by Jack B. Bedell, October 13, 2011
If I didn’t know better, I’d think the CFL schedule makers rigged the whole season so that nothing would be settled until the final whistle blows on the Alouettes and Lions November 5.
There’s just no ignoring the fact that all four games in week 16 have playoff implications written all over them. This weekend’s tilts will definitely affect the initial pecking order in both divisions, and just might go a long way towards determining who’s got the inside track and who’s got some serious uphill to climb amongst the six teams still vying for positioning in the post-season.
Week 16 clearly marks the beginning of what amounts to a round robin tournament in both divisions where the teams with Grey Cup aspirations all have shots at each other over the next month, and the pressure falls squarely on the teams to stack wins if they want to play at home in the post-season.
Out West, B.C. and Calgary battled to an exciting 33-41 tie last week, and B.C.’s win put them neck and neck atop the division. Edmonton also posted a W over the weekend and are right on the leading pace themselves.
Friday night, Henry Burris and Co. head into Toronto. Coming off a second-straight quality offensive performance, the Stamps will have to keep the pedal down against Edmonton to keep the club sniffing the top spot in the division.
Saturday, the Edmonton Eskimos and Winnipeg Blue Bombers face off with first placein both divisions possibility on the line (depending on how Friday night goes down). The Esks head into the match feeling really good about the play of their D, while the Bombers are slowly managing to get back to full strength health-wise.
The winners of these tilts keep control over their own destinies. The losers drop back to fight it out in the pack.
In the East Division this week, Montreal has a chance to tighten its grip on a home playoff game hosting the Ticats. Hamilton heads into Montreal with a chance to stay right in the East race, but coming off last week’s tough loss to Winnipeg, they’ll have to rally in a hurry to beat the Als in Percival Molson.
For the Als, Blue Bombers, and Ticats, each remaining game is an opportunity to seal a home play-off game. Whichever team loses more than it wins over the next three weeks has to face the spectre of hitting the road in November.
Six teams, four weeks. Let’s tee it up!
FT55 PRIMETIME PLAYERS
- Chris Garrett
- Greg Carr
- Larry Taylor
- Paul McCallum
- Anthony Calvillo
- Brandon Whitaker
- Anwar Stewart
- Jerome Messam
- Donovan Alexander
- Barrin Simpson
WEEK 16 PREDICTIONS DOOMED TO GO WRONG
Last week’s 3-1 record pushed me to 33-23 for the season.
This week I’m counting on Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, and B.C. to help me stack up a few wins of my own to stay over the Mendoza line down the stretch.
UP NEXT
Check back next week to get my take on all the league awards. I may also have a few playoff predictions!
Until then, take care.