It seems like yesterday that I was counting down the days until the CFL season started. Here it is, reaching the latter week-plus in August, and the CFL season has reached the midpoint, while the NFL season is right around the corner. Week 11 of this season sees a central theme: it’s East vs West. Even more similar, the West teams are all at home hosting their East opponents.

So here’s how the East vs West week went:

First off was the Thursday meeting between the Ottawa Redblacks and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and this was a close battle. We had an overtime game a week prior, and it did look like we’d get extra time in this one, as it was tied at 27 late. However, turnovers did allow the Bombers to have a chance to win it with a field goal, and that’s exactly what happened, a game winning FG for the Bombers. Winnipeg won it, 30-27, so that’s one for the West.

The following night saw the Toronto Argonauts against the Edmonton Elks, and we needed to win this one. I figured that since the Elks got their second win of the season finally, there was no way they’d win back-to-back. Even with the game being too close for comfort, I figured the Argos would take this. Then the Elks took over the fourth quarter. Even so, with the Boatmen down eight, we were moving down the field. A DPI call was made against the Elks on third down. Obvious call. Edmonton challenged. It was clear they’d lose the challenge… until it wasn’t. For some reason, they didn’t think that an Argos receiver being tackled as the ball was coming to him counted as pass interference, even though it clearly was. Call overturned, Elks won 28-20, Argos season pretty much done.

The Saturday doubleheader started with the first place teams going at it: the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Regina against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the latter coming off a bye. Hamilton started up 6-1, but it would be all Riders after that. An eighteen-point second quarter led the way for Saskatchewan to go on to win, 29-9, handing the TiCats their second straight loss. Finally, the Montréal Alouettes were in Vancouver against the BC Lions, and while it was close to start with, the Lions ended up being too much for the Als. A 36-18 victory for British Columbia completes the Western sweep over Eastern teams in Week 11.

So after 11 weeks, here’s how things stand:

The East is a mess, but even with the sad state of the division, the state of the Argos is even sadder. 2-8 after 10 games, way behind in first, way behind for a playoff position. The season is pretty much over for the defending champs, and the same can possibly be said about the Ottawa Redblacks as well. It’s basically a two team race in that East Division between the Tiger-Cats and the Alouettes, and right now, Hamilton’s still in the driver’s seat by a game over Montréal. The West has the Roughriders holding a two game cushion for first place, but it’s close the rest of the way. The Calgary Stampeders and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are in a neck-and-neck battle for second place, witheven the BC Lions having an outside shot. The Edmonton Elks even have a possible shot at third place in the West, as they stand only two games out of that spot. WOW!

Week 12 will kick off on Thursday, August 21 with the Montréal Alouettes hosting the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, followed by the Ottawa Redblacks hosting the Edmonton Elks on Friday, August 22. On Saturday, August 23, a doubleheader will kick off with the Toronto Argonauts in a must-win situation against the BC Lions, followed by a West Division battle between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Calgary Stampeders.

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