EDMONTON HAS A SCORE TO SETTLE

The plates have been set, the silverware shined up and all six places at the table have been decided for the CFL playoffs. The Eskimos are remaining in the West Division this year, earning the right to travel to Winnipeg to take on the second-place Blue B

1.

Goin’ to Winnipeg

It’s fitting the Eskimos will open the playoffs against the only team they haven’t beaten this year, getting swept 0-2 in the season series against the Bombers. Edmonton is playing in its first West Division semifinal in Winnipeg in 32 years, as the Bombers hosted the Eskimos in three straight Western semis from 1983-85, with Winnipeg coming out on top each time. Since then, the only other time the Eskimos opened the post-season in Winnipeg was for the East Division semifinal in 2008, where they emerged victorious. This year, the Eskimos will look to do something they’ve only managed once before: win the Grey Cup without having a home playoff game, like they did in 2005.

2.

We’re going streaking

The Eskimos wrapped up the regular season on a five-game win streak, making them the hottest team in the CFL heading into the playoffs. And that’s exactly what they wanted to have happen to close out a streaky roller-coaster ride of a season that began with a 7-0 start, slumping into a 0-6 run before rolling down the playoff stretch on a 5-0 tear. Considering their last Grey Cup year saw them end off the 2015 season by winning their last eight in a row, there is no denying the significance of having momentum heading into the one-and-done section of the schedule.

3.

Career year for Mike Reilly

And the entire Eskimos franchise, while we’re at it, considering Reilly passed for a club-high 5,830 yards in 2017, eclipsing the previous benchmark of 5,663 passing yards set by Ricky Ray in 2008. Fast-forward nine years and the pair sit Nos. 1 and 2 overall in passing yards, with Reilly leading the Ray ... er, way ... for the second year in a row. The two are also expected to come out of their respective divisions as leading candidates for the CFL’s most outstanding player award, with divisional nominees set to be announced Wednesday. They’re also the last two quarterbacks — though we must throw Jason Maas into the mix — to win a Grey Cup for the Eskimos.

4.

Career year for Brandon Zylstra

With a game-high 72 yards on three receptions, the second-year CFLer added to his league-leading reception yards to finish on top of the heap with 1,687. That’s 225 yards ahead of Toronto Argonauts slotback S.J. Green, who moved into second place by three yards ahead of Ottawa Redblacks’ top gun Greg Ellingson, who was on a bye week. Of course, Zylstra fell 28 yards shy of what would have been his 11th 100-yard receiving game of the season, but seeing as how he already set a club record with 10 such performances one week earlier, it may have been asking too much. And, besides, there’s always next year. Or is there? Zylstra’s in his contract year and will no doubt look to parlay the receiving title he’s earned in his first full season as a CFL starter into a shot down south over the off-season.

5.

Sack’s all, folks

Over the years, Reilly has proven he can take a licking and keep on ticking. But that doesn’t make him getting hit any easier to watch (get it?). So having the Eskimos claim the league’s fewestsacks title in 2017 is no small feat for the biggest offensive line in the league. With the Calgary Stampeders leading the way in the protection department all season long, the Eskimos capitalized on a seven-sack outing by the visiting Bombers at McMahon Stadium on Friday night, turning in a clean sheet Saturday to move into first place by one with 29 allowed on the season. The only other time they finished on top of the league was when they allowed 25 in 2003.