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This has not been an easy year for Winnipeg Blue Bombers kicker Troy Westwood.

At various points in the regular season, his head coach lost faith in him, Winnipeg fans showered him with boos and one has to suspect at least a few of his teammates had some doubts as well.

So when Westwood came on to hit a 20-yard chip shot to win East Division semi-final against the Montreal Alouettes last weekend, it was the kind of moment only sports can produce, when a guy who's overcome his share of adversity wins the big game.

Among those who were feeling very good for 40-year-old Westwood was Toronto Argonauts kicker Noel Prefontaine, who was watching the game on television while nursing the after-effects of a recently suffered concussion.

"I don't know if it's the concussion, but I'm looking at situations more emotionally," Prefontaine said. "Having been in the league the last 10 years and getting to know Troy, I feel for a guy like that. You feel for guys who are good character guys and who respect the game and other players.

"The most respect for Troy I have is over this year, what he's had to deal with and what he was able to do [making three of four field goals] in that last game. It says a lot about his character. There are a lot of guys who would have thrown in the towel this season and said I'll go do something else."

Prefontaine and Westwood, who will square off in the East Division final on Sunday, aren't chums, but the two veteran kickers have a tremendous degree of respect for each other.

And given the recent history between the two teams, Prefontaine and Westwood might just be the two most important players on the field on Sunday. In three meetings this season, the Bombers and Argos scored more field goals than offensive touchdowns (nine to eight), accumulated eight single points and punted a somewhat astounding 49 times.

"I think the kicking game in the CFL is so much more important than any other game, with the importance of field position and making field goals," Prefontaine said. "But due to the way that last few games we've played Winnipeg have gone, it's going to be especially important."

In the case of Westwood, Sunday's game may also determine whether his career will extend beyond this season, after making only 60.6 per cent of his field goals in the regular season.

So concerned were the Bombers about their kicking duties that at several times they sat out Westwood in favour of rookie Rob Pikula and last month tried to sign former Argo and NFL kicker Mike Vanderjagt.

Yet Westwood, who was 2-for-2 on field goals for Winnipeg when they last played Toronto in October, insists he has no plans to retire and doesn't consider himself to have had a bad year, so much as a "bizarre" one.

"Myself, our starting holder and starting snapper were on the field [together] for four games this year," Westwood said. "I would challenge anyone to take an 18-week trip in my moccasins to see what it would do to you. I feel strong mentally and I still have a strong leg and I can still get the job done. This year was a mixture of things that were out of my control and that were within my control."

Meanwhile, Prefontaine is dealing this week with something very much beyond his control after suffering a concussion during the Argos' final regular-season game while trying to make a tackle on kickoff coverage. Though he's been cleared by doctors to play, he'll be staying back on kickoff and punt coverage to avoid direct collisions with opposing players. But his real concern is that the lingering after-effects of his concussion might interfere with his mental focus during Sunday's game. Kicking and punting may be mechanical jobs, but they also require concentration and confidence to do the job right.

"The biggest thing I have to black out is the fact that this stuff has happened to me and I'm dealing with it," said Prefontaine, who was 0-for-3 in the last Argos-Bombers matchup. "I need to just focus on going out there and kicking the ball and put out of my mind that I'm suffering from this."

Westwood understands Prefontaine's challenge to a degree, having been advised to avoid contact in a game one time when he was suffering from hepatitis. However, he notes that the Argos will miss Prefontaine's full participation on coverage teams far more than any team would miss its kicker in the same role.

"Pre is real tough," Westwood said. "And everyone knows how tough he is which is why he's changed what's expected of kickers [on coverage teams.] Teams will assign a guy to cover him, which was unheard of before. He's an old-school guy in his approach to the game and I just hope he's able to stay healthy throughout it. He's such an integral part of their team."