CFL.CA STAFF
TORONTO — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Toronto Argonauts have secured spots in the post-season, but both teams still have plenty to play for when they square off on Saturday afternoon at BMO Field.
A win for the Bombers would clinch their first home playoff date since 2011, while the Argos are still chasing the Ottawa REDBLACKS for top spot in the East and a bye to the division final.
The Bombers punched their ticket to the post-season last week with a 26-20 victory over the BC Lions. Winnipeg jumped out to an early two score lead and was able to hold off the hungry Leos until the final whistle.
It was the special teams and defense leading the way in the Winnipeg win. Kevin Fogg ran past an entire field of Lions’ defenders for an 88-yard punt return touchdown in the first quarter, while T.J. Heath added a pick-six with just under 10 minutes remaining to put the game further out of reach for the Lions.
Winnipeg’s top receiver Darvin Adams left the game against BC with an upper body injury in the first quarter and did not return. Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said that Adams will not be available for “a number of weeks,” but says there is a chance he will return sometime before the end of the year.
“I don’t want everyone to count him out,” O’Shea told BlueBombers.com. “I know he’s going to work hard and I know given his past history, he’s always become available earlier than expected.”
The Bombers suffered another devastating blow last week as defensive back Moe Leggett tore his Achilles tendon and will miss the remainder of the season.
Winnipeg will have some familiar faces back in the lineup for Week 18. Veteran receiver Weston Dressler will suit up for the first time since exiting the Bomber’s Week 14 win with an upper body injury. Dressler has been nagged by injury trouble all season and also missed four more games earlier in the year.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers RB Andrew Harris celebrates his TD during second quarter CFL action between the Bombers and the Toronto Argonauts in Winnipeg on Thursday, July 13, 2017. (CFL PHOTO – Jason Halstead)
The Toronto Argonauts enter Saturday’s contest just one point behind the East-leading REDBLACKS with a game in hand.
Ottawa leapfrogged the Boatmen for top spot in the East after Toronto fell 30-27 to the Edmonton Eskimos in Week 17. Toronto scored the go-ahead touchdown with just over three minutes remaining in the game, but the Esks thwarted the Argos’ comeback efforts by scoring a major with just under a minute to go for the win.
S.J. Green led all receivers with 159 yards and a touchdown on 13 catches while quarterback Ricky Ray completed 32 of 42 passes for 362 yards with one touchdown and an interception.
Green received Shaw Top Performer honors for the fourth time this season.
Toronto Argonauts’ S.J. Green (19) snags the pass in front of Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ Brian Walker (22) and TJ Heath (23) during the first half of CFL action in Winnipeg Thursday, July 13, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
First-year running back James Wilder Jr. has been cleared to play and will be back in action on Saturday after missing last week’s contest against the Esks. Wilder was placed on the one game injured list after leaving the Argos’ Week 16 contest against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
While the Argos find themselves in a good position and are within striking distance of the REDBLACKS, their momentum heading into the playoffs has slowed down after dropping their past two games.
Green knows that now is the time for his team to step up.
“We’ve come a long way this season,” Green told Argonauts.ca. “We beat ourselves up a lot… we’ve lost games we shouldn’t have lost. We’re at a point in the season now where those mistakes are magnified and mistakes can’t happen because they’re going to cost us games, cost us playoff positioning. We have to be locked in.”
The Argos’ secondary gets a boost for Saturday’s contest, with veteran corner Akwasi Owusu-Ansah back in the lineup to play boundary corner. That moves rookie Alden Darby Jr. over the field corner and Mitchell White over to halfback.
The Bombers have won their last three games against the Argos. Their most recent victory over the Double Blue was back in Week 3. Andrew Harris had two rushing touchdowns in the Bombers’ 33-25 win at Investors Group Field. Winnipeg jumped out to an early lead after Ryan Lankford ran for a 105-yard touchdown on the opening kickoff.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ Ryan Lankford (84) returns the Toronto Argonauts’ opening kick 104 yards for the touchdown during the first half of CFL action in Winnipeg Thursday, July 13, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
By The Numbers
5 – Receptions needed by S.J. Green to reach 100 for the season. Only three players in Argos history have made 100-plus catches in one season; Derrell Mitchel, Michael Clemons (twice), and Terry Greer.
8 – Interceptions thrown this season by the Bombers, the lowest in the league.
28 – Games in a row that Matt Nichols has started at quarterback for the Bombers. The last quarterback to start a game for the Bombers other than Nichols was Drew Willy back on July 21, 2016.
129 – Yards needed by Armanti Edwards to reach the 1,000 mark. Edwards would join fellow teammate S.J. Green, who has already surpassed the milestone mark this season. The last time that the Argos had two 1,000 yard receivers in the same year was 2005.
The Skinny:
All eyes will be on Andrew Harris against the Argos, and during the Bombers’ last three games of the season, as the running back has a chance to become the first players in CFL history to reach 1,000 rushing and receiving yards in the same season.
Harris must average 61.3 receiving yards per game and 43 rushing yards per game in his last three contests to achieve the incredible feat. The 30-year-old also only needs six more catches to become the fifth player in Bombers history to reach 100 catches in one season.
Even though the Bombers have secured a playoff spot, O’Shea said earlier this week that he has not yet thought about resting players to prepare of the post-season.
How much closer will Harris get to the historic milestone on Saturday?
AFI, Yare Media and the CFL
American Football International is collaborating with Yare Media and the Canadian Football League to present 2017 CFL games live. This is more than a livestream. This is a stream of the top flight TSN network television broadcast.
If you can’t watch it live, each game is available for viewing through the remainder of the season.
LIVE STREAM PPV: CFL – Winnipeg Blue Bombers @Toronto Argonauts Saturday, Oct. 21 4p EDT( 10p CEST)