Crossover berth could spell Esks’ demise

The Edmonton Eskimos better hope they don’t end up being the East Division crossover team this year.

Not with the way they’ve been playing against the East, and not with the way they ’ve been playing on the road on the way to their current 7-6 record.

A 28-15 loss Saturday at the hands of the East Division-leading Ottawa Redblacks in the nation’s capital dropped the homesick Eskimos to 2-5 on the road, compared to their 5-1 home record.

And, while Edmonton is a respectable 4-2 in their own division after having beaten every opponent once — with both those losses coming against the B.C. Lions and the leagueleading Calgary Stampeders on the road, of course — their 3-4 record in interdivisional play leaves much to be desired.

Currently sitting third in a log-jammed West, where the Stampeders are favourites to finish first for the fifth time in six seasons, Edmonton is two points out of second place (and the home playoff game it accompanies), and two points out of finishing either fourth or fifth and crossing over or missing out on playoffs entirely.

The Eskimos, who are 2-3 all-time in East Division crossover appearances, have only one win on the road against the East this season, which came against the last-place Montreal Alouettes.

Fortunately, the odds are in their favour this week as they host a West Division opponent, the fifth-place Winnipeg Blue Bombers (6-7), on Saturday (5 p.m., TSN, ESPN+, 630 CHED).