Montreal Alouettes quarterback Vernon Adams Jr., left, breaks away from Winnipeg Blue Bombers linebacker Adam Bighill during second half CFL football action in Montreal, Saturday, September 21, 2019. The CFL is reviewing the helmet-swinging incident Saturday involving Adams Jr. and Bighill.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
We are now into the final third of the 2019 CFL regular season. Winnipeg, Hamilton and Calgary have clinched playoff spots. B.C., Toronto and Ottawa are hanging on by a thread in the race to finish second in the Eastern Division ahead of Montreal or get the crossover spot.
The schedule maker wasn’t kind to the Stampeders, making them play four games in 18 days. Despite a relentless string of injuries, they won all of them and are now tied with Winnipeg for first place, each with records of 9-4.
Hamilton clinched a post-season berth by beating the Eskimos while Ottawa lost to B.C. After spotting the Ti-Cats a 24-0 lead, the Edmonton defence surrendered only six the rest of the way but it wasn’t good enough as the visitors kicked a last second field goal to win 30-27. Coach Jason Maas took the high road after the game.
“It’s frustrating to start off the way we did but what a finish. That’s the CFL for you. You just have to keep fighting. Our guys did that. I’m proud of our locker room, I am very proud of our guys. I love the work we put in. Every season has a turning point. This will help us going forward.” You can call this either making lemonade when you’re given lemons or whistling by the graveyard. But they play Ottawa next, which should be a sure cure for what ails them.
The Bombers blew a 24-point lead in Montreal, falling 38-37. It was the biggest comeback win in the history of the storied franchise. Coach Michael O’Shea’s reaction wasn’t quite as sanguine as his counterpart in Edmonton.
“It’s sickening. It was a monumental collapse. But it’s all of us. As coaches we’ve got to look at what we called and the positions we put guys in. I thought we had the game under control. The No. 1 thing is to learn from it. These games happen. It happened last night in Edmonton. You witness it all the time in the CFL. This was a big comeback for them and we didn’t do enough to stop them. We played a team that really believes in what they’re doing and we maybe underestimated that.”
Winnipeg, Calgary and Saskatchewan will be playing for home field advantage in the post-season. Coming off a bye, the 8-4 Roughriders head for Toronto this week and return home for a date with the Bombers who entertain Hamilton this Friday. Given Saskatchewan and Winnipeg have split their first two games, that clash at Mosaic will have huge playoff implications. A week later on Oct. 11, the green and white are in Calgary. The following week, the Stampeders kick off a home and home series with Winnipeg.
After this bye week, Calgary heads for Montreal, the team nobody wants to play in the stretch drive. Over the last 10 years, the the Stamps have won only three times at McGill’s Molson’s Stadium. But they are still seething at their 40-34 overtime loss to the Alouettes at McMahon Stadium Aug. 17, believing the victory was stolen from them by the referees and the command centre in Toronto.
They want revenge but considering their past record in Montreal and the way the present Als are playing, that is easier said than done. Montreal is a miserable bunch to play against. After their matchups with the Riders and Bombers Calgary finishes in B.C. I think they can win four of five.
In addition to their games with Toronto, Winnipeg and Calgary, Saskatchewan plays Edmonton twice and B.C. They should also win four of five.
I predicted this would be Winnipeg’s year. Playing Hamilton, the Riders, Calgary twice and Montreal is formidable but they should win three of those.
Jason Maas may believe last week’s comeback will inspire his Inuits down the stretch, but I can’t see it. They should beat Ottawa and B.C. and lose again to Hamilton plus Saskatchewan, finishing 8-10 at best, crossing over to play Montreal in the eastern semifinal. Then anything can happen.
Calgary has hosted the Grey Cup four times. Montreal played in three of them. Although Hamilton still has the best record, the Larks loom large.
Graham Kelly has covered the CFL for the Medicine Hat News for 47 years. Feedback for this column can be emailed to sports@medicinehatnews.com.
