Playoff Scenarios

[TheLionKing]

I think the "settling the score" issue with the Bombers makes a playoff match against them preferable to the crossover.

X2

[B.C.FAN]

I think the "settling the score" issue with the Bombers makes a playoff match against them preferable to the crossover.

X2

Yes but I'd rather do it in the confines of B.C. Place than to face the wind and cold of a mid-November day in Winnipeg. The Lions need to avoid turnovers, and that's hard to do in bad weather.

[Hambone]

The Crossover standings right now show TOR, MTL, and SSK all "OUT OF PLAYOFFS".
This is one of biggest imbalances between the divisions in awhile. (but I do remember some of the the awful '80s Eastern teams who qualified by default.)

I was just reading an article online in The Province which brought forth a very valid point in this imbalance. If one wants to identify what is probably the biggest factor one need look no further than the amazingly great stability and health at QB in the West. I just looked at QB stats to see how true that is.

1) The top 5 QBs in pass attempts this season are the 5 current starters in the West and Nichols only had 1 pass attempt on the season prior to Willy getting the hook in the 4th quarter of the Bombers' 5th game.
2) Mitchell, Jennings and Reilly have started all of their teams games.
3) Combined pass attempts by the aforementioned trio - 1705. Combined pass attempts by their backups - 36.
4) The busiest West backup is Sask's Mitchell Gale with 126 attempts while Durant missed a couple of starts due to injury. Lulay is next with 27.
5) Since Nichols took over as starter part way through that Week 5 game no other Bomber QB has attempted a pass.
6) The Riders are the only team in the West who has seen their #1 miss a start due to injury.

[Robbie]

Now we have a clearer picture with the games today, the Lions control their own destiny however they can qualify for 2nd by Friday, November 4 if Winnipeg loses in Ottawa. If Winnipeg wins, then the Lions must win on Saturday if they choose to host the west division semi-final.

History hasn't really been on the Lions side when it came to playoff placement when it came down to the last regular season game:

1991 - Lions lose 26-17 at home to the Tiger-Cats, dropping them down from 1st to 3rd.
1993 - Lions get demolished 64-27 by Sacramento and dropping them from 3rd to 4th and having to play 1st place Calgary in the first round.
1997 - Lions lose final four regular season games and forcing them to play in the crossover. Just one more win could have given them 3rd and the finale season game win in Calgary could have given them 2nd.
2001 - Notwithstanding the postponed game after 9/11, a win in the original season finale would have given Lions 2nd.
2003 - A loss at home in Saskatchewan dropped the Lions from 2nd to 4th and having to settle for the crossover.
2008 - A loss in the regular season finale dropped the Lions from 2nd to 3rd.
2009 - A home loss to Edmonton dropped the team from 3rd to 4th and having to settle for the crossover.
2014 - A home loss to Calgary dropped the team from 3rd to 4th and having to settle for the crossover.

A notable exception was the regular season finale in 2011 in which a huge final regular season win gave the Lions a 3-way tie that placed them first in the west the right right to host the WDF. To a much lesser extent, in 1986 the Lions won their final season game at home to Winnipeg to salvage 2nd and the right to host the west division semi-final for the second time in franchise history.

Let's hope the Lions won't choke again in those like in those previous seasons and have a solid win to get the moment into the playoffs and to salvage second and host the division semi-final for a 3rd time in franchise history.

[B.C.FAN]

The Lions can clinch second with a Winnipeg loss or tie on Friday or a B.C. win or tie on Saturday.

A Winnipeg win on Friday would relegate Edmonton to fourth place and a crossover playoff game in Hamilton. A Winnipeg loss and an Edmonton win over Toronto on Saturday would give Edmonton third place and a WSF date with the Lions at B.C. Place on Nov. 13. Winnipeg would be the crossover team.