Roughriders' losing streak clouds playoff race involving Calgary, Edmonton
Saskatchewan's fourth straight loss leaves the West Division playoff picture unsettled with two games left, directly affecting both Alberta CFL clubs.
Why it matters
The tight West Division standings mean the outcome of Saskatchewan's slide could directly affect playoff seeding and matchups for both the Calgary Stampeders and Edmonton Elks.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders fell 44-24 to the Montreal Alouettes on Thanksgiving Monday, extending their losing streak to four games and all but eliminating any chance of hosting a playoff game. Montreal's Davis Alexander threw five touchdowns and passed 5,000 yards on the season, becoming just the second quarterback in franchise history to do so, as the Alouettes improved to 13-3 and remained undefeated at home.
The result has significant implications for Alberta's two CFL teams. With two games remaining, Saskatchewan (8-8) is tied for third in the West Division with Winnipeg (8-8) and the Calgary Stampeders (8-9), with both Winnipeg and Calgary holding the tiebreaker over the Riders in their season series. The Edmonton Elks currently sit atop the West Division standings.
Saskatchewan's final two regular-season games come at home against Montreal and the West-leading Elks, though both opponents could rest key players with playoff seeding already in hand. The Roughriders could still reach the post-season via the CFL's crossover rule, which allows a fourth West Division team to qualify ahead of the current third-place East team, Hamilton (5-12).
Quarterback Trevor Harris, who also surpassed 5,000 passing yards for the second time in his career, said the defending Grey Cup champions need to stop talking and start producing results on the field as the tight divisional race heads into its final stretch.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.