Eskimos, Alouettes fight to keep playoff hopes alive

With just over a month remaining in the CFL season, teams in both divisions are vying for playoff spots.

The Edmonton Eskimos sit fourth in the West Division with a 7-7 record, one game behind the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for the final playoff spot.

However, the Eskimos hold the crossover advantage against the 5-9 Toronto Argonauts, who sit a half-game ahead of the Montreal Alouettes for third in the East Division.

It will be a battle of opposites in this East-West showdown Monday when Edmonton travels to Montreal. The Eskimos have scored the second most points in the CFL this season, while the Alouettes have allowed the least.

Montreal is coming off a surprising 38-11 blowout win over the Argonauts, giving Jacques Chapdelaine the victory in his interim head coaching debut. Quarterback Rakeem Cato threw for a career high four touchdowns, completing 78 percent of his passes.

Meanwhile, Edmonton comes in winning two straight, most recently a 40-26 victory over the Blue Bombers.

The ground game received an added boost, as running back John White returned after missing the previous two games. White finished the game with 164 yards from scrimmage, including two touchdowns, and will look to keep Edmonton's third-ranked rush offence firing on all cylinders.