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Berg vs. Ferg returns for another season on CFL.ca as columnists Pat Steinberg and Marshall Ferguson debate over some of the league’s most contentious storylines. This week, they debate on which playoff-bound team is more concerning.
While the post-season picture is not entirely complete, we’ve known for some time now which six teams will compete for the Grey Cup Championship this month in Ottawa.
It’s barely a week before the post-season officially kicks off, leaving us to speculate which teams will take the next step in November and which ones will fizzle.
Going into Week 20, it’s accurate to say that Edmonton and Saskatchewan are hot while Calgary and Winnipeg are not.
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The Bombers will not have Matt Nichols for their season finale against the Stamps (The Canadian Press)
Last week, the Stampeders lost a second consecutive game for the first time in five years. They also lost their first game at McMahon as well as back-to-back contests against the West — all breaking major trends for the Red and White.
In Winnipeg, meanwhile, the Bombers are dealing with injuries to stars on both sides of the football. Maurice Leggett has been sidelined for the season, and while Matt Nichols and Andrew Harris should be available for the post-season, both are a little banged up. The verdict is also out on both Jamaal Westerman and Darvin Adams.
None of that is to say that either team is panicking. The Stampeders are once again the class of the CFL, finishing with the league’s best record while possessing the reigning Most Outstanding Player to go with one of the best defences in recent memory. The same goes for the Bombers, who have a chance to host their first playoff game since 2011.
Still, following their meeting on Friday night, one of these teams will go into the playoffs on a three-game losing streak. Who has more cause for concern? That’s the debate in this week’s Berg vs. Ferg.
| BERG VS. FERG: LAST WEEK’S RESULTS |
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Poll Result: Which non-playoff team will bounce back in 2018? |
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Steinberg: BC Lions (67%) Ferguson: Hamilton Tiger-Cats (33%) |
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FERG (10-10): ARE THE STAMPS FEELING THE PRESSURE?
Marshall Ferguson, CFL.ca
@TSN_Marsh
I believe the Calgary Stampeders should garner more concern heading into the playoffs, but not why you might think.
The Stampeders are not playing worse than Winnipeg and they are healthier than the Blue Bombers as we approach the Canadian Football League’s ultimate sprint, BUT Calgary has a heightened level of stress this season as the microscope has followed them closer this year despite continued success due to how the Grey Cup ended last November.
Simply put, they have more to lose.
If the Blue Bombers fall apart down the stretch, many will remember that 2017 group of Matt Nichols, Andrew Harris, Darvin Adams, Moe Leggat and friends as a really nice group that overachieved and couldn’t stay healthy at the right time.
If the Stampeders fall apart down the stretch, we will begin lumping somewhat unfair multi-year narratives together on a team that, despite regular season prowess, was unable to finish the job.
Calgary’s loss to Saskatchewan at home was certainly an anomaly, but a close victory against Hamilton left players and fans scratching their heads despite Hamilton’s sense of renewal since the Week 6 blowout between the Stamps and Ticats.
In the last couple of games, the Stampeders’ passing offence has come into question despite having arguably the best arm in the CFL with Bo Levi Mitchell. Hamilton made Calgary one-dimensional on offence, removing Jerome Messam from the equation, and with a receiving group still sorting through injury recovery and consistency, the Stampeders looked like the CFL’s seventh-best aerial attack.
Calgary has all the ability in the world and should be favourites moving forwards, but also has more to lose and a unique pressure the Bombers don’t.
History.
BERG (10-10): URGENCY NEEDED IN WINNIPEG
Pat Steinberg, CFL.ca
@Fan960Steinberg
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have rapidly gone from a very comfortable spot in the West Division to one that is far more tenuous. I’ve been a big fan of the Bombers this season, but there are a number of reasons to be worried about this group going into the final week of the season. It’s desperation mode in Winnipeg right now, and we’ll see if they respond on Friday night.
The Bombers are in real danger of relinquishing second spot in the division, which is something I really didn’t see coming about a month ago. That happens, though, with a Winnipeg loss in Calgary coupled with an Edmonton win over the Riders. Their last two outings not withstanding, the Bombers have been very good at Investors Group Field this season and still have one of the better home field advantages going. Losing a chance to host the Western Semi-Final could be very costly.
Making matters worse is the absence of Matt Nichols for Friday’s season finale against the Stampeders. Already in tough against the league’s best team, Winnipeg will be without its Most Outstanding Player nominee in an extremely important game. Just as troubling is the uncertainty surrounding Nichols’s status for the team’s first playoff game. Even if Nichols does play, it’ll be anyone’s guess whether he’ll be at 100 per cent or not.
And let’s not forget, the Bombers have lost three of their last four games and have looked somewhat mediocre in the process. A team of Winnipeg’s caliber shouldn’t be dropping games to non-playoff teams at this stage of the season, specifically knowing a win over either Hamilton in Week 16 or BC in Week 19 would have spared them the desperation of this weekend.
I still think the Bombers are a really good team, and if Nichols is healthy come the Western Semi-Final, they’ll have a chance to advance regardless of who’s hosting the game. There’s no doubt in my mind, though, Winnipeg is far more formidable at home, so a win in Calgary would be beneficial. The health of Nichols is not in their control, but it’s another reason to feel a little nervous about the Bombers’ to start November.
DON’T SIT ON THE FENCE!
While both sides are pretty convincing, someone’s got to take it. Whose argument convinced you the most?
You can vote for this week’s winner both on CFL.ca and Twitter. Meanwhile, continue the conversation by tweeting @Fan960Steinberg and @TSN_Marsh.
The winner will be revealed in the following week’s Berg vs. Ferg.
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