TORONTO — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are playoff-ready.

Timing is everything on the road to the Grey Cup, and the Blue and Gold appear to be peaking at the best possible moment, outscoring opponents 132-49 throughout an impressive four-game winning streak.

Five of the Bombers’ nine wins this season have come by 20 or more points, including Saturday’s win over the Riders — a 31-0 shutout against the CFL’s second-ranked team. Meanwhile, they’re leading the CFL with 31.1 points per game, including a league-best 28.4 on offence.

On the other hand, there are reasons to be skeptical. While Matt Nichols has turned around his game, the Bombers’ quarterback has still yet to cross the 300-passing yard mark in a game this season. Statistically the Bombers’ offence has been middle of the road, ranking fifth in the league with 360.4 yards per game.

Sustainability will also be a question, with the Bombers leading the CFL in turnover ratio (+13), takeaways (45), and points off takeaways (141). Big plays on defence aren’t a bad thing, but they’re hard to produce on a consistent basis.

Have the Bombers proven they’re a Grey Cup contender? The writers weigh in with the latest from The Weekly Say.

Are the Bombers a legitimate Grey Cup contender?

Marshall Ferguson: Andrew Harris, an emerging downfield passing attack and a defence firing at all three levels. Yes.

Chris O’Leary: Yep. Andrew Harris is the player you want in a big game and Wininpeg’s defence has gone to the next level just at the right time. Those wins over Edmonton and Saskatchewan were big statements. They’re more than capable.

Don Landry: Yes they are. The defence is primed at precisely the right time and Matt Nichols and his offence have shaken off the mid-season blues. Oh, and I have a feeling Andrew Harris is about to get REAL.

Jim Morris: Yes. IF the Bombers can remain consistent, and the with all the injuries Calgary has, they have as good a chance as any team.

Jamie Nye: I would have laughed at that question four weeks ago. Now, how can they not be? They’ve defeated a contender in the West and the East in back to back weeks. I’m wondering if they can’t be the host of the Western Semi-Final as Saskatchewan doesn’t exactly have an easy finish on the road in Calgary and at home to a BC team who is trying to add a contender label to their status.

Matthew Cauz: This is such a tough question. Adam Bighill has made the Bombers defence better and the team is leading the CFL in offensive points scored. But the question remains: Can they win a couple playoff games when there defence is NOT creating multiple turnovers and giving their offence a short field? All right, I have written too much. Short answer is yes they are a contender because they have enough star power.

Fan Poll Are the Bombers a legitimate Grey Cup contender? Yes Vote No Vote

Who has the better chance of starting in 2019: James Franklin or Johnny Manziel?

O’Leary: Johnny Manziel. If the question was better chance of starting through the entire 2019 season I’d say James Franklin.

Landry: As it stands now, Manziel. The Alouettes invested a lot, remember. Don’t think they’d be prepared to scuttle the plan before they give him him a solid o-line to play behind.

Cauz: James Franklin. I at the very least have seen a successful body of work from James. Johnny has had the odd moment but my biggest Manziel memory is yelling at someone to get all the seagulls out of the way as I’m watching him play.

Nye: Do you believe Johnny Manziel will be back in the CFL? I’m not sure. There is nothing to indicate he won’t stick to the two year deal and if he does, he’s the guy in Montreal. I want to see him with a full off-season to work on the CFL game after committing late before training camp. Then he was traded at the start of the season. Let’s see Manziel in year two! Franklin barely won the back up job in Toronto. Is Marc Trestman as convinced as many Franklin could be the next best QB? More questions than answers for both these quarterbacks, though.

Ferguson: Franklin. The whole Manziel situation just seems too volatile to put any stock in.

Morris: I say Franklin. Who knows where Manziel will be next year?

Fan Poll Which QB has the better chance of being a starter in 2019? Johnny Manziel Vote James Franklin Vote

Which late-season addition will make the greatest impact?

Morris: I think Tyrell Sutton gives a new dimension to the Lions running game. He’s a bruising back that runs over people. That is a huge asset down the stretch and in the playoffs when the weather turns bad.

O’Leary: Sutton. The Lions were seventh in total rushing yards going into Week 18. If they continue to use him – that game in Sask in two weeks seems like the perfect situation – he’ll bring a dynamic to the offence that they’ve missed most of this year.

Nye: Chris Matthews of the Calgary Stampeders has already found the end zone and with that receiving group that could be in shambles, they now have a former rookie of the year at receiver who could have been a Super Bowl MVP. That’s exactly what Bo Levi Mitchell needs to keep defences honest. You get Eric Rogers back and bring in Bakari Grant, and John Hufnagel has somehow restocked the shelves for a playoff run in Calgary.

Landry: Chris Matthews. Whether he becomes Bo Levi Mitchell’s number one target, or the dangerous number two guy that gives Eric Rogers more room, the injury-depleted Calgary receiving corps will get a crucial, high-octane boost from him.

Cauz: Considering the injuries they’ve had at the position it has to be Terrell Sinkfield going to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Hamilton has a top-three defence and a quarterback in Masoli who has taken a big leap this year. If Sinkfield can be close to his 2015 version then Masoli suddenly has three legitimate targets with Banks and Tasker.

Ferguson: Sinkfield. The Ticats are most desperate at their most important position outside of quarterback. Sinkfield has to make a difference, just not sure how soon it will be.