Showdown Weekend In The CFL, Pivotal Matchups Abound In Week 16
October 14, 2010 - Canadian Football League (CFL) News Release
Toronto, ON - It's shaping up as Showdown Weekend in the Canadian Football League as teams fighting for playoff positions face each other on the road to the 98th Grey Cup in Edmonton.
It starts here at Rogers Centre with a Friday Night Football clash between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts, two rivals with identical 7-7 records, locked in a battle for second place in the CFL East and the home playoff date that comes with it.
On Saturday in Vancouver, the Edmonton Eskimos (4-10) face the British Columbia Lions (5-9) in a match-up that could go a long way towards determining the third and final playoff spot in the CFL West.
Sunday's doubleheader starts with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (4-10) visiting the Montreal Alouettes (10-4), with the Blue needing a win to maintain their momentum in their quest to catch the Argos or Tiger-Cats in the East, or possibly, become the crossover playoff team that supplants Edmonton or B.C. in the West.
This Fall feast of meaningful games peaks in Regina later that afternoon, as the Saskatchewan Roughriders (9-5) look to pull even with the Calgary Stampeders (10-4) in a game that has huge implications for first place in the West.
Of course, the team that finishes first knows that a single playoff win at home is all that stands between them and an appearance in the Grey Cup game next month.
There are still plenty of mathematical possibilities, with four weeks to go until the playoffs in a year marked by close games and plenty of parity. But here's what we do know going into this weekend:
A Hamilton Win OR Winnipeg Loss + Edmonton Loss = Hamilton clinches a playoff spot for the second straight year. A Toronto Win OR Winnipeg Loss + Edmonton Loss = Toronto clinches a playoff spot, marking an impressive turnaround after winning just three games in 2009. A Montreal Win + Toronto Loss = Montreal Clinches First Place in Eastern Division, and the right to host the Eastern Final for the third straight year
"It has been a tremendous season and judging from this weekend's match-ups, the best is still yet to come," said CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon.
"It promises to be a weekend of great CFL football and we're looking forward to it as much as our fans are."
• Discuss this story on the Canadian Football League message board...
Canadian Football League Stories from October 14, 2010
- Eskimos sign import kicker Justin Medlock - Edmonton Elks
- Eligible Players for the CFL Most Outstanding Rookie Award - CFL
- Lions team up with SUBWAY Restaurants to 'Lion-Size' your sandwich - B.C. Lions
- Eskimos sign Derick Armstrong to one-year contract - Edmonton Elks
- Stamps make roster moves - Calgary Stampeders
- Showdown Weekend In The CFL, Pivotal Matchups Abound In Week 16 - CFL
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
