Labour Day Matches Crucial For The Rest Of The CFL Season

The 2008 CFL season is almost half way done. While it's too early to say that one weekend will set the stage for the playoff match ups, a lot of things could be riding on the outcomes of the Labour Day games, and the the following weeks games.

Now so much can change in a instant this season(just ask the Roughriders), but a win or loss in the right or wrong place can push a team to the outside looking in.

Since the East only has one team playing a home and home over the next 2 weeks, I'll start there.


MONTREAL ALOUETTES

Montreal is comfortable in the first spot of the East Division. The Als have had help from the fact they are playing in the East, due to the lack of talent, but can help their confidence with a win over the BC Lions, who are the only team in the west with a lower record than the Als. BC is struggling, and the Lions only beat Montreal by 2 points when they played each other in week 5. Montreal needs to get some wins out of the west if they hope to make it to the Grey Cup. Chances are very good that the Alouettes will be playing the Western Crossover team in the East Final. If the season were to end today, the Lions would be that crossover team.

The game following that is against the Argonauts, so it should be another Alouette victory.


HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

The Ti-Cats have only one positive thing this season, and that has been playing the Toronto Argonauts. Hamilton looks like a Cup Contender against the Argos, but fall much much shorter against everyone else. Hamilton needs to find anything to bring confidence back to their dressing room after being embarrassed by the worst team in the CFL. They now have that distinction back, and need to use whatever they can.

There is some good news for Hamilton fans for this weekend though. While I'm not sure if getting Casey Printers back is a positive, Jesse Lumsden is also likely to be back in uniform. Hamilton is always a threat when Lumsden is in the lineup. When he is healthy, he makes Hamilton a contender. Even if Printers can't throw a touchdown pass, having that option to hand off to Lumsden, makes the Ti-Cats dangerous. Even if their O-Line doesn't know how to block.

These 2 weekends include game against Toronto and BC. Both are teams are struggling, but both are important games if they want to even have a sniff of making it to second place. They are only one win behind Toronto for second place, and a win over BC would keep down a team that may need a crossover to make he playoffs.


TORONTO ARGONAUTS

Toronto plays Hamilton in their Annual Labour Day game, and needs to find a way to beat the hapless Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The Argos have already lost the season series to Hamilton, so losing another makes it that much harder to make the playoffs should Hamilton close the gap.

The Argos play the next week against the Alouettes, who haven't lost to any East Division teams, and two Argo losses in a row could spell disaster for team with too much talent to miss the playoffs.


WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS

After finally finding their touch in a win over the other worst team in the CFL, the Blue Bombers have an opportunity to make up some more ground in the east with wins over the seriously injury depleted Saskatchewan Roughriders. With the entire Rider receiving   core receiving an overhaul due to injury, the Bombers will need to try to take advantage. The Rider defense is still one of the toughest to play against, so it’s no easy task. They will need to be consistent and not too risky, and hope that this is not the week that the inexperienced Rider receiving core starts hanging onto balls. Plus they will need to corral newcomer Michael Bishop if he gets any playing time. If they do get these wins, it can bring them a lot closer to the second position in the East. If they can’t take advantage of weakened Riders offense, the chances of making up ground in the east, into a playoff position, will be reliant on the Argonauts making a complete nosedive.


BC LIONS

Sitting last in the west is not where the Lions want to be, but are by no means out of the race. At 4-4, the Lions are only 2 wins back of the first place Saskatchewan Roughriders. The next 2 games for the Lions are crucial if they want a home playoff date in November. They are 2 games that could be easily won. Montreal is playing well, but the Lions have already won once against the Als this season. Hamilton won’t be a cake walk if Jesse Lumsden stays healthy on Labour Day, but with Printers back in the lineup, and without a passing game, the Ti-Cats could be ripe for the picking. The Lions aren’t hard pressed for a win, but their destiny is in their own hands. The right combination of outcomes could see the Lions in a 4 way tie for first in the west. Here’s how that could happen. It’s very likely that the Battle of Alberta will see each team win at home. Calgary is a stronger team, but Edmonton always plays well at home, especially on the Labour Day rematch. So split there, and if Winnipeg sweeps Saskatchewan, BC could be tied for first with every other team in the West. Even if Saskatchewan wins one or two, the Lions with 2 wins could be in a three way tie for second place. A much better position than they are in right now.


EDMONTON ESKIMOS

The Eskimos weren’t expected to be in the thick of things when the season began, but Jason Tucker’s impact has been huge in bring Edmonton to 5-3. Tucker’s miracle catch against the Stampeders in week 2 kept them from falling to 0-2. Then the horrific accident that threatened Tucker’s career has motivated the Eskimos, and given the new Edmonton receivers more playing time, and they are running with it.

The Labour Day match up and rematch between the Esks and Stamps are always worth watching and can never be looked at as a cake walk. The safest assumption is that each team will win one game. It usually depends on the winner of the Labour Day Classic, but this year means a lot more than in previous years. The Stamps are thought of as a stronger team, but you can’t deny the Eskimos record. With the weakness of the East Division, the Eskimos won’t miss the playoffs, so the eskimos can make a strong run, pulling out all stops. That way if they win, they are a legitimate contender for the West Final. If they lose, they are still a contender to make it to the East Final.


CALGARY STAMPEDERS

The Stampeders have had a roller coaster season. Not necessarily the whole season, but more so in each game. Only two games have seen the Stampeders control an entire game. The first half for Calgary has generally been very slow, while the Second half is where they’ve picked up the energy. Calgary has been able to come back in every game they’ve been behind. The first such case was against Edmonton, who they will play both game in the Labour Day home and home series. That game saw the Stampeders come back to take the lead over the Eskimos with less than a minute left. Only to see the Eskimos drive to score and win the game. That game turned out to be a huge turn of events for positioning in the West Division.

Edmonton and Calgary play only three times this year, and with the Labour Day series usually ending of a split in wins, that would keep the 2 teams tied for second, and give Edmonton the edge in the standings due to the season series being won by the Eskimos. Calgary needs to win both of these games in order to be considered for the first place in the West. A loss of both, or even one of these games would leave things in the hands of other teams beating the Eskimos in order to pass the Eskimos for second, or even move into first place.
 

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

The Riders are in a situation that no team ever wants to be in, but have to be happy they are still in first place. They have earned their spot at the top, but are now showing the effects of the injuries they have been plagued with over the first 9 weeks of the year. With the depth on defense, the Riders have been able to hold some top offenses in check. However a lack of offense has limited the points on the board, and also kept the defense from getting the rest they need between series.

In an attempt to get a little more offense, the Riders picked up QB Michael Bishop from the Argonauts. Bishop has a better arm than Crandell, but whether or not Bishop is better, it won’t amount to wins without the receivers holding onto the balls thrown their way.

This back to back with Winnipeg is the perfect opportunity to hold onto the top spot in the west. Winnipeg won’t be walked over, but at the bottom of the east it’s a timely match-up for the injury riddled Roughriders.