The CFL schedule-maker used to take some big-time criticism.

Monday afternoon games in Toronto; 8 o’clock starts in late October in Saskatchewan; four of the final five games of the season against the opposing divisions.

Well, the league has streamlined the schedule to end the regular season with four straight weeks of division rivalries and we all know the schedule now. Games are played on Fridays and Saturdays in the fall before the playoffs move to Sundays in November.

In the West, the next four weeks are highlighted by the Riders, Bombers and Stampeders all taking each other on in head-to-head matchups to decide who will host the West Final on Nov. 17.

The Riders arguably have the easier schedule of the three, but that doesn’t matter if they don’t take care of business the next two weeks when they play the Blue Bombers and the Stamps.

With the snow blowing on the prairies, playoff weather has arrived and these games will feel like playoff football has come early.

So I guess the CFL schedule-maker deserves a thank you, for once.