CFL.ca Photo/Peter McCabe
Week 17 brought the heat with all four games decided by a single score.
The Bombers engineered the only ‘upset’ — based on #TotalPickEm predictions — of the week in the nation’s capital, edging a feisty REDBLACKS team in OT.
On the global leaderboard, broncodc6 continues to lead after a 3-1 week pushed their record to 48-15 on the season.
Let’s take a look at how things shook down.
Friday | Winnipeg 40, Ottawa 32
The Bombers survived a late-game comeback to win in OT at TD Place, and rocketed into third in the West Division in the process.
Despite its fourth-quarter collapse, the Winnipeg defence rallied and put in a solid overall performance on Friday Night Football. Adam Bighill‘s clutch strip in overtime put an exclamation point on a second-straight solid outing for coordinator Richie Hall’s unit.
The West Division is going down to the wire, and Winnipeg has a tough schedule — v. Sask., v. Calgary, at Edmonton — to finish the season; Ottawa now faces a trip to Edmonton before the pivotal home-and-away with Hamilton which will likely decide who will finish first in the East Division.
Saturday | BC 26, Toronto 23
James Franklin nearly brought the Argos back from the dead, but it was too little, too late for the Boatmen as they fell to BC.
It was nothing short of a must-have game for the Lions, and Wally Buono’s group delivered — albeit in nervy fashion as Toronto stormed back in the fourth quarter.
The Argos’ season is over, with many questions to be answered and four feel-good games staring Marc Trestman’s team in the face.
BC, meanwhile, has Calgary (twice), Edmonton and Sask. to come on the schedule and will need to be significantly better in order to sneak into the playoffs in the ultra-tight West.
Monday | Calgary 12, Montreal 6
They say defence win championships.
If that’s the case, then Calgary is A-OK — DeVone Claybrooks’s unit held Montreal to a pair of second-quarter field goals, sacking Johnny Manziel six times in the process.
The cause for concern, however, is the offence: Bo Levi Mitchell tied his season-high with three interceptions, and has now thrown seven in his last four games.
Dave Dickenson’s Stampeders keep finding ways to win, but they certainly don’t look like the impregnable force they were earlier this season.
Monday | Saskatchewan 19, Edmonton 12
Willie Jefferson‘s late-game heroics powered the Riders to a defensive victory in a key divisional contest.
Willie Jefferson (@Stmn_Willie_Bmn) comes up with an interception and takes it all the way to the house for his second touchdown of the season! @sskroughriders lead late in the game! #CFLGameDay #LiveMic pic.twitter.com/p8NXks2cBs
— CFL on TSN (@CFLonTSN) October 8, 2018
Huge moment in a huge win for Saskatchewan, which is now firmly in the driver’s seat in the race for a home playoff game.
Week 17: 3-1
Season: 41-24 (.631)
