The Eskimos will host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Saturday afternoon on The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium with plenty on the line.
Five regular season games remain for the Edmonton Eskimos as they push for a playoff spot. Three of those games are at home and four of those games are against West Division opponents.
They have been one of the better road teams in the Canadian Football League this season, owning a 5-1 record and having won five straight games.
The Eskimos have played well against the West Division as well, compiling a 4-2 record.
The team hit the halfway mark of the season with a 6-3 record. However, they have lost three of their last four games to fall to 7-6, which is good for third place in the West Division. The Bombers are in last place in the West but are just two points back of the Eskimos at 6-7.
Defensive back Aaron Grymes said he enjoys the magnitude of the games at this time of the season.
“We love it. I mean it’s playoff football which is the funnest football you can play,” he said. “It’s such a long season, but now you’re playing for everything. Every game means something and every practice means something.
“For us, it should be energy-filled,” Grymes added. “We’re going to have a good team to play against this weekend, and they’re fighting for a playoff spot as well.”
Listen below: Eskimos quarterback Mike Reilly on his team’s inability to close out games in the fourth quarter
Over the past few seasons, the Eskimos have played their best football towards the end of the regular season.
Two years ago, the team was 6-7 at the 13-game mark. Last season, the Eskimos held a 7-6 record. Both seasons ended with five-game winning streaks heading into the playoffs.
On Saturday, Neil King will return to the lineup after a stint on the six-game injured list and will start at safety.
Defensive lineman Nick Usher and Mark Mackie will return to the 46-man roster as Mike Moore has been placed on the six-game injured list.
Fullback Pascal Lochard has been moved to the one-game injured list.
Fullback Tanner Green moves from the 46-man roster to the practice roster.
The following are the projected offensive and defensive starters for the Eskimos:
Offence
Quarterback: Mike Reilly
Running Back: C.J. Gable (Fullback: Calvin McCarty)
Offensive Line: Matt O’Donnell-Travis Bond-Justin Sorensen-David Beard-Colin Kelly
Receivers: Bryant Mitchell-Duke Williams-Sam Giguere-Vidal Hazelton-Kenny Stafford
Defence
Defensive Line: Kwaku Boateng-Almondo Sewell-Jake Ceresna-Alex Bazzie
Linebackers: Adam Konar-J.C. Sherritt-Chris Edwards
Defensive Backs: Mercy Maston-Aaron Grymes-Neil King-Forrest Hightower-Nick Taylor
The Bombers broke a four-game losing streak last week with a 31-14 win over the Montreal Alouettes. Running back Andrew Harris left the game early with a knee injury but will play on Saturday. The Bomber sits second in the CFL in rushing with 1,028 yards and has scored seven rushing touchdowns while also adding three receiving touchdowns.
The Bombers defence has been very stingy as of late, allowing only one touchdown in their last two games.
This is the second meeting of the season between the two teams. The Eskimos beat the Bombers in the season opener in Winnipeg on June 15 by a score of 33-30 in game which featured two lengthy lightning delays, making it the longest continuous game in league history.
READ MORE: Lightning sparks epic delay of game for Bombers and Eskimos in Winnipeg
Listen below: Eskimos head coach Jason Maas says he knows the Bombers very well even though the two teams haven’t played each other since Week 1
You can hear live coverage of Saturday’s game on 630 CHED starting with Countdown to Kickoff at 4:30 p.m. following the Oilers-Flames game. The opening kickoff on The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium is at 5 p.m. with Morley Scott and Dave Campbell calling all of the live action. Plus, hear analysis from former Eskimos offensive lineman and two-time Grey Cup champion Blake Dermott. Brenden Ullrich will be reporting from the Eskimos’ sidelines.
Watch below: Some videos from Global News’ coverage of the Edmonton Eskimos this season.
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Kevin Karius promotes Global News All In Edmonton Eskimos special
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