RECORD CROWD TO AID REILLY’S HUNT FOR 6,000 3
Gerry Moddejonge offers five storylines to watch Friday as the Eskimos host the Riders
1 BIG TICKET
As of Thursday afternoon, the Eskimos were projecting 40,000 in the stands at Commonwealth Stadium for this one, which would give them the Canadian Football League’s largest crowd since 2014. Since 2010, there have been 11 crowds exceeding that mark, eight of which have been in Edmonton and two in Regina. The largest during that time, however, was 50,213 at B.C. Place Stadium with the Eskimos on the visiting sideline. Edmonton holds this year’s record at 36,260 so far.
2 BIG GAINEY
Defensive halfback Ed Gainey is coming off a Saskatchewan franchise record four interceptions, including one he returned for a 49-yard touchdown in a 41-8 beatdown of the B.C. Lions before last week’s bye. That had him tied for the league lead heading into this week. At the same time, quarterback Mike Reilly has thrown five interceptions in his last four games after going interception free through the first four games of the season.
WESTERN ROAD MAP
The Roughriders are winless in their last 15 road games against West Division opponents. And the rough ride isn’t likely to stop in Edmonton, where the Eskimos have won their last five games against the visiting Roughriders, while winning seven of their last nine total games against Saskatchewan.
4 6,000 CLUB
The CFL’s current passing yards leader, Eskimos quarterback Mike Reilly, is on a five-game streak of throwing for at least 300 yards, which has him on pace to breach the 6,000-yard plateau by 41 yards this season, which would set a franchise record as the sixth-highest single-season total in CFL history. A 315-yard performance Friday would give him 3,000 on the season as he looks to make it 19 straight games with a touchdown pass.
5 PASS THE D
The 390 passing yards the Eskimos surrendered last week was the most in an 11-game regularseason stretch in which they had given up less than 300 passing yards per outing. Defensive back Brandyn Thompson will miss this week’s contest after getting injured late in that game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, but the Eskimos are getting Garry Peters, Arjen Colquhoun and Forrest Hightower back following injuries and into their secondary on Friday.
KEY MATCHUP
Eskimos DEs John Chick and Odell Willis versus Saskatchewan’s offensive tackles.
The Eskimos will take out their new dream tag team of Willis and the newly acquired Chick for a test drive against towering Roughriders tackles Thaddeus Coleman and Bruce Campbell. The two passrushers missed each other in Saskatchewan, with Willis coming to Edmonton in 2013, which was the same year Chick returned to Regina following two seasons in the NFL. But Chick now has a chance to make up for any lost time with Willis, who is tied for the league lead with 24 total QB sacks (six) and pressures (18).
The Eskimos donated $5,000 to kick off Friday’s Purolator Tackle Hunger game benefiting Edmonton’s Food Bank. They are aiming to better last year’s total of 94,000 pounds of nonperishable food item donated. Monetary donations are also accepted ... Saskatchewan LB Samuel Eguavoen has 17 tackles in his last three games ... Reilly has led four game-winning drives in the fourth quarter ... The home team has won the last three games Edmonton and Saskatchewan have played against each other with the Eskimos taking a 2-1 advantage ... Roughriders QB Kevin Glenn has not started for Saskatchewan against Edmonton since Oct. 25, 2002, which ended in a 27-21 loss. The only other time, he led the way to a 12-3 win a year earlier. Both of those games featured current Eskimos head coach Jason Maas as the opposing quarterback ... Over his last two games, Eskimos CB Johnny Adams has made 16 of his 30 defensive plays on the season.