After a shortened Week 16, a full Canadian Football League slate returns in Week 17 as the playoff race heats up.
This week brings a doubleheader of doubleheaders, with a pair of games on both Friday and Saturday. The week kicks off in Winnipeg as the Blue Bombers play host to the CFL’s hottest team, the Toronto Argonauts, in the first half of Friday Night Football, before the BC Lions play host to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in a West Division matchup.
Then, Saturday’s doubleheader begins with a Calgary Stampeders and Ottawa Redblacks rematch from last week, before Week 17 closes out with the West’s best Edmonton Elks hosting the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Argonauts vs. Blue Bombers
A rematch of the 109th and 111th Grey Cup kicks off the week as the Blue Bombers host the red-hot Argonauts.
Toronto is riding a three-game win streak and has won four of the past five, mostly because of the offence’s production. The league’s top passing unit by far, featuring quarterback Chad Kelly and his wideouts led by Damonte Coxie, Kevin Mital, Tyler Kahmann, and Dave Ungerer III, has been clicking all season. The only problem has been the interceptions and overall turnovers, as Kelly has thrown a league-high 22 picks, while the Argos have the second-most turnovers overall.
It will be intriguing to see how the No.1 passing offence does against the No.1 passing defence in Winnipeg. Jordan Younger’s unit has consistently been amongst the league leaders in pass defence since he took over in 2024, and that has remained in 2026 with the Bombers allowing a league-low 272.2 passing yards per game.
Major Williams has been fantastic in his rookie season at boundary corner; former All-CFL team members Evan Holm and Deatrick Nichols have been flying around at the halfback spots, and Redha Kramdi has been as impressive as ever whether he’s been at safety or linebacker. While the unit is second in pass knockdowns (57), they only have a league-low five interceptions.
Toronto has been peaking defensively as well, as Toronto’s front seven is as disruptive as any north of the border. Since edge Shawn Lemon was inserted into the lineup in Week 8, Toronto is allowing 10.0 fewer points per game, 57.3 fewer yards per game, and has the most sacks (24) in the CFL.
They’ll be going up against a Winnipeg offence that might be without its starting quarterback and others. Zach Collaros left the team’s Week 15 contest early and has now missed Day 1 of practice with a head injury, as it was Dru Brown who stepped in. Running back Brady Oliveira, wideout Nic Demski, and tackle Stanley Bryant also all didn’t practice.
Roughriders vs. Lions
A crucial matchup for the playoff picture takes place as the Roughriders travel to B.C. to battle the Lions.
While the East Division standings are virtually locked in for the postseason, the West Division and crossover picture are muddied, and this matchup is right in the thick of it.
West Division standings
Elks 10-4
Roughriders 8-5
Lions 7-6
Blue Bombers 7-6
Stampeders 6-8
This will be a battle for second place in the West, as the winner of this tilt also claims the tiebreaker in their favour. The pair last matched up in Week 12 when the Lions came out on top 30-16 at home. Nathan Rourke and BC were able to put up more than 400 yards of net offence while their stout defence forced Saskatchewan to four turnovers.
The Lions are one of the league’s hottest teams right now, having won six of their last seven games. BC is also top of the league in net offence per game (427.7), net offence allowed (343.3), rushing yards (121.3), and rushing yards allowed (58.5).
The Riders, however, have been trending in the wrong direction, having lost three of their past five. Saskatchewan’s defence is up there with BC’s in most defensive statistical categories, especially against the run, where the team has once again been phenomenal.
Stampeders vs. Redblacks
Saturday’s doubleheader begins with a rematch from last week as the Redblacks host the Stampeders.
While a matchup between the worst team in each division at this time of year would normally be fairly low stakes, this one brings intrigue for both teams.
For Calgary, they sit 1.5 games back of a crossover and West Division playoff spot and are only 2.5 games back of hosting a playoff game. They also have three big-time West matchups with the Blue Bombers, Roughriders, and Lions on the schedule moving forward and will be looking to keep pace this week.
For Ottawa, they are still in search of their first win 17 weeks into the CFL season and are running out of chances. One of Ottawa’s best opportunities to erase the goose egg, however, is in this matchup as they catch a Stampeders team that they played well against last week, and that has lost four of its last six games.
It’s largely the same intrigue from their matchup in Week 16, which ended dramatically. Stampeders kicker and 15-year veteran Rene Parades hit the second-longest field goal in CFL history from 62 yards as time expired to give Calgary a 40-38 last-second win.
It was an offensive showdown in the first clash as the pair combined for nearly 1,000 net yards. With both teams sitting in the basement in both points allowed and yards allowed per game, that could be expected once again.
Ottawa’s McLeod Bethel-Thompson made his first start of the season in place of Jake Maier, completing 56.3 per cent of his passes for 379 yards, five touchdowns, and only one interception, while Calgary’s Deonta McMahon filled in nicely for an injured Dedrick Mills with 126 combined yards.
Tiger-Cats vs. Edmonton Elks
The week wraps up in Alberta as the Elks and Tiger-Cats square off at Commonwealth.
With their fourth quarterback of the season, Hamilton will be trying to snap a four-game losing streak and turn around a skid that has seen them lose seven of the past eight contests.
It remains to be seen who gets the start at quarterback for the Tiger-Cats, but it was Harrison Frost making his third start in last week’s loss. The 27-year-old completed 33-of-50 passes for 330 yards, three touchdowns, and four interceptions in that one.
No matter who has been throwing the rock since Bo Levi Mitchell’s injury early on, the offence, especially through the air, has fallen flat. The unit is bottom in points per game (23.4), net offence per game (331.7), and passing yards per game (256.1).
It doesn’t get any easier for Hamilton in Week 17 either, as they take on an Edmonton defence that is fiery.
All three levels of Edmonton’s defence feature a fantastic intersection of talent and physicality, as the unit is top three in points allowed per game, net offence allowed per game, passing yards allowed per game, rushing yards allowed per game, and turnovers.
It’s a defence that turns the ball over and limits the points being put up against them. Combine that with an offence led by Cody Fajardo that doesn’t cough it up, while also being able to break off an explosive play at any given moment, thanks to back Justin Rankin and wideout Austin Mack, and it’s a recipe for success.
The Elks have clinched a playoff spot, but have not quite yet clinched a bye and home-field advantage until the Grey Cup in Calgary. The Tiger-Cats also aren’t technically out of the playoff hunt, but they face a very steep hill to climb and will need to win this one to have any hope.
