BC @ Winnipeg preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 14, 2017 ) BC 20, Winnipeg 26

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers look to clinch a home playoff berth when they host the BC Lions on Saturday. The Blue Bombers have stumbled down the stretch, losing two of their last three games including a 29-28 setback to the Toronto Argonauts, but can still host the West Division semifinal if they beat the Lions for the second time in two weeks or if the Edmonton Eskimos lose to Calgary on Saturday.

"We really need to buckle down and realize what it's going to take to win football games," Winnipeg quarterback Matt Nichols told reporters. "The attention to detail is what wins you big games and championships." BC will miss the playoffs for the first time in two decades after suffering a 35-29 overtime defeat to the Eskimos in Week 18. The Lions harboured hopes of a Grey Cup berth as they raced out to a 5-2 start, but dropped seven of their last eight games, including three straight at home, as they blew a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter for the second time in three contests to seal their fate. "I've never been a part of a stretch like this and a lot of guys in the locker room haven't either," BC wide receiver Bryan Burnham told reporters. "It's tough but we have two games left and we just have to go out and play football because that's all you can do at this point."

TV: 4 p.m. ET, TSN

ABOUT THE LIONS (6-10): Jonathon Jennings completed 25-of-31 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown toss to Burnham, but it wasn't enough as the Lions squandered a 16-point lead in the loss to Edmonton. Speedy slotback Chris Williams, who was BC's marquee free-agent signing after hauling in 77 passes for 1,246 yards and 10 touchdowns with the Ottawa Redblacks in 2016, was a healthy scratch against the Eskimos and could sit out once more. Wide receiver Marco Iannuzzi, who has caught 141 passes for 1,662 yards and eight touchdowns during his seven-year career with the Lions, announced he will retire at the end of the season.

ABOUT THE BLUE BOMBERS (11-5): Weston Dressler caught eight passes for 129 yards and a touchdown against Toronto after missing a month with an upper-body injury. Justin Medlock - who was the most accurate field goal kicker in CFL history in terms of percentage before his slump - has missed six of his last 13 field goal attempts, including the potential game-winning kick in the final seconds of the loss to the Argonauts. Winnipeg added defensive end Chris Casher, who won the 2014 National Championship with the Florida State Seminoles, and former University of Minnesota quarterback Philip Nelson to the practice squad.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Four of the last five meetings between Winnipeg and BC have been decided by three points or fewer.

2. The Lions have lost five straight games to West Division rivals.

3. Blue Bombers RB Andrew Harris needs four receptions to reach 100 for the season.

PREDICTION: Blue Bombers 31, Lions 23