Dan Ralph, THE CANADIAN PRESS

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Quarterback Ricky Ray and the Edmonton Eskimos will be looking to beat more than Mother Nature and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the East Division semifinal Saturday.

They'll also be looking to buck a CFL trend.

No West Division team has ever successfully crossed over into the East Division come playoff time. Western squads are 0-4 since the CFL adopted its crossover format.

Edmonton (10-8) posted a better regular-season record than Winnipeg (8-10) this season. However, the Eskimos were a dismal 3-6 on the road and 5-5 in head-to-head matchups against East Division competition.

Winnipeg had a 5-3 record this season at Canad Inns Stadium, where swirling winds have long wreaked havoc with both the passing and kicking games and often given the Bombers a decided home-field advantage.

However, Winnipeg had its difficulties this year against West Division teams, losing six-of-eight games.

Here's a look at the two conference semifinal games Saturday:

EAST DIVISION

Eskimos versus Blue Bombers

At Winnipeg, the Bombers will have to contend with the CFL's top passing attack. Ray led the league in passing with a club-record 5,663 yards and had 26 touchdown tosses compared to 17 interceptions.

His favourite target was Kamau Peterson, who was the CFL's top Canadian-born receiver this season with 101 catches for 1,317 yards and four touchdowns. Kelly Campbell established himself as a deep threat with 54 catches for 1,223 yards (22.6-yard average) and seven TDs.

The Eskimos could also be bolstered by the return of Fred Stamps (50 catches, 751 yards, six TDs).

But Edmonton's Achilles heel this season was its rushing game. The Eskimos were ranked last in the CFL, averaging just 86 yards per game.

That could be a huge factor, considering there's up to 10 centimetres of snow in Friday's forecast. On Saturday, the call is for sunshine with cloudy periods and a high of -2 C with winds up to 25 kilometres an hour.

If Winnipeg has an advantage, it would be in the run game with both Joe Smith and Fred Reid. The two are very different runners with the six-foot-two, 228-pound Smith providing a solid inside game with the five-foot-seven, 189-pound Reid being more of a slashing-type runner.

Kevin Glenn gets the start at quarterback knowing that getting hurt isn't an option with backup Ryan Dinwiddie out. If Glenn goes down, then Winnipeg's playoff aspirations rest in the hands of underheralded newcomer Bryan Randall and former Hamilton Tiger-Cat Timmy Chang.

The Bombers can't afford to get into a track meet with the Eskimos. Winnipeg's offence averaged a CFL-worst 20.9 points per game and was ranked a distant sixth in passing (281 yards per game).

If Edmonton attempts to run the ball, it will do so against a tough Bombers' defence. The unit, anchored by linebacker Zeke Moreno (CFL-best 97 tackles), was ranked third in fewest rushing yards allowed (107.2 yard per game) but just sixth versus the pass (304 yards per game).

Edmonton also has an edge in special teams. Veteran Noel Prefontaine hit 76 per cent of his field goals whereas Winnipeg rookie Alexis Serna made 66.7 per cent. Kick returners Jason Armstead of Winnipeg and Tristan Jackson of Edmonton can both break a game wide open.

Prediction: Edmonton.

WEST DIVISION

Lions versus Roughriders

At Regina, the Roughriders get to host a home playoff game for the second straight season after waiting 18 years to do so.

And for the Riders, there is no place like home as the club's 7-2 record at Mosaic Stadium left it tied with Calgary, Montreal and Edmonton for the CFL's best mark. And the home team will be spurred on by a rabid sellout gathering of 30,945.

It will mark the 18th straight sellout at Mosaic Stadium dating back to last year.

Both teams come in with questions at quarterback.

Michael Bishop starts for Saskatchewan despite throwing four interceptions in last week's 45-38 win over Toronto. Bishop battled inconsistency throughout the season, completing just 58 per cent of his passes while throwing more interceptions (13) than touchdowns (10).

But Bishop's mobility adds to an already strong Saskatchewan running game that scored six touchdowns against Toronto. Running back Wes Cates was second in CFL rushing with 1,229 yards and anchors the league's third-ranked ground game (124.6 yards per game).

B.C.'s Buck Pierce has shown a mental toughness for most of the season, battling through a painful ankle injury. Despite that, he has completed 64 per cent of his passes and thrown more than twice as many TD passes (19) than interceptions (nine).

If Pierce can't go or is forced out of the playoff game, the Lions can go to backup Jarious Jackson. There's no denying Jackson's cannon passing arm, but consistency is sometimes a problem given his 55 per cent completion percentage.

The weather forecast doesn't look too bad, with a high of -3 C, sunny and 10-kilometre winds, which could make throwing the football a viable option.

And that's good, because both teams have solid receiving corps.

B.C. is led by veteran slotback Geroy Simon, who was second in CFL receiving with 82 catches for 1,418 yards and 10 TDs. Paris Jackson had a breakout season with 76 catches for 1,180 yards and eight TDs. Jason Clermont was plagued by injuries this season but still had 50 catches for 640 yards and three TDs.

Saskatchewan counters with a veteran crew that's led by a promising rookie. With the likes of Matt Dominguez, Andy Fantuz and D.J. Flick all going down with injuries, newcomer Weston Dressler stepped in and registered 56 catches for 1,128 yards (20.1-yard average) and six touchdowns. With Flick, Fantuz and Dominguez all having returned, the Riders receiving corps appears in good shape.

Saskatchewan's defence should present a formidable challenge for Ray and Co. The Riders were ranked second against the pass (266 yards per game) and first in fewest yards allowed (354). The unit is especially stingy at home, where it seems to feed off the enthusiasm of the rabid Mosaic Stadium gathering.

Prediction: Saskatchewan.