The scenario is simple for the Edmonton Eskimos: a win on Friday night will secure a 2019 CFL playoff spot.
The task of securing that spot, however, won’t be easy, as the Eskimos visit the league’s best team in the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from Tim Horton’s Field in Hamilton.
A win by the Eskimos will secure at least a crossover spot in the Eastern Division. A win would eliminate the B.C. Lions in the Western Division, as the Eskimos hold the tie-breaker for winning the season-series.
Listen: Eskimos head coach Jason Maas on the opportunity for his team to clinch a playoff spot on Friday.
The Tiger-Cats have the CFL’s best record at 11-3. They are also unbeaten at home, boasting a 6-0 record. The two teams met back on Sept. 20 in Edmonton, where the Eskimos fell behind 24-0 in the first half. The Eskimos rallied and tied the game up at 27 apiece in the final minute of the fourth quarter. The Tiger-Cats, on their final drive, won the game on a last-second field goal.
The Eskimos broke a four-game losing streak, with a 21-16 win over the Redblacks in Ottawa to begin their two-game Eastern road trip.
Logan Kilgore passed for 223 yards and threw one touchdown pass and recorded a rushing touchdown. Running back C.J. Gable carried the ball 20 times for 90 yards and is 50 yards away from recording back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.
After going to two straight games without a quarterback sack, the Eskimos have recorded 10 sacks in their last two games, including six against the Redblacks.
Defensive tackle Mike Moore recorded two sacks to push his team leading total to eight. Rookie Matthieu Betts recorded his second sack of the season in only his second straight CFL game.
Kicker Sean Whyte has kicked successfully on his last 18 field goal attempts, the longest streak in the CFL.
The Eskimos have lost defensive back Anthony Orange to the six-game injured list. Linebacker Christophe Mulumba-Tshimanga has also been added to the six-game injured list.
Two players have been taken off the six-game injured list in linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox and fullback Tanner Green. Defensive back Tyquwan Glass has been added to the active roster from the practice roster while running back Shaq Cooper has been moved back to the practice roster.
Friday’s game will also be a milestone for veteran fullback Calvin McCarty, who will play in career-game number 200, all with the Eskimos.
The following is the projected offensive and defensive starters for the Eskimos:
Offence
Quarterback: Logan Kilgore
Running Back: C.J. Gable (Fullback: Calvin McCarty)
Offensive Line: Travis Bond-Jacob Ruby-David Beard-Matt O’Donnell-Colin Kelly
Receivers: DaVaris Daniels-Ricky Collins Jr.-Natey Adjei-Greg Ellingson-Tevaun Smith
Defence
Defensive Line: Kwaku Boateng-Almondo Sewell-Mike Moore-Nick Usher
Linebackers: Vontae Diggs-Larry Dean-Don Unamba
Defensive Backs: Josh Johnson-Money Hunter-Jordan Hoover-Forrest Hightower-Tyquwan Glass
You can hear Friday’s game between the Eskimos and Tiger-Cats on 630 CHED starting with Countdown to Kick-off at 3:30 p.m.
The opening kick-off from Tim Horton’s Field in Hamilton 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.
Comments