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The Bombers went into the game at 7-2 but hadn’t been able to extend it to 8-2. But they did it this night and did it without their starting quarterback Matt Nichols.

Trevor Harris completed 26 of 40 passes for 420 yards and lost to Chris Streveler, who completed seven of 17 for 89 yards. But the big backup quarterback ran for 95 and Andrew Harris lugged the ball for 89 more and both scored touchdowns.

The Eskimos ran up 489 yards of total offence, to 251 by the Bombers.

With Calgary back at 5-4, opportunity is knocking the loudest it has in Winnipeg for years.

Calgary has finished first in the West seven of the last 11 seasons, including each of the last three.

The last time Edmonton finished first in the West and played host to the Western Final was in 2015.

They won it and went on to win the 14th Grey Cup in their 70-year history.

Six straight years the team that finished first in the West got to the Grey Cup. Dating back to when the Eskimos finished first and went to the Grey Cup games in 2002 and 2003, the first place team in the West has reached the Grey Cup game 12 of 17 times and won it seven of those times.

You get the idea.

Let’s face it, with all the changes from the unprecedented game of musical chairs in free agency, the woeful weather in the West, the early start to the schedule and the less than attractive schedule, it hasn’t been a particularly compelling start to the season, as attendance has illustrated.

They are now all officially in Winnipeg’s rearview mirror but there should still be a big finish ahead for the Big Four franchises in the West.

EDMONTON: @ Calgary, Vs Calgary, Vs Hamilton, @ Ottawa, @ Hamilton, Vs B.C, Vs Saskatchewan, @ Saskatchewan.

WINNIPEG: @ Saskatchewan, Vs Saskatchewan, @ Montreal, Vs Hamilton, @ Saskatchewan, Vs Montreal, @ Calgary, Vs. Calgary

SASKATCHEWAN: Vs Winnipeg, @ Winnipeg, Vs Montreal, @ Toronto, Vs Winnipeg, @ Calgary, @ B.C., @ Edmonton, Vs Edmonton.

CALGARY: Vs Hamilton, @ Toronto, @ Montreal, Vs Saskatchewan, Vs Winnipeg, @ Winnipeg, @ B.C.

Lots can and will happen ahead. It’s always been said that the CFL season starts on Labour Day.