CFL Week 11 Recap: On the Horizon

As a Toronto Argonauts fan, I was feeling good entering Week 11. Let's face it: the East Division race was over weeks ago. However, there was still second place to fight for. Second place in the division means a home playoff game. It's in the Division Semifinal instead of the Division Final, but still, you want to start the road to the Grey Cup on your home turf. The Argos picked up a game in the race for 2nd place on Week 10, and Toronto entered Week 11 with a lot of good vibes.

And then, kickoff happened in Edmonton. Yikes.

The two winningest teams in the CFL faced off in the first half of a Saturday doubleheader, and the Boatmen were absolutely sunk. It was close to start, but the Elks ended up dismantling Toronto badly. A 42-12 victory for the Elks, which snapped Edmonton's two game slide. Yes, these Elks are much better than the teams we've seen in the last five years, but still, the Argos are capable of playing better than this. As for the second half of said doubleheader, that was also not pleasing to Argos fans. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats actually defeated the defending champions Saskatchewan Roughriders, 26-19; a very shocking upset to end Week 11.

Before Week 11 ended with an upset, it began with one. A Thursday night West Division battle between the BC Lions and the Calgary Stampeders saw the semi-hapless Lions actually win on the road, 30-26. Pretty much the only thing that happened like it was supposed to was the Winnipeg Blue Bombers winning 33-21 over the Ottawa Redblacks. So yeah, the Redblacks are now halfway into a totally futile season. Yikes!

Ten weeks remain in the CFL season, and as a result of what went down, the Edmonton Elks are back on top of the West Division. Their two game skid cost them the division lead, but their win and the Roughriders' loss moved them back on top. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers maintained their hold on third place, and the BC Lions' victory over the Calgary Stampeders moved them out of the cellar. In the East, the Montréal Alouettes were idle, but their lead in the division increased to four games thanks to the Argos loss. The Argonauts now lead the Tiger-Cats by a half game in the race for second place, and the Ottawa Redblacks are waiting for this season to be over.

If the season ended at this point, we would get a pair of rivalry matchups in the Division Semifinals. In the West, it would be Blue Bombers @ Roughriders. In the East, it would be Tiger-Cats @ Argonauts. The Elks and Alouettes would get the respective byes. And remember, this is the final season of this current Grey Cup Playoff format. Starting next year, eight of the league's nine teams will be playoff bound, with new rounds created. Part of the new opening round next year will be the Division Showdown, contested between the top two teams in each division. The only non-elimination games in the new playoff format, if it took place this year, it would be Blue Bombers @ Elks in the West, and Argonauts @ Alouettes in the East. Winners skip right to the third round (the Grey Cup Semifinals), while the losing teams will play in the second round Elimination Games against the Play-In game winners.

But that's next season.

Week 12 of this season kicks off on Thursday, August 20 with an Eastern battle between the Montréal Alouettes and the Ottawa Redblacks. On Friday, August 21, it's a Western battle between the Edmonton Elks and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. On Saturday, August 22, a pivotal Eastern clash between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Toronto Argonauts, and on Sunday, August 23, the BC Lions and the Saskatchewan Roughriders will face each other in a Western duel. All but one game (SSK @ BC) will air on CBS Sports Network.

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