STAMPS SIT AND WAIT NOW
CFL playoffs kick off on Sunday
Five games remain to determine Canada’s best football team in 2016.
The CFL playoffs will kick off Sunday afternoon, and six teams are in the hunt to hoist the Grey Cup on Sunday, Nov. 27, at Toronto’s BMO Field.
The Calgary Stampeders, who lost only their first and last games of the regular season, are the prohibitive favourites to win the 104th championship.
There are five teams who will have something to say about that.
Unlike last season, every team goes into the post-season with the starting quarterback healthy enough to fling the pigskin. Some squads are more banged up than others, but the randomness of a 60 minute football game can more than equal the playing field.
Here is a quick CFL playoff primer to get you ready for the three down loop’s second season:
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Calgary (15-2-1): The Stamps lost a close one to the Lions in their season opener, beat the Bombers in Week 2 and then tied the Redblacks to start the season at a very average 1-1-1. Then all they did was win, rattling off a 14-game winning streak with presumed CFL most outstanding player Bo Levi Mitchell guiding the Red and White from the quarterback position. B.C. (12-6): Wally Buono returned to the sideline this season and turned around a Lions team from which not much was expected. Jonathon Jennings, in his first full season as quarterback, oversaw a big play offensive attack and receiver Manny Arceneaux rejuvenated his career with one of his best seasons. The defence, led by Solomon Elimimian and Adam Bighill, was solid. Winnipeg (11-7): The Blue and Gold were going nowhere, starting the season with a 1-4 record, when head coach Mike O’Shea finally decided to replace Drew Willy with Matt Nichols at quarterback. The result was a seven-game winning streak that propelled the Blue and Gold back to the playoffs for the first time since 2011. The defence was the real star, however, as it forced a league-most 59 turnovers. Edmonton (10-8): The defending Grey Cup champs lost some talent in the off-season, especially on defence, and it showed in their 2-4 start. A soft August schedule allowed the Green and Gold to go on a three-game winning streak, and they finished the season with an 8-4 record and a path to the Grey Cup through the soft East Division. Ottawa (8-9-1): Simply put, they were the best of a bad lot in the East Division this season, becoming the first team in CFL history to finish first in a division with a losing record. They made two quarterback switches this season, going from Henry Burris to Trevor Harris to Burris once again. Injuries hurt the defending East Division champs. Hamilton (7-11): The Tabbies were lucky to get into the post-season considering how much the injury bug hammered their squad this season. Quarterback Zach Collaros missed the first six games recovering from ACL surgery, and a concussion knocked him out of two more. Injuries have also ravaged the receiving corps and the secondary.