Finally, it's Thursday...CFL Football is back!

Week 8 starts... most fans are picking Edmonton over Ottawa. Not me.

EDMONTON @ OTTAWA

CFL.ca Staff

Thursday’s contest is the ultimate mid-season test for both squads; injury-ravaged Edmonton faces a long trek east to face a determined REDBLACKS team, while Ottawa would love nothing more than to break its losing trend by handing the Esks their first loss of 2017.

West Division teams have won nine straight games against East Division opponents.

Through seven weeks of football, a mere 36 points separate the Edmonton Eskimos (plus-28) from the Ottawa REDBLACKS (minus-8).

By The Numbers

3 – Interceptions for Edmonton linebacker Kenny Ladler.

11:2 – TD-INT ratio for Edmonton’s Mike Reilly, the best mark amongst all starting quarterbacks.

204 – Completions allowed by Ottawa’s defence, the most in the CFL.

702 – League-high receiving yards for REDBLACKS receiver Greg Ellingson.

GM Marcel Desjardins pointed to turnovers as a major cause for Ottawa’s early-season struggles; protecting the rock will be critical on Thursday against an Esks team that ranks top-two in possession (32:34), sacks allowed (10) and offensive turnovers (6). In contrast, the REDBLACKS have allowed six more sacks and sit last in turnovers (13).

3downnation 

Edmonton visits Ottawa on Thursday night coming off a 33-28 home win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The hard-luck Redblacks lost a 33-30 home decision to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and their five losses have been by a combined 13 points. That includes a 23-21 setback in Edmonton on July 14. Edmonton is 6-0 to start a season for the first time since 1961 and is doing it with a depleted roster. But a constant is quarterback Mike Reilly, who stands fourth overall in passing yards (1,945) and third in touchdowns (11).

Dunk: Edmonton can close. Simple. ESKS

Hodge: Ottawa will turn this thing around… but not this week. ESKS

Edwards: Edmonton has been finding a way, Ottawa not so much. ESKS

Gasson: The streak will end eventually but not yet. ESKS

Busby: There’s a desperation in the home side the visitors won’t match. REDBLACKS

Smith: Ottawa needs this. Badly. REDBLACKS

Filoso: Edmonton’s injuries finally catch up with them. REDBLACKS

Totals: ESKS 4 REDBLACKS 3

 

 

 

 

Edited August 11, 20178 yr by Mr Dee

That penalty on the McDuffie return is everything that frustrates me about the CFL.

Thank god the challenge system has really improved since they moved to limit the amount of challenges per game. Now it's actually getting used the way it was intended too.

3 hours ago, Fan Boy said:

Keeping track of Black malapropisms is entirely another game.  

Shake my head. Thing is, he called that on a sweep.  He was even calling plays last night as in the RedBlacks should call this or the RedBlacks should call that.  He never once suggested what the Eskimos should call.  What a joke on pbp he is. 

I didn't realize that Trever Harris is older than Matt Nichols. Their career stats are very similar with Harris having a slightly better TD/INT ratio.  Given a choice between those two I would take Nichols.

Notice how the Eskimos had to use their challenge to overturn an obvious non-catch in Ottawa? There were a couple other trapped catches as well.

 

 

1 hour ago, Esks1975 said:

Notice how the Eskimos had to use their challenge to overturn an obvious non-catch in Ottawa? There were a couple other trapped catches as well.

 

 

I noticed that too, lots of balls the redblacks receivers pulled off the turf that I thought should have been no catch. 

18 hours ago, bearpants said:

completely disagree with the first part.... there is plenty of auto-tuned garbage out there... but also a ton of awesome rock bands that don't get main stream attention...

I am not a huge Shania Twain fan (mostly cuz I'm not a pop-country fan)... but this seems like a safe and popular choice for the CFL... probably not winning over the younger fans with this announcement...

Agree and frankly, she is awful. Not bad looking but little to no talent and now getting long-in-the-tooth. I'm not the "younger fans" but I was disappointed when I heard she was the big Canadian talent the CFL had landed for the halftime show. Oh well, I won't be watching but she obviously has some fans so I guess they'll enjoy it. 

16 hours ago, SPuDS said:

Yea if Nichols wasn't showing so well, I'd take Harris in a heartbeat.   He isn't the issue in Ottawa.  I really don't know what the issue is tbh.   The defense is solid, offense is pretty good when its on.. o-line is a little suspect but otherwise. very baffling.. its like they just can't get it all together... maybe it reall does boil down to coaching.

Yes I think it is coaching. Campbell doesn't have the loaded team he had last year and it really shows. He hasn't outcoached anybody. Not saying he doesn't know the game but I don't think the players are overly motivated to perform. 

14 hours ago, Atomic said:

Because beating Saskatchewan doesn't prove anything 

Except to us.

12 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Shake my head. Thing is, he called that on a sweep.  He was even calling plays last night as in the RedBlacks should call this or the RedBlacks should call that.  He never once suggested what the Eskimos should call.  What a joke on pbp he is. 

I don't know how you can listen to him. As soon as he says the first dumb thing I'm off to CJOB.

19 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Shake my head. Thing is, he called that on a sweep.  He was even calling plays last night as in the RedBlacks should call this or the RedBlacks should call that.  He never once suggested what the Eskimos should call.  What a joke on pbp he is. 

 

7 hours ago, J5V said:

I don't know how you can listen to him. As soon as he says the first dumb thing I'm off to CJOB.

What the hell youz guys talkin bout?