WINNIPEG – It’s crunch time in the CFL’s West Division this week as the BC Lions (9-4) visit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (8-6) with all sorts of playoff implications.
The Bombers’ playoff picture is a little murkier than it had been prior to last week’s 40-26 loss against the Edmonton Eskimos. After ripping off seven straight wins and inserting themselves into the upper echelon of West Division teams, Winnipeg’s dropped two in a row to Albertan opposition and fallen back into the peloton.
For Wally Buono’s Lions, a win on Saturday would go a long way towards securing home field for the Western Semi-Final. At 9-4, BC likely won’t catch first-place Calgary, but could just about separate itself permanently from Winnipeg with a win at IGF this weekend.
The BC Lions are a strong football team, plain and simple.
Wally Buono’s bunch is coming off a 40-33 victory over the Ottawa REDBLACKS last week in a high-scoring affair and could take a decisive step towards a home playoff game with a win this week in Manitoba.
“The players understand that it’s the time of year when all the games are critical,” Buono told BCLions.com. “Everybody’s fighting for position, whether it’s second place, third place or crossover.
“We’re going to focus on this game — a win is big for us, we know that, but there are still a lot of games after this.”
The dominant theme entering Saturday’s contest is the Andrew Harris vs. former team storyline. The Bombers running back broke the 1,000-yard rushing mark twice over the course of five seasons as BC’s feature back.
“I know he will definitely get a little more motivated to play us,” said Lions defensive back Ryan Phillips. “I know he’s going to be up for the challenge and he wants to help his team get in a position to host a home playoff game too.
“He’s a teammate and a friend of mine and that’s going to be for life, but once we get between the lines we understand it’s business.”
O’Shea: “Gurley is a good addition this time of year”
Pick’Em Primer: Week 16
On the offensive side of the football, BC will be without the services of wideout Shawn Gore. Fellow national wideout Stephen Adekolu will start in his place.
“It’s like Christmas morning every game,” said Adekolu, a Bishop’s alum. “You’re excited because you’re playing football regardless, but you might get that tap on the shoulder. I keep that mindset that I am a starter so that when I do get slotted in I can definitely produce and contribute to the offence.”
The Lions will have to do a better job of creating defensive penetration on Saturday; BC failed to get consistent pressure on Ottawa QB Trevor Harris last week and will have to disrupt Winnipeg’s Matt Nichols to have success at Investors Group Field.
In Winnipeg, Bombers fans are still buzzing over the recent addition of Tori Gurley to the team’s roster.
The 28 year-old South Carolina alum was one of a trio of top Toronto receivers cut loose by the Argos earlier this week and is on the depth chart for Saturday’s contest.
Meanwhile, the Bombers don’t seem concerned with any recent rumours about Gurley’s professionalism, which some speculate played a role in his release.
“I’m confident in the guys we have in our room,” Bombers coach Mike O’Shea told BlueBombers.com. “I’m confident in the fact that when guys get here and they see the way we conduct business and the types of guys we have, they want to fit in.
“I’m quite confident that if [Gurley doesn’t want to fit in], we’ll know very quickly and that will be our answer.”
The benefits of Gurley from a pure football standpoint are undeniable: 509 receiving yards and five touchdowns — the most on the Argos prior to his release — speak for themselves.
Another recent addition from the Argos that’s already slotted tidily into the Blue Bombers’ secondary is TJ Heath.
“He’s who we thought he was when we acquired him,” explained O’Shea. “The one thing I’ve noticed is he communicates well — you see him making sure that the guys he’s working with on any given play understand what they’re doing.”
Winnipeg will also be boosted by the return of star running back Harris, who hasn’t suited up since Week 12. Power back Timothy Flanders performed well in Harris’s absence.
“I don’t know that (Harris) brings a lot different (than Flanders),” said O’Shea. “They’re both excellent in all of the things required of a running back; protection, running the ball and catching passes.
“They look a little different, but they’re both extremely productive in their own right.”
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Jonathon Jennings and Matt Nichols will square off in a pivotal West Division matchup in Winnipeg on Saturday (CFL.ca)
By the Numbers
5 – Wins in seven road games for the Lions this year.
11 – Combined interceptions between Maurice Leggett and TJ Heath in the Bomber secondary.
42 – Turnovers forced by the Bomber defence this season — 22 interceptions, 20 fumbles (both leading the league).
1,396 – Rush yards for BC — the most in the CFL.
The Skinny
Any time two West Division teams meet up in October with something on the line, it’s going to be a fun one.
The BC Lions can establish themselves as the No. 2 team in the West entering the stretch with a road win Saturday, while the Winnipeg Blue Bombers need a win just to keep their heads above water in an ever-tightening race with Edmonton for third.
Both the Leos and Bombers have relied on certain phases at various points this season — BC began the year a defensive juggernaut, while Winnipeg’s middle third was defined by defensive turnovers. Which unit will reign supreme at IGF on Saturday?
Kickoff is slated for 4:00 p.m. ET and can be seen live on TSN or followed online via CFL.ca Game Tracker.
With files from BCLions.com/BlueBombers.com
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What the fans are saying:
It’s pretty much a toss-up, with a slight lean towards the Lions on the road
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What the writers are saying: