Eskimos trending the wrong way
Humbling home-field loss to Riders knocks Edmonton out of first place
The same Edmonton Eskimos who started the season 7-0 are now on a new streak.
A 54-31 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in front of 41,178 faithful at Commonwealth Stadium knocked them out of the first-place spot they have held all season long, dropping to 7-2 as they embark on a two-game losing skid.
The Canadian Football League’s largest crowd since 2014 watched the Roughriders end a streak of their own that saw them lose their previous 15 road trips against West Division opponents, as they drew even at 4-4 on the season.
It was also the first time in five games Saskatchewan has beaten the Eskimos.
After both sides opened by going two-and-out, the Roughriders jumped to a 14-0 lead by taking advantage of a pair of Eskimos fumbles.
The first came on a third-andone attempt that saw Mike Reilly fumble a high snap that ended up getting recovered by Saskatchewan.
Kevin Glenn completed three first-down passes in a row to sit seven yards out, before connecting with a diving Naaman Roosevelt at the back of the end zone.
Former Eskimos defensive end Willie Jefferson followed up by blocking a Hugh O’Neill punt, which he scooped up and scored on, It was recorded as a 48-yard fumble return.
The Eskimos got on the board to open the second quarter with a 33-yard catch and run by a rumblin’, stumblin’ but not fumblin’ Brandon Zylstra, who was playing his first game in three weeks, to set up a one-yard QB keeper into the end zone by Reilly.
But just when it looked like the Eskimos were getting things to- gether, the fifth-place Roughriders came up with a deflection on the ensuing point-after conversion, which was returned 125 yards the other way by Duron Carter for two points and a 16-6 lead.
A 20-yard field goal by Tyler Crapigna put the visitors ahead 19-6 midway through the second quarter, before a Glenn pass bounced off Roosevelt and right into the hands of Eskimos cornerback Johnny Adams.
But on the final drive of the second quarter, it was Glenn getting out of the ditch with a shovel pass under pressure to running back Cameron Marshall, who took it the rest of the way for a 21-yard touchdown to put the Riders ahead 26-6 at halftime.
It was Edmonton’s turn to block a 43-yard field goal attempt, with Kenny Ladler deflecting the ball to fellow linebacker Alex Hoffman Ellis to open the third quarter.
A single point off a punt gave the Eskimos seven points, before Reilly threw a pair of pick sixes to close out the third quarter.
The first was intended for Kenny Stafford and intercepted by Roughriders cornerback Jovon Johnson and returned 39 yards for a touchdown.
The second saw Bryant Mitchell slip and fall before the ball was returned 50 yards to the end zone as the Roughriders took a 40-7 lead into the final frame.
The Eskimos finally caught a break on a punt return that was bobbled by Roughriders returner Nic Demski and recovered in the end zone by defensive back Cauchy Muamba, before Duke Williams hauled in the two-point convert pass to close the margin to 40-15.
Saskatchewan came up with a fumble by Eskimos slotback Corey Watson, leading to a four-yard touchdown run by backup quarterback Vernon Adams Jr., to extend their lead to 32 points.
After completing 15 of 26 passes for 160 yards and the two interceptions, Reilly was replaced by James Franklin midway through the fourth.
Reilly’s consecutive games streak with a passing touchdown ended at 18 games.
Eskimos running back LaDarius Perkins ran for a nine-yard touchdown with Kenny Stafford catching the convert.
Riders backup QB Brandon Bridge responded with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Carter, after Glenn’s night ended by completing 19 of 31 passes for 240 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
The game ended with a 20-yard touchdown reception by Mitchell, with Williams nabbing the twopoint convert throw.
But the big winner on Friday was Edmonton’s Food Bank, with a total of 130,129 pounds of food getting donated on Purolator Tackle Hunger Night.
In and out: Eskimos CB Arjen Colquhoun, who was pulled off the six-game injured list after three weeks, left in the first quarter and did not return. LB Terrence Bullitt was accompanied to the lockerroom by team trainers at half time. Roughriders OL Dariusz Bladek had to be helped off the field late in the third quarter. DE Antonio Longino headed to the sidelines early in the fourth quarter.