Music: {allcanada} LIONS, ESKS HEAD INTO WEEKEND TIED FOR FINAL PLAYOFF SPOT

Daniel Porter and the Edmonton Eskimos don't have to worry about needing a series of events to take place this weekend in order to qualify for the West Division playoffs.

Win in Regina on Saturday and they're in.

It's really that simple as Porter and the Eskimos prepare to face a struggling Saskatchewan Roughriders squad that's lost four straight in the regular-season finale for both teams. Edmonton (7-10) heads into the contest tied with B.C. for the third and final West Division playoff spot but holds the tie-breaker so the Lions must finish the season with more points in order to advance to the post-season.

"Yes, it really is that simple, but the truth of the matter is you have to play every game like it's a playoff game," Porter said in an interview Tuesday. "We've pretty much been in playoff mode lately so we already know how to play right now.

"We just have to play our game and come out with a win. We have a lot of weapons and if we use them to our advantage we'll have success. The key for us is to stay hungry and don't take this team lightly or for granted . . . we have to stay with what we know and get the job done."

Of course, the Eskimos could find themselves in the playoffs before taking to the field at Mosaic Stadium (TSN, 7 p.m. ET). The Lions are in Hamilton on Saturday afternoon and need a tie or win to remain in post-season contention. A loss to the Tiger-Cats, who have already cemented second spot in the East, would leave the Lions last in the West Division.

Edmonton could be boosted by the return of quarterback Ricky Ray, who has missed two games with a muscle strain in his upper torso. Ray resumed working out with the starting offence Tuesday.

Reaching the playoffs would be sweet for an Edmonton team that was languishing with a league-worst 2-9 record after dropping a 31-14 decision to Montreal on Sept. 19. Since then, the Eskimos have won three straight and five of their last six to climb back into post-season contention.

The Eskimos have the added incentive of knowing if they reach the playoffs, they would have home-field advantage if they advanced to the Grey Cup. The CFL title game will be held Nov. 28 at Commonwealth Stadium.

B.C. was the last league team to win a championship at home, beating Baltimore 26-23 at B.C. Place in the '94 Grey Cup.

"I think if we get into the playoffs we could go to the Grey Cup," Porter said. "If we get to the Grey Cup we'd have home-field advantage so why not . . . it would just be a great feeling.

"I've never had a ring in my life and this is the best opportunity I could get right here to do that so I might as well jump on it and do what I can. I have confidence in my team that we can get the job done. The thing is to get your foot in the door."

Porter has certainly contributed to Edmonton's resurgence. He originally joined the CFL club on its practice roster and didn't dress for his first game until Oct. 3.

Since then, he's appeared in five contests -- three as a starter -- and has amassed 450 yards rushing on 67 carries (6.7-yard average) to help ease the loss of Arkee Whitlock, who is on the injured list after finishing third in CFL rushing last year with 1,293 yards.

Porter has surpassed 100 yards rushing in three straight games, the first Eskimo to do so since John Avery in 2002.

"I have to give it up to my O-line because they're doing a great job up front and our receivers are blocking for me," Porter said. "It's just me going out and knowing what I'm capable of doing and have my O-line behind me.

"I'll always win if its like that."

Unfortunately for the CFL, the Eskimos and Lions are the only clubs playing meaningful games in the final week of the regular season. The Montreal Alouettes and Calgary Stampeders have long cemented top spot in their respective divisions, with Saskatchewan and Hamilton having both clinched second place and home-field advantage for their respective conference semifinals.

The Ticats know they'll be hosting their arch rivals, the Toronto Argonauts, on Nov. 14 at Ivor Wynne Stadium.

Calgary is in Winnipeg on Friday night (TSN, 8 p.m. ET) before B.C. and Hamilton as well as Edmonton and Saskatchewan square off Saturday. The regular season ends Sunday with Toronto in Montreal (TSN, 4 p.m. ET).

While there's little intrigue regarding the CFL playoffs, there's no shortage of interesting races for the league's various individual honours.

Calgary rookie kicker Rob Maver holds down top spot in the CFL scoring race with 169 points but is just three points ahead of B.C. veteran Paul McCallum. Montreal's Damon Duval, the defending scoring champ, is third with 152 points.

Toronto's Cory Boyd remains the league's top rusher with 1,359 yards but he's just 11 yards ahead of Winnipeg's Fred Reid. Boyd is expected to see plenty of action against Montreal as head coach Jim Barker looks to give his struggling offence plenty of chance to fine-tune itself in preparation for the playoffs.

Winnipeg ends its season with three players in position to secure individual crowns. In addition to Reid, Bombers' receiver Terrence Edwards has a CFL-best 1,325 yards while defensive lineman Phillip Hunt leads the league with 16 sacks.

Edwards holds a slender 22-yard advantage over Hamilton's Arland Bruce III and Saskatchewan's Andy Fantuz. Montreal's John Bowman is second overall in sacks with 12.

Saskatchewan's defence features two individual leaders in linebacker Barrin Simpson (102 tackles) and defensive back James Patrick (nine interceptions). Both would appear to be in good position as Simpson has a seven-tackle advantage on Toronto's Kevin Eiben while Edmonton's Chris Thompson is second in interceptions with seven.

Saskatchewan's Darian Durant enters the final weekend as the CFL's passing leader with 5,197 yards, joining Kent Austin as the only players in club history to surpass the 5,000-yard plateau. Calgary's Henry Burris is second but is 307 yards behind Durant with questions about how much he'll play in the Stampeders season-ending game.

Chad Owens, Toronto's brilliant special-teams player, has locked up the CFL's all-purpose yards crown. He enters the weekend with 3,288 yards, a whopping 1,202 yards ahead Hamilton's Marcus Thigpen.

Owens is the league leader in punt returns (1,060 yards, 12.6-yard average, two TDs), kickoff returns (1,216 yards, 22.9-yard average) and missed field goals (425 yards, 70.8-yard average, two TDs).

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