last three weeks, but the Stamps are also struggling more than we’ve seen them in a long time.
PLAYOFF TICKETS
» Eastern Semi-Final: Saskatchewan at Ottawa
» Western Semi-Final: Edmonton at Winnipeg
» Eastern Final: TBD at Toronto
» Western Final: TBD at Calgary
The Stamps are still as complete a team as there is, don’t get me wrong, but they need to figure a few things out. With quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell playing through an injury, this team’s offence isn’t as dynamic as it was a year ago. Despite the fact Calgary can win a game based almost on defence alone, I won’t lie; the Stamps don’t look as formidable right now as we’re used to.
With all these things taken into consideration, I’m not sure there was a definitive advantage when determining which of Edmonton and Saskatchewan ended up as the crossover team. In the end, that’s the way it’s supposed to be, because the path to the Grey Cup isn’t meant to be easy.
Finish strong
A recent edition of Berg vs. Ferg had the two of us debating which non-playoff team had a better chance to bounce back in 2018, Hamilton or BC. Based on their impressive collection of pieces, I chose the latter and still stand by it. Marshall Ferguson’s pick was the Tiger-Cats, though, and that doesn’t look too bad right now.
Thanks to a 33-0 win over Montreal to finish the season, Hamilton goes into the off-season with wins in six of its last 10 games. After an 0-8 start, the Ticats really were a different team to finish the season; their last four losses all came by just one possession, for instance. They weren’t getting blown out and they were beating good teams.
Yes, it’s definitely easier playing when the pressure is off, but that shouldn’t diminish some of the good things accomplished by Hamilton down the stretch. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli played the best football of his pro career in the 10 games he played as starter; he finished with just five interceptions and looked more accurate than we’ve ever seen him while still remaining a dynamic, athletic pivot.
Defensively, the emergence of rookie defensive back Richard Leonard and sophomore linebacker Larry Dean have to be looked at as big positives, too. Yes, missing the playoffs is disappointing, but the Tiger-Cats can hold their heads high heading into the off-season and can be genuinely excited for their prospects in 2018.
