CFL Week 18 Recap: Thanks a Bunch

Week 18 was the last holiday week of the CFL season, taking place on Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. Similar to America, Canada's Thanksgiving celebration does include football, and the featured game on Thanksgiving Monday was an East Division battle between the Montréal Alouettes and the Ottawa Redblacks. For Montréal, they entered Week 18 looking to get home field in the Eastern Semifinal against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, while the Ottawa Redblacks were looking to keep their very slim playoff hopes alive.

What we saw was Montréal completely obliterate the Redblacks, and at some point, I suggested that Ottawa should just focus on the up-and-coming Senators this upcoming NHL season. 29-3 was the final score, and with that, the tepid Redblacks season came to an end. They were not the first of the three teams to be eliminated; that dishonor went to the Edmonton Elks, as their 35-12 loss to the Toronto Argonauts ended their season as well. Even so, Edmonton should be happy with their second half so far--4-3 in the last seven games after an 0-9 start, plus their home losing streak is long over.

Though the Alouettes did get a win on Thanksgiving Monday, they would still have to wait to get home field in the Eastern Semifinal, as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats made absolute mincemeat of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. A 38-13 victory kept Hamilton's own home field hopes alive, while the Riders' loss actually kept the Redblacks alive until their own loss on Thanksgiving Monday. More on the Riders later.

The true main event of Week 18 was the second game out of the bunch--the anticipated West Division battle between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the BC Lions. The teams entered Week 18 tied for first, and the winner would earn full control of the West. This was very hotly contested, mainly because this could be a possible Western Final. BC actually led for the most part, but Peg managed to come back an actually tie it up late. However, BC was very close to winning it in regulation; a long reception in the final seconds was connected, and it took a trip and a tackle to prevent a game-winning TD from happening. Overtime. How fitting. Bombers' first possession resulted in a touchdown and a two-pointer, while BC was shot down on their chance to even things up. Final score: Blue Bombers 34, Lions 26.

As a result, here are the standings with three weeks left.

In the West Division, it's the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are all alone in first place at 12-4, while the BC Lions are 11-5. The struggling, and I mean struggling Saskatchewan Roughriders dropped to 6-10, the idle (and, somehow, still alive) Calgary Stampeders remain at 4-11, and the eliminated Edmonton Elks are 4-12. Seriously...what the holy hell is wrong with the Roughriders?! This team was 3-1, but since then, they've dropped 9 of their last 12 games, and that includes their current five-game losing streak. Literally the only reason why they're alive is because the Stamps are worse, yet the Stamps actually have an outside chance of sneaking past the Riders. The two teams play each other on Week 19, and if the Riders win, they're in. A tie would hamper things just a bit, but if they lose, they'll only be a half game ahead of Calgary, who would also win the season series. The Riders have just one game left after the head-to-head, and that's on Week 20. The Stamps will play on each of the final two weeks after the head-to-head.

In the East Division, the Toronto Argonauts improve to 13-2, and in the race for second place, the Montréal Alouettes still lead at 9-7, while the Hamilton Tiger-Cats are still behind at 8-8. The eliminated Ottawa Redblacks are 4-12, but still, the lone relevant story is Montréal and Hamilton's battle for home field in the Eastern Semifinal, which could be solved as early as Week 19.

As for the playoff picture, here's what we know. Again, the Eastern Final on Saturday, November 11 will be in Toronto. The Montréal Alouettes and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats will face each other in the Eastern Semifinal. We still do not know where that game will take place, though we could know as soon as Week 19. Playoff games will be played in Winnipeg and Vancouver; we do not know which ones will be in those cities, but that can be settled as soon as Week 19.

Week 19 kicks off on Friday, October 13 with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats hosting the BC Lions. If BC wins, the Alouettes host the Eastern Semifinal. If Hamilton wins, the Blue Bombers (idle in Week 19) will host the Western Final, while BC will host the Western Semifinal. After that game, the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Calgary Stampeders will face each other in a pivotal game. Riders will be in with a win, while a loss can actually put the Stamps in the drivers seat. On Saturday, October 14, the Edmonton Elks host the Montréal Alouettes, who can get home field in the Eastern Semifinal with a win, and it's followed by the one game with nothing on the line--the Toronto Argonauts hosting the Ottawa Redblacks. This is the last four-game week of the CFL season.

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