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And so it comes down to the final act.

The CFL couldn't have scripted a more intriguing finish to the regular season: With curtains falling on the regular season this coming weekend, the playoff picture is resolutely muddled.

Six teams await next week's results to make their postseason travel arrangements, one of them will miss the playoffs entirely.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers could have cinched a playoff spot with a victory yesterday over the Montreal Alouettes, but it wasn't to be. Now they face a must-win game at home.

Though the Bombers beat Montreal 41-24 last week, the Als retorted by crushing the visitors 48-13 with a dominant defensive performance and 325 return yards from kick returner Larry Taylor, who caught a missed field goal and scooted 115 yards for a third-quarter touchdown that settled the issue.

The Als' 14th victory of the year ties a franchise record for wins (set in 2004) and means Montreal will finish a season with an unbeaten home record for the first time since 1974 and just the fourth time in team history.

"They put us over their knee, and they gave us a little spanking and said, 'We're the big dogs,' and we understand that and congratulations to them," Winnipeg coach Mike Kelly said.

"Okay, it's over and done with, now we have to put it away and right now all of our thoughts are nothing but positive and getting ready for Hamilton."

The equation for the Blue Bombers (7-10) to rescue their topsy-turvy season is simple: Win at home against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (8-9) next week, host a playoff game.

Lose, and - well, that's not something the Bombers care to consider, because their season would be over.

Hamilton also needs a victory to secure a home playoff date, but should squeak in even if they lose, given they will have an identical win-loss record as the loser of next weekend's other key game between the B.C. Lions (8-9) and Edmonton Eskimos (8-9).

The Lions, who lost a heartbreaker on the final play to the Calgary Stampeders on Saturday, play host to the Esks on Friday night, with the winner advancing and the loser watching Sunday's Winnipeg-Hamilton match-up with gnawed fingernails and a racing heart.

If Hamilton beats Winnipeg, either B.C. or Edmonton will cross over to the East under the CFL's playoff format.

But there's also another permutation. If B.C. and Edmonton were to tie - a remote possibility - the Ticats would be out if they lose to Winnipeg.

The Alouettes (14-3), Stampeders (10-6-1) and Saskatchewan Roughriders (9-7-1) are assured postseason berths, but the Riders-Stamps result next weekend will determine which of the two gets a bye into the West final, and which will have to stage a divisional playoff.

The Als will be at home through the East final on Nov. 22.

Though their league-best defence has shown signs of wear lately, these Alouettes are a determined bunch.

After yielding 79 points and more than 1,000 yards in their last two outings, the defence was anxious to deliver a message yesterday - and it was emphatic.

The Bombers mustered just 52 yards in total offence in the first half (197 on the game), and the Als limited Winnipeg to only seven first downs and one touchdown, forcing the visitors to punt 11 times.

"We punched them in the mouth and they didn't punch back," said rush end Anwar Stewart, who admitted "we had a bad taste in our mouth" over the last two weeks.

If the Bombers allowed themselves to dream when Taylor fumbled the opening kickoff inside his own 25, those fantasies quickly evaporated.

The Montreal defence was able to hold Winnipeg to a field goal - they wouldn't make a first down until midway through the second quarter, and had six consecutive two-and-outs.

The Alouettes, meanwhile, scored a touchdown (a 24-yard strike from Anthony Calvillo to Brian Bratton), a safety and a field goal to take a 15-3 lead they would not relinquish.

Late in the third quarter, Taylor iced it with a sparkling, mazy 115-yard return after Alexis Serna missed a 46-yard field goal - it was keyed by a block from defensive back Stanford Samuels, who was playing his first game of the season.

Calvillo, who was lifted partway through the fourth quarter, had a good day at the office after sitting out last week with a calf injury. He was 27-for-38 for 305 yards and two touchdowns.

The veteran pivot said the Als were determined not to lose at home.

"[The 9-0 home mark] is something that we haven't done since I've been here, it's something I'm going to cherish and think about because it's a special feeling," Calvillo said.