ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF
The Edmonton Eskimos have had a roller coaster ride of a season so far. The always competitive Green and Gold started the season with a win against Winnipeg but lost their prized off-season signing Jesse Lumsden in the process. They followed up the win with two humbling losses to Montreal and B.C. by a combined 90 to 38.
They bounced back, however, proving victorious in five of their next six games and at one point, they were even perched atop the West Division. Much has changed in recent weeks, however, as the Richie Hall-led club now sits in the basement of its division and is in risk of missing the playoffs for the third time in four years after making it to the post-season for a remarkable 30 straight seasons before the 2007 season.
Despite falling in the standings, the Eskies still have a shot at the playoffs. They’re only a game behind third place B.C. and tied in wins with Hamilton and Winnipeg as they attempt to chase the East Division crossover spot if they fail to leap over the Lions.
Although the wins have not come as frequently as they hoped, the Eskimos still boast one of the league’s top offences heading into their Friday night matchup with the Toronto Argonauts.
Quarterback Ricky Ray is second only to Montreal’s Anthony Calvillo in almost all offensive categories, posting a 97.5 QB rating and just under 4,000 yards passing on the season. His favourite targets, Fred Stamps and Maurice Mann, are first and tenth respectively in league receiving. Lumsden’s replacement, Arkee Whitlock, is putting up respectable numbers on the ground, averaging over 5.0 yards per carry.
Many would argue that the Eskimos’ struggles have occurred on the defensive side of the ball, more specifically in the secondary. Last week, the Eskimos had a victory sealed over B.C. before allowing Buck Pierce to connect with Geroy Simon in the game’s dying seconds to alter the fate of the game. The Esks’ defence has had a hard time stopping teams late in games on multiple occasions. Factor in the absence of run stopping DT Dario Romero and the Edmonton defensive line may be in for yet another test when they take on Toronto’s RB Jamal Robertson.
The Eskimos and Argos will battle each other Friday night as the two make a push for the playoffs at Rogers Centre. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. and you can purchase tickets by calling 416.872.5000 or by clicking here to purchase online.
» QB Darian Durant
» QB Ricky Ray
» RB Arkee Whitlock
» WR Maurice Mann
» SB Kamau Peterson
» SB Fred Stamps
» CB Byron Parker
» LB Maurice Lloyd
» LB T.J. Hill
» P/K Noel Prefontaine
» Can the Eskimos defence protect the lead if given?
» Can Ricky Ray take advantage of an Argos secondary that has been forced to alter personnel due to injury?