Winnipeg @ Ottawa preview

Winnipeg at Ottawa

Last Meeting ( Aug 17, 2018 ) Ottawa 44, Winnipeg 21

The Ottawa Redblacks look to stay on track for their second East Division title in three years when they host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Saturday. The Redblacks won back-to-back games, including an impressive 28-15 victory against the Edmonton Eskimos, before enjoying a week off and hope to create a four-point cushion at the top of the standings by sweeping the season series with the Blue Bombers following a 44-21 victory in Week 10.

"Coach (Rick Campbell) puts an emphasis on not getting too up or down so the bye week won't affect us," Ottawa running back William Powell told reporters. "We'll keep our momentum." Winnipeg has played its way back into the playoff race following two straight victories. The Blue Bombers routed Edmonton 30-3 in Week 16 to move into a third-place tie with the Eskimos while opening up a two-point advantage over the BC Lions and they hope to continue their postseason push by knocking off the Redblacks in the nation's capital for the third straight time. "That's two weeks in a row and now it comes down to whether we can sustain it and keep doing what we're doing," Winnipeg quarterback Matt Nichols told reporters. "We've got tough ones from here on out so they're all playoff games to us."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TSN

ABOUT THE BLUE BOMBERS (7-7): Andrew Harris rushed for 73 yards and touchdown against Edmonton while Kevin Fogg was named one of the CFL's Top Performers of the Week after he made three tackles, recovered a fumble and returned an interception 73 yards for a touchdown. Weston Dressler finished with three catches for 24 yards against the Eskimos to extend his streak of consecutive games with a reception to 122, which is two shy of the fifth-longest streak in CFL history. Nic Demski, who has accounted for 601 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns this season, missed last week's win with an undisclosed injury and is questionable for Friday's clash.

ABOUT THE REDBLACKS (8-5): Lewis Ward kicked seven field goals against Edmonton to set a CFL single-season record for most attempts without a miss (37) and needs two more to tie Rene Paredes, who made 39 straight field goals over two years from 2012-13. Powell racked up 147 rushing yards against the Eskimos to take his league-leading total to 1,141 while Brad Sinopoli hauled in six passes for 113 yards to reach 1,000 for the third consecutive season (1,069). Ottawa added defensive back Devin Butler, offensive lineman Pierce Burton, who bounced around the NFL with four different teams from 2014-17, and linebacker Marcus Porter to the practice squad Monday.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Ottawa has won four of its last five games against West Division opponents.

2. Fogg has has registered a team-high four interceptions.

3. Powell has topped 100 yards rushing in four of his last six outings.