CFL Week 20 Recap: One Spot Left

While I do love the CFL, their final week does lack the drama and thrills that the NFL's final week has had for years. However, after what we saw in Week 20, it does set up quite an interesting scenario. But first thing's first: the Redblacks finally did it. They won a game. 40-39 was the final score for the Redblacks over the Toronto Argonauts, so there will be no 0-18 this year. Everything's coming up for the Canadian capital; they finally won a game this CFL season, and the Senators put BTA on Brady Tkachuk!

Later that evening, the Edmonton Elks defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 35-27, and with that, the Elks locked up first place in the West Division, and will host the Western Final on November 7. As for the Bombers, that loss saw their playoff hopes take a dive, and it got worse when the Calgary Stampeders blasted the BC Lions, 32-13. Prior to that game, the Saskatchewan Roughriders defeated the Montréal Alouettes, 16-12, and with that win following Winnipeg's loss, the defending champs are back in the playoffs.

So with the final week left, it's just down to one spot left, and two positions. The final two days of the regular season each have an Eastern game and a Western game. The East games--Friday's Alouettes/Argonauts game and Saturday's Redblacks/Tiger-Cats game--are irrelevant. It's the West games that have the meaning. The Roughriders, Stampeders, and Blue Bombers have a lot left in this final week, and here are the scenarios:

Out of the three teams jockeying for position, the Roughriders are the only team who is in the playoffs no matter what. At 9-8, the Riders are currently in third place in the West, which keeps them in the Western side of the playoff bracket. If they want to stay there, all they have to do is win against the Edmonton Elks on Saturday, October 24. A win will send them to Vancouver for the Western Semifinal on Saturday, October 31. A loss could send them to the Crossover spot and place them in Toronto for the Eastern Semifinal, but they cannot be eliminated.

The Calgary Stampeders' regular season is finished. They're 9-9 following their win last week, and now, they're on the outside looking in. Right now, they're in the Crossover spot, and if the Bombers lose, the Stamps will get the last spot, and they'll stay in that spot if the Riders win, with the position sending them to Toronto. However, if the Riders and Bombers lose, then the Stamps will be heading to Vancouver. Ironically, Stampeders fans will be pulling for the Lions on Friday, October 23, because that's who Winnipeg's facing.

Last, but not least, there's the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at 8-9. They are behind the line, but they have a shot. All they have to do is beat the Lions on Friday, October 23, and they're in, no questions asked. A win at least places them in the Crossover spot and sends them to Toronto, who the Bombers have had problems with in postseason play recently (Toronto's last two Grey Cup victories came against Winnipeg). However, if the Bombers win and the Riders lose, a three-way tie at 9-9 will be locked in, and that tie will put the Bombers in third place in the West, which would keep them in Vancouver for the Western Semifinal.

The final week in the West Division will be very thrilling, as the last pieces of the Grey Cup Playoff puzzle will be filled! It should be very interesting to see what develops in these last two days!