BOMBERS TOP LIONS 26-20, CLINCH PLAYOFF BERTH

WINNIPEG – Kevin Fogg returned a punt 88 yards for a touchdown and T.J. Heath took an interception return 64 yards for another TD as the Blue Bombers clinched a playoff spot in the CFL West Division with a 26-20 victory over the B.C. Lions on Saturday afternoon.

Winnipeg’s (11-4) playoff picture could get a boost after Saturday night’s game between the Edmonton Eskimos and visiting Toronto Argonauts. An Edmonton loss would give the Bombers a home playoff date for the first time since 2011.

Brian Burnham had a pair of fourth-quarter TD catches for the Lions (6-9), whose playoff hopes are hanging by a thread.

Bombers starting quarterback Matt Nichols wore a modified glove on his throwing hand to protect his injured ring finger. The ring and pinkie fingers were inside the glove and the thumb, index and middle fingers exposed.

Nichols completed 23 of 30 pass attempts with no TDs and no interceptions. Lions quarterback Jonathon Jennings was 24 of 39 for 267 yards with two TDs and two interceptions in front of 26,434 fans at Investors Group Field.

Fogg’s first-quarter punt-return TD was the first official one of his CFL career. Last season as a rookie, the defensive back had four punt returns for TDs all wiped out because of penalties.

(The Canadian Press)