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Posted at 10:25 AM EST.

East Semi-Final

1:00 PM EST. The big question among Roughrider supporters last week was whether they wanted their team to win and stay in the West bracket in the CFL playoffs or lose and take what appeared to be an easier road to the Grey Cup through the East Division. The Riders left nothing to chance, as they dropped a 28-13 decision at home to the Eskimos securing their spot in Ottawa for today’s East Semi Final. With that loss last weekend, the Riders brought their regular season record to 10-8, but many questions still surround Saskatchewan. We’ve said it before, "if you’ve got two quarterbacks, you’ve got no quarterbacks", and while veteran Keven Glenn will start this game, one has to wonder how long head coach Chris Jones will stick with him after flip flopping between Glenn and backup Brandon Bridge throughout the second half of the season.  Even last week, the Roughriders started Glenn, who went 5 for 10 for 63 yards before getting the hook. The ‘Riders run game also has more questions than answers, as both Trent Richardson and Cameron Marshall, the team's primary backs in 2017 are off the playoff roster.

The CFL is a nine-team league and because of this, its unbalanced schedule is full of wonky business and the Redblacks know that first hand after playing just two games in the last month, wrapping up their season October 27th. That lack of action has been a major talking point in the Ottawa papers, as the Redblacks try to make sure they don’t come out flat for this first round playoff game. Although unusual, the rest may have come at the perfect time, as the Redblacks have been able to lick their wounds. Veteran lineman, Sir Vincent Rogers, and receiver Josh Stangby will be ready to suit up today. Rogers hasn’t played since the third week of September and Stangby will help bolster a receiving core that will still be without all-star Brad Sinopoli, as well as being the team's lead returner. Believe it or not, this will be Ottawa quarterback Trevor Harris’s first ever playoff start, but the CFL’s co-leader in touchdowns this season finally has a chance to prove himself without Hank Burris looking over his shoulder. Harris was an impressive 75.8% of his passes on first down and with the late season emergence of runner William Powell, who rushed for over 100 yards in four of Ottawa’s last six games, this team has to tools to keep the chains moving all day.

Karma is a funny thing.  Whether consciously or unconsciously, the Roughriders have embarked down what most pundits consider to be the easier road to the Grey Cup by avoiding the Bombers in the West Semi Final, instead, the Riders are heading East where a .500 record was good enough for first place. However, in 20 years since the crossover became the norm, nine teams have made the flip, and nine times, those teams have failed to reach the Grey Cup. Now that trend has nothing to do with today’s contest, but it goes to show that taking the perceived weaker path to the league final might actually be more difficult. These two teams are very familiar with each other after two close games this season. On September 29th in Ottawa, the Riders rallied with 11-points in the fourth quarter to steal a victory 18-17. In Regina on October 13th, the Redblacks returned the favor and clinched a playoff berth with a double digit fourth quarter comeback of their own, to down the Riders 33-32. Two games separated by two points, thus, it does not get much closer than that.  What might be more impressive for Ottawa is that the win on the prairies came with Trevor Harris sidelined and third stringer Ryan Lindley behind center.  The tailback Powell set a franchise rushing record racking up 187 in that game as well. After two razor thin decisions, taking back points with the visiting Roughriders looks appealing, especially considering their favorable road record but after a sluggish start to the season, the Redblacks are in fine form after winning three straight to finish the year. We will gladly lay this small price with the superior QB at home. With their recent playoff pedigree combined with health and recent form, the defending champs are being sold short here and we’re on it. 

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