Saturday, October 27, 2012

CFL Game Day: Toronto at Saskatchewan (Week Eighteen) October 27, 2012

By the time the Argos take to Mosaic Field on Saturday afternoon the Eastern Division playoff seedings may have already have sorted themselves out a bit.

The result of the Hamilton/Winnipeg game which will have just completed when the Argos and Riders prepare to kick off, will offer up some kind of guide as to which of their eastern division rivals may still be alive in the playoff race.

The score from Ivor Wynne though shouldn't pre-occupy the Argos too much however, the key for their playoff ambitions is simple, win, win today and win next week when they wrap up the season and all questions of an Argo playoff appearance will be answered.

The problem is, winning is something the Argos have had a problem with in the last three weeks.

Toronto, host city for this years Grey Cup, have stumbled their way through October, a losing streak that arrived at the worst possible time, a skid that almost saw them slide right out of the playoff picture, only the ineptitude of the Tiger Cats to capitalize on their chances has kept the Argos still in the hunt for a second place finish and a semi final home date.

A win in Regina today would provide the safe margin of space between second and third and ensure that the ticket takers at Rogers have work in two weeks.

A loss would enshrine October as one of the worst months in recent Argo history, one which will have featured an amazing collapse that sent the Argos tumbling from contending for first place to scrambling for their playoff lives.

Saskatchewan has already clinched a playoff spot, the only question that remains for the Riders is whether their legion of fans will travel to Calgary for a Western semi final or if they travel east for the crossover berth in the Eastern semi.

At the moment, they appear destined for Calgary, a two point lead over the Eskimos in the standings the difference between heading east or west for Team Green and White.

With their final home game of the season on tap for today, they can book the buses for the trip west with a win over the Argos. A trip to Calgary might provide for a larger travelling contingent than east bound destinations might, a possibility that could make the Western semi final almost a home game.

By the time the sun begins to set on Saskatchewan we'll have a little better idea as to whether week 19 will be of any importance to anyone other than the statisticians.

Game Time  2 PM ST, 4 ET, 1 PT Mosaic Field TSN

Toronto 31 at Saskatchewan 26 (29,747)

Pre Game

CFL.ca-- Game Preview
CFL.ca-- Video Preview

National Post-- Argos unfazed by cold Saskatchewan weather
Toronto Sun-- Argos facing cold, hard facts
Toronto Star-- Argos' game plan for Regina weather includes running game
Regina Leader Post-- Roughriders embrace the cold
Canada.com-- Riders' playoff chances are anyone's guess

Team Backgrounders

Toronto Argonauts
Saskatchewan Roughriders

Post Game

CFL.ca-- Game Review
CFL.ca-- Video Highlights

National Post-- Ricky Ray finally at ease in charge of Argos
Toronto Sun-- Argos in playoffs but that's all
Toronto Star-- Quick thinking puts Argonauts into CFL playoffs
Regina Leader Post-- Riders fail to finish again
Canada.com-- Missed opportunities haunt Riders' Tristan Jackson

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