Edmonton @ Winnipeg preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 30, 2017 ) Winnipeg 28, Edmonton 19

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers host the Edmonton Eskimos in the Western semifinal Sunday. The Blue Bombers ended a two-game slide with an impressive 23-5 win against the Calgary Stampeders in the final game of the regular season to clinch second place, and aim to topple the Eskimos for the third consecutive time in their first home playoff game since 2011.

Matt Nichols sat out against the Stampeders with a leg injury but is expected to play against Edmonton and the veteran quarterback, who posted career highs in passing yards (4,472) and touchdowns with 30 (28 passing, two rushing), hopes to lead Winnipeg to its first postseason victory in six years. The Eskimos are the hottest team in the league following a 28-13 victory against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Edmonton won five consecutive games to lock up third place, but lost 33-26 and 28-19 in two meetings with Winnipeg this season, and the Eskimos hope their offence, which has averaged 32.8 points during their winning streak, continues to thrive in order to advance to their fourth straight Western final. "We definitely have momentum and we are clicking in all three phases," Edmonton defensive back Aaron Grymes told reporters. "I think we're putting it all together at the right time."

TV: 4:30 p.m. ET, TSN, ESPNews

ABOUT THE ESKIMOS (12-6): Mike Reilly completed 21-of-27 passes for 294 yards against Saskatchewan to break the club record for passing yards in a season (5,830) which was previously held by Ricky Ray, who threw for 5,663 in 2008. Reilly added three rushing touchdowns to give him 12 for the season while Brandon Zylstra caught three passes for 72 yards to finish with a league-high 1,687. Reilly and Zylstra were named West Division all stars along with linebacker Kenny Ladler, who led the team with 99 total tackles and three interceptions, defensive end Almondo Sewell and offensive tackle Matt O'Donnell.

ABOUT THE BLUE BOMBERS (12-6): Defensive end Tristan Okpalaugo was named one of the CFL's Top Performers of the Week after registering six tackles, three sacks and a defensive touchdown against Calgary. Andrew Harris ran for 68 yards on eight carries against the Stampeders to win the rushing title (1,035) and caught five passes to break the single-season record for most receptions by a running back (CFL-most 105) previously held by Craig Ellis (102). "It was about persistence and working on my craft … and it definitely paid off this season," Harris told reporters. "It was a week-to-week thing and just coming to work every day."

EXTRA POINTS

1. Reilly led the CFL with 42 total touchdowns.

2. Harris fell 143 yards shy of becoming the first player in league history to finish the season with 1,000 yards rushing and receiving.

3. Zylstra set an Edmonton record with 10 100-yard receiving games in 2017.

PREDICTION: Eskimos 28, Blue Bombers 24