After already knowing who their playoff opponent is going to be for the last two weeks, the Edmonton Eskimos now have their sights set on the CFL playoffs.
The Eskimos returned to practice on Tuesday as they prepare for the Alouettes and the East Semi-Final in Montreal on Sunday.
Eskimos head coach Jason Maas says there’s a lot of excitement that will keep building throughout the week.
“It’s great to have the regular season ended, and we’re now in the playoffs with the sole focus of winning one game this week to move on,” he said. “You work hard all off-season, all during the regular season, and you’ve got to go through all the trials and tribulations of a season for this ultimate opportunity.
“I think all of us are excited about it and ready to go.”
The team finished the season with an 8-10 record after a 6-3 start which was followed up by a 2-7 record in the second half.
Injuries have hurt the Eskimos, but none more than the one suffered by quarterback Trevor Harris, who missed the better part of five games with an injury to his throwing arm.
Now it’s all behind the Eskimos, and general manager Brock Sunderland says the only thing that matters is what’s in front of them.
“It’s 0-0 and everyone’s win-loss record right now is the same,” Sunderland said.
“Our focus is entirely on Montreal and everything that has happened to this point doesn’t matter anymore.”
For Harris, Sunday’s game means everything to him as he’s only played one game in about a two-month span because of his injured arm, which he now says is not an issue.
READ MORE: Late rally clinches West for Riders in win over Eskimos
“Two weeks ago, I wasn’t sure going into the game (vs. the Riders) and how it was going to go, to be completely honest,” said Harris, who threw for 321 yards in his return game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Oct. 26.
“I started to feel like myself more and more as the game went on, but I feel great and feel better than I have the entire year.”
Listen below: Eskimos quarterback Trevor Harris says the excitement level ramps up in the post-season.
Running back C.J. Gable returned to the field on Tuesday after missing the final three regular season games with a knee injury.
Eskimos sign six players
The Eskimos have signed six players to their practice roster, including three former members of the team: defensive lineman Jake Ceresna, running back Travon Van and receiver/kick-returner Jamill Smith.
Sunderland says having experienced depth at this time of the season is valuable.
Listen below: Eskimos general manager Brock Sunderland says bringing in experienced depth is valuable at this time of the season.
Ceresna played in 2018 with the Eskimos recording 29 defensive tackles and seven quarterback sacks. He was with the New York Giants of the NFL for their training camp but was released in September.
Van recorded 263 rushing yards, 69 receiving yards and scored four touchdowns during the 2017 season.
Smith recorded 319 punt-return yards (7.6-yard average) and 536 kickoff return yards (24.3-yard average) with the Eskimos in the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
The Eskimos also signed offensive lineman Josiah St. John, offensive lineman D.J. Sackey and defensive back Keon Lyn.
Kickoff for Sunday’s East Semi-Final between the Eskimos and the Alouettes from Molson Stadium in Montreal is at 11 a.m.
630 CHED will have live coverage starting with Countdown to Kickoff starting at 9:30 a.m.
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