The Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers will be looking to clinch playoff berths this weekend as a win for either club would punch their ticket to the postseason.
Toronto currently sits atop the East Division standings with a 9-1 record after outclassing the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Labour Day Classic. The team is a perfect 9-0 when franchise quarterback Chad Kelly has started and finished games this season and remain undefeated at home with a 5-0 record.
The Argos have finished first in the East Division for the past two seasons, winning last year’s Grey Cup with a 24-23 upset over Winnipeg. Toronto hasn’t made the playoffs for more than two consecutive years since a six-season run from 2002 to 2007, during which the team won one CFL championship in 2004. The team hasn’t finished first in the East Division for three straight years since 1984.
Winnipeg suffered a 32-30 overtime loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Labour Day Classic, though they still sit atop the West Division standings at 9-3 ahead of the B.C. Lions (8-4) and Riders (6-5). The Blue Bombers were the first team to clinch a postseason berth in 2022 after starting the year with a record of 11-1.
The club record for most consecutive postseason berths was set from 1980 to 1996, totalling 17 seasons. The team made five Grey Cup appearances over this stretch of time with three championship victories.
Toronto will host the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday, Sept. 9 with kickoff slated for 1:00 p.m. EDT, while Winnipeg will host Saskatchewan immediately afterward at 4:00 p.m. EDT.
