Three CFL teams look to earn playoff berths in Week 18, Winnipeg can clinch West Division

There are only three games in the CFL this week, though there is no shortage of playoff implications across the various matchups.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders can clinch a postseason berth with a win over the Edmonton Elks on Saturday, provided the B.C. Lions beat the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats lose to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. This would be Saskatchewan’s first playoff appearance since 2021 when they lost the West Final at Princess Auto Stadium.

The B.C. Lions can also clinch a postseason berth with a win this week, though Hamilton must lose to Winnipeg and the Roughriders need to defeat the Elks. B.C. has made two straight playoff appearances, losing to the Blue Bombers in the West Final in both years.

The Ottawa Redblacks can also clinch a playoff spot despite being on a bye this week if the Tiger-Cats lose to Winnipeg. The Redblacks have had an opportunity to punch their postseason ticket for the past three weeks but failed to do so with losses to Hamilton, Montreal, and Saskatchewan. Ottawa has now lost four of its last five games following a 7-2-1 start to the season.

Finally, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers can clinch first place in the West Division for the fourth straight year with a win over Hamilton if the Roughriders lose to Edmonton. The team can still make some headway with a loss this week as it’ll clinch a home playoff game if either Saskatchewan or B.C. lose their respective games.

Winnipeg has already clinched a playoff berth this season, while the Montreal Alouettes have secured first place in the East Division.