With two-thirds of the season gone, playoff race focus shifts to Edmonton and Montreal

Two-thirds of the way through the 18-game CFL season, most of the playoff picture already seems quite clear. The West Division's top three teams (9-3 Calgary, 8-4 B.C. and 8-4 Saskatchewan) are virtual playoff locks, as are the East Division's top two (8-4 Toronto and 6-6 Hamilton); while there are still potential wacky possibilities out there, it's likely the rest of the season for those teams involves fighting over seeding. Meanwhile, the basement-dwelling Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2-10) aren't officially eliminated yet, but given their poor performances lately, it seems likely their season is all but over. There's one fascinating potential battle for the last playoff spot though, and it involves a pair of frequent Grey Cup adversaries, the 3-9 Edmonton Eskimos and the 4-8 Montreal Alouettes.

Montreal would seem to have the edge here, of course, as they're a game up on the Eskimos and only need to finish tied with them in order to hang on to the third Eastern spot and prevent a crossover. Moreover, their remaining schedule (Saskatchewan, @Edmonton, Winnipeg, Hamilton, @Hamilton, @Toronto) has a combined record of 33-39, while Edmonton's (Toronto, Montreal, @Saskatchewan, Calgary, @B.C., @Saskatchewan) has a combined record of 45-27. However, the Alouettes haven't been in the greatest form recently, losing their last three games and struggling without veteran quarterback Anthony Calvillo. Meanwhile, the Eskimos are on a two-game winning streak; yes, both wins came over Winnipeg, but they still count. Quarterback Mike Reilly has really rounded into exceptional form, his receivers are stepping up and even the much-maligned offensive line has improved. There's some hope blooming in Edmonton, and for good reason. Here's what The Edmonton Sun's Terry Jones has to say on the subject:

The one contest that will be particularly important here is Montreal's Oct. 5 visit to Edmonton, which is also the CFL's Hall of Fame game this year. It's possible the Eskimos could lose that game and still catch the Alouettes, but it's highly unlikely. It's more probable Montreal could lose in Edmonton and still find a way to keep a playoff spot, but a loss there will put the Eskimos hot on their heels and make their task much more difficult. This one game may be the most important fixture remaining for determining who's in and who's out of this year's playoffs, and it should already be circled on every CFL fan's calendar. The Eskimos may still be likely to finish out of the postseason, but they have a real chance here, and a win Oct. 5 would increase their chances exponentially.