The playoff picture in the CFL’s West Division is beginning to heat up as the calendar creeps towards Labour Day weekend.
The sudden resurgence of the BC Lions, who have strung together wins in three consecutive weeks, has only muddied the waters further heading into Week 12.
BC took down the Calgary Stampeders on Thursday night to improve their record to 4-5 on the year, and are now just one win away from getting back to the .500 mark after an 0-3 start.
Reigning CFL MOP Nathan Rourke threw for 301 yards and two touchdowns in the win, but still believes he and the Lions have another gear they can hit as they look to make a run for the playoffs.
“We’re trending upwards, for sure,” Rourke said after the victory. “We’ve got lots of things to clean up, which is a good thing. We haven’t peaked quite yet.”
“We’re just trusting in each other and trusting in our process,” he added. “There’s only so much you can control so you have to trust that the other unit is going to be able to do their job.”
With the victory over Calgary, the Lions moved out of the West Division basement for the first time this season, and now trail the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for the final guaranteed playoff spot by just one win.
The playoff picture only get more complicated with a potential crossover year brewing.
The Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Tiger-Cats sit second and third in the East with four wins each, the same as the Lions, while the Ottawa Redblacks appear to be well out of contention with an 0-9 record.
While Tiger-Cats pivot Bo Levi Mitchell remains sidelined with a broken fibula, the team’s situation at quarterback was thrown further into flux after Harrison Frost left last week’s win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders with an upper-body injury.
Tre Ford came off the bench to help lead a second-half rally for the win over Saskatchewan, but the Canadian passer had previously struggled this season before being benched for Frost ahead of Week 10.
After the Blue Bombers crossed over for a playoff berth last year, things could be trending in a similar direction this time around with several teams in the West hunting for the sixth and final spot up for grabs.
The Edmonton Elks lead the West with a 7-3 record, while the defending Grey Cup champion Roughriders follow closely behind at 6-3 with a game in hand.
That leaves three teams - the Blue Bombers, Lions, and Stampeders - in the running for the third spot in the West, and perhaps in the East if there is another crossover in store.
The Blue Bombers welcomed back two-time MOP Zach Collaros to the starting lineup following a five-week injury absence on Friday night. He completed 21-of-31 attempts for 222 yards in their 33-21 win over the Redblacks in Week 11.
However, Winnipeg faces a tough upcoming schedule with meetings against the East-leading Montreal Alouettes, Elks, and Roughriders on tap in the weeks ahead.
With Rourke back at full strength following a shoulder injury, the Lions will be looking to gain ground on Winnipeg during that stretch and get themselves into third place in the West before the calendar turns to October.
BC can help their case even further with a victory over the Roughriders in a marquee Week 12 matchup, which would bring them to within one win of second place in the division.
