Playoff structure debated in CFL
ESKIMOS LEFT OUT IN THE COLD DESPITE BETTER RECORD THAN ALL BUT ONE EAST TEAM
The fate of a fifth-place team was not top of mind when the CFL created its crossover rule more than two decades ago. It’s something the league may want to consider for the future.
The rule gives a fourth-place team a crossover playoff spot when the club finishes with more points than the third-place team in the other division. It happened again this year when the B.C. Lions (9-9) finished with a better record than the 5-13 Montreal Alouettes, who were third in the East.
However, for the first time in the rule’s history, the Edmonton Eskimos — who were at the bottom of the five-team West at 9-9 — missed the playoffs despite owning a better record than both the Alouettes and the East’s second-place team, the 810 Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Unfortunately for the Eskimos, there is no provision for when the five teams in the West have better records than all but the first-place team in the East. As a result, Edmonton will be on the outside looking in when the post-season kicks off this weekend.
“We will continue to look at this issue and we’re always open to new ideas,” CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie said in an email. “But the East-West format has deep roots in our league going back decades and there is the potential to enhance it in the years ahead if the dream of a coast-to-coast CFL becomes reality and we add a 10th team in Halifax, providing us with balanced fiveteam divisions.”
This is the fourth time the crossover has been needed in the last five years.
Since the rule made its debut in 1996, there have been 10 seasons where the West has had five teams and this unique scenario has even been possible. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have had to move back to the East at times to fill vacancies when Ottawa hasn’t had a team in the league.
It can be tough to ensure playoff balance in a nine-team league, especially in a year when one division is far superior to the other. The crossover rule was implemented to try to maximize meaningful and competitive games down the stretch and to reward the better teams with playoff spots. The crossover team never has advanced to the Grey Cup, though.
“I love the way they’re doing it,” TSN broadcaster and former CFL star Milt Stegall said from Atlanta. “I think the pros outweigh the cons, it adds some intrigue.”
The West Division, led by the 13-5 Calgary Stampeders, did not have a club with a losing record while the four-team East had just one squad — the 11-7 Ottawa Redblacks — finish above the .500 mark. Hamilton, Montreal and the 4-14 Toronto Argonauts were all well behind.
The Lions and Eskimos both finished with 18 points, but B.C. won the season series over Edmonton to secure the final West playoff spot.
Proponents of adding a fifth playoff team out of the West could argue the Redblacks should qualify out of the East and that all five West clubs should be rewarded for their records. In such a scenario, divisional winners could get regular first-round byes but the No. 2 team would host the No. 5 club in the West while the No. 3 team welcomes the fourth-place side.