Playoff Scenarios

[Blitz]

Our Leos only need one more point to make the playoffs for the 20th season in a row.


Playoff Scenarios: Lions eye 20th straight trip to the post-season.

TORONTO — One point is all the BC Lions need on Saturday afternoon to make the playoffs for the 20th straight season, but a little help wouldn’t hurt either.

BC can extend its streak of consecutive playoff appearances to 20 years by either tying or defeating the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, or getting help with combined losses from Montreal and Toronto, while the Bombers and Stampeders can also clinch major milestones this weekend among other Week 16 playoff scenarios:

1) All teams remain in playoff contention heading into CFL Week #16.

2) Calgary has clinched at least a West Division home playoff game.

3) If Calgary wins and BC loses or ties, Calgary clinches first place in the West Division.

4) If BC wins or ties, BC clinches a playoff berth (for the 20th consecutive season).

5) If Montreal and Toronto both lose this week, BC clinches a playoff berth (for the 20th consecutive season).

6) If Winnipeg wins and Montreal and Toronto both lose this week, Winnipeg clinches a playoff berth.

cfl.ca

[SammyGreene]

Eskimos rolling in Montreal to pull within 4 points of BC.

Next 2 weeks at BC Place very likely determines if Lions stay 2nd or potentially slip to 4th. Wpg and Edm nothing but Eastern teams on schedule other than coming here so Lions need to take care of business.
Could go 2-2 to finish 11-7 and still end up 4th if they lose both home games to Bombers and Eskimos.

[The_Pauser]

Eskimos rolling in Montreal to pull within 4 points of BC.

Next 2 weeks at BC Place very likely determines if Lions stay 2nd or potentially slip to 4th. Wpg and Edm nothing but Eastern teams on schedule other than coming here so Lions need to take care of business.
Could go 2-2 to finish 11-7 and still end up 4th if they lose both home games to Bombers and Eskimos.

That scenario might actually see the Lions playing in 3 playoff games as opposed to 2.

[SammyGreene]

Eskimos rolling in Montreal to pull within 4 points of BC.

Next 2 weeks at BC Place very likely determines if Lions stay 2nd or potentially slip to 4th. Wpg and Edm nothing but Eastern teams on schedule other than coming here so Lions need to take care of business.
Could go 2-2 to finish 11-7 and still end up 4th if they lose both home games to Bombers and Eskimos.

That scenario might actually see the Lions playing in 3 playoff games as opposed to 2.

Definitely and avoiding Edmonton which sure looks like the 2nd best team in the league right now. How about Calgary? Three more Eastern teams on their schedule to very likely finish 16-1-1 then 2 weeks off (bye in week 20) before hosting Western Final.

[Ballistic Bob]

Looks like Lions have made the playoff. Staying out east for 2 weeks wouldn't be such a bad idea. ThnxBB

[Hambone]

Looks like Lions have made the playoff. Staying out east for 3 weeks wouldn't be such a bad idea. ThnxBB

Lol. I'm flying out for Grey Cup on the Monday. I finally booked 2 weeks ago when BC lost to Edmonton and Calgary beat Winnipeg all but eliminating the possibility of a WDF at BCP. Total reversal of those two outcomes and it would've been game on. Never considered the possibility at the time of booking that BC could wind up in Hamilton for an EDF. Ticats get Ottawa in a home and home which will likely settle 1st starting next week.

[BC 1988]

The Crossover standings right now show TOR, MTL, and SSK all "OUT OF PLAYOFFS".
This is one of biggest imbalances between the divisions in awhile. (but I do remember some of the the awful '80s Eastern teams who qualified by default.)

[B.C.FAN]

The Lions, Bombers and Eskimos still need to settle second, third and fourth place in the West but the Lions and Bombers have clinched playoff spots. From bclions.com:

It’s been a resurgent year for Vancouver’s most successful professional sports organization and with this afternoon’s losses by the Toronto Argonauts and Montreal Alouettes, the BC Lions have now qualified for CFL postseason play for a remarkable 20th consecutive season.

“I’m proud of what our players have accomplished so far,but the next step is still in front of us and that is to host a home playoff game for our fans,” said GM and head coach Wally Buono. “We’ve given ourselves an opportunity today, now we must take advantage of the opportunity.”

The Lions’ 20-year playoff run began in 1997 and is now the second-longest streak of consecutive playoff appearances in the history of the CFL, as well as the longest current active streak of any team.

In that time, the Leos have earned seven first-place finishes, more than any other club in the west, along with eight third-place finishes and four crossover berths. Interestingly, the Lions have not finished the regular season in second place at any time during the previous 19 years.

The club has made 10 trips to divisional championship games since 1997 including nine in the West Division and collected three Grey Cup titles along the way. Only Montreal has more divisional championship appearances in that time (14).

Despite the club’s two-point loss in Winnipeg on Saturday, the Lions (9-5) remain in second spot in the West Division and are still in prime position to potentially host the 2016 CFL Western Semi-Final on Sunday,November 13.

The Leos have four regular season games remaining on the 2016 schedule to try and secure a home game in the postseason, including three West Division tilts at BC Place.

Former BC Lions running back Andrew Harris and the Bombers make the trip west on Friday, October 14followed by a critical home game for the Leos versus the fourth-place Edmonton Eskimos on Saturday,October 22. The Leos finish the year with a home-and-home series with the Saskatchewan Roughriders including the final game ever at Mosaic Stadium on October 29 and a home field finale versus the ‘Riders on Saturday, November 5.

BC Lions season membership holders have been notified via email regarding purchasing their seats for a possible home playoff game in advance of the general public league-wide on-sale date of Saturday, October 12.

[Hambone]

The Crossover standings right now show TOR, MTL, and SSK all "OUT OF PLAYOFFS".
This is one of biggest imbalances between the divisions in awhile. (but I do remember some of the the awful '80s Eastern teams who qualified by default.)

That is actually false. Toronto is still alive for the crossover. To cross over the 4th place team in one division must have MORE points than the 3rd place team in the other division. Ties don't cut it. While it's simply not going to happen if the Argos win their 3 remaining games while Edmonton loses ran their final 3 then the Argos would be in and Edmonton out. BC and Winnipeg have clinched at least a crossover spot. Magic number for Edmonton to do the same is basically 0.5. All that's needed is an Edmonton tie or Argo tie to clinch a playoff spot for Edmonton. The Argos are still very much alive (but on life support) for 2nd in the East however.

[BC 1988]

I haven't seen this stated anywhere yet, with the win over EDM yesterday (and winning the season series on total points scored) isn't BC officially qualified for a Western playoff spot? As far as I can tell EDM can't catch them now, so the crossover spot will go to either EDM or WPG (since EDM won their season series 2-1 over WPG in wins). WPG losing both of their last 2 games and EDM winning their last 2 knocks WPG into the crossover spot (which seems unlikely).

Of course what is still to be decided is 2nd and 3rd in the West, but EDM can't reach 2nd now, so will be either the road team in the West or the East. Is this correct?

[B.C.FAN]

I haven't seen this stated anywhere yet, with the win over EDM yesterday (and winning the season series on total points scored) isn't BC officially qualified for a Western playoff spot? As far as I can tell EDM can't catch them now, so the crossover spot will go to either EDM or WPG (since EDM won their season series 2-1 over WPG in wins). WPG losing both of their last 2 games and EDM winning their last 2 knocks WPG into the crossover spot.

Of course what is still to be decided is 2nd and 3rd in the West, but EDM can't reach 2nd now, so will be either the road team in the West or the East. Is this correct?

B.C. can still finish fourth and be the crossover team if the Lions, Eskimos and Bombers finish in a three-way tie with 10-8 records. The Lions are 1-3 against the other two teams so would get fourth place. For that to happen, the Lions and Bombers would have to lose their two remaining games and the Eskimos would have to win their two remaining games.

For the Lions to finish second, they need one more point than Winnipeg in their two remaining games (e.g. two B.C. wins and one Winnipeg win and a loss, or a B.C. win and tie and one Winnipeg win and a loss).

[BC 1988]

Thanks for clarifying the tiebreaker, B.C.FAN. That win yesterday ended up keeping things as undecided as ever. Whether the crossover is a boon or a disadvantage is also a puzzle. After watching OTT vs HAM on Friday, it's hard to say. Collaros is supposed to be back from injury next week, and Banks' suspension is only for 2 games. With OTT, Burris is making a case for being the starter again.

[SammyGreene]

Big result for B.C.'s 2nd place chances was Hamilton beating Ottawa in overtime. A win would have locked up 1st place for the Red Blacks. Now they might need to at least split with the Bombers.

[Matt Baker]

I haven't seen this stated anywhere yet, with the win over EDM yesterday (and winning the season series on total points scored) isn't BC officially qualified for a Western playoff spot? As far as I can tell EDM can't catch them now, so the crossover spot will go to either EDM or WPG (since EDM won their season series 2-1 over WPG in wins). WPG losing both of their last 2 games and EDM winning their last 2 knocks WPG into the crossover spot.

Of course what is still to be decided is 2nd and 3rd in the West, but EDM can't reach 2nd now, so will be either the road team in the West or the East. Is this correct?

B.C. can still finish fourth and be the crossover team if the Lions, Eskimos and Bombers finish in a three-way tie with 10-8 records. The Lions are 1-3 against the other two teams so would get fourth place. For that to happen, the Lions and Bombers would have to lose their two remaining games and the Eskimos would have to win their two remaining games.

For the Lions to finish second, they need one more point than Winnipeg in their two remaining games (e.g. two B.C. wins and one Winnipeg win and a loss, or a B.C. win and tie and one Winnipeg win and a loss).

This is correct. Barring the unexpected, it looks like we are headed for a Semi-Final date with the Bombers.. The win over also Edmonton assures we cannot travel there in the playoffs, and the only way they would come back here is if the Bombers lose two, they win two and we of course collect one more point than Winnipeg..

[DanoT]

I think the "settling the score" issue with the Bombers makes a playoff match against them preferable to the crossover.