Courtesy Regina Leader Post:

The Toronto Argonauts deserve a break.

By beating the listless Saskatchewan Roughriders 41-13 on Saturday at Mosaic Stadium, the Argonauts moved into first place in the East and earned a first-round bye in the CFL playoffs.

Toronto’s seventh straight victory improved its record to 11-7-0 and leapfrogged the Argonauts past the second-place Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who finished with a 10-7-1 record after beating the Montreal Alouettes 20-17 on Friday. Th

ird-place Montreal will visit Winnipeg (8-10-0) for the East semifinal Nov. 11, with the winner visiting Toronto on Nov. 18. The Grey Cup game is also slated for Toronto’s Rogers Centre, on Nov. 25.

Saskatchewan had its five-game winning streak snapped and dropped to 12-6-0. The Roughriders haven’t had a 12-win season since 1970.

The Roughriders had already clinched second place in the West, guaranteeing them their first home playoff game since 1988. The Roughriders were missing 10 starters for Saturday’s game at sold-out Mosaic Stadium. The third-place Calgary Stampeders visit Saskatchewan for the West semifinal Nov. 11 - all 28,800 tickets for that contest have already been sold.

The semifinal winner advances to the West final Nov. 18 against the B.C. Lions.

Working with a wind that gusted up to 60 km-h during the first quarter, the ready-to-go Argonauts jumped into a 17-0 lead with a one-yard touchdown run by John Avery, a 26-yard field goal by Noel Prefontaine and a 43-yard touchdown pass from Michael Bishop to Andre Talbot. Avery was playing because starting tailback Robert Edwards has a pulled hamstring.

Prefontaine left the game during the second quarter, reportedly because of a concussion, and was replaced as Toronto’s punter/kicker by defensive back Chris Hardy. Prefontaine had two converts. Hardy kicked three converts and a 33-yard field goal.

Midway through the fourth quarter the Argonauts lost another starter, left tackle Mike Pearson, who apparently suffered a broken ankle after colliding with a teammate. Pearson was taken off the field in an ambulance.

Avery’s second one-yard touchdown run gave the Argonauts a 24-12 lead at halftime. Talbot’s four-yard touchdown catch put Toronto ahead 31-13 heading into the fourth quarter. Bishop also tossed a 38-yard touchdown pass to Arland Bruce.

Saskatchewan’s lone touchdown came midway through the second quarter, when tailback Josh Ranek ran for a two-yarder. Ranek joined the Roughriders earlier in the week because tailbacks Wes Cates (foot) and Corey Holmes (shoulder) were sidelined with injuries. The Roughriders also got a conceded safety touch and a single, convert and 15-yard field goal from Luca Congi.

Roughriders quarterback Kerry Joseph was replaced midway through the third quarter by Marcus Crandell, following the pregame strategy of head coach Kent Austin. Joseph, the West’s outstanding player nominee, completed seven of 18 passes for 92 yards with no interceptions and no touchdowns.

Bishop was replaced by former Riders quarterback Rocky Butler late in the fourth quarter. Bishop completed 20 of 34 passes for 366 yards with no interceptions and three touchdowns. Bishop has an 11-1 record as Toronto’s starter.