Is there a team in the CFL more in need of some breaks than the Edmonton Eskimos?
From the league’s too little, too late ruling on Saskatchewan defensive back Weldon Brown’s hit to the head on quarterback Mike Reilly, to all of the little things that haven’t gone their way in their last four losses, the Eskimos should have an enormous IOU waiting for them, personally signed by karma.
I can tell you though, that Jon Cornish and the Calgary Stampeders don’t care much about karma. Cornish, the brainy, brawny, unstoppable tailback that causes the Eskimos so many problems, pushes karma to the backseat in favour of natural selection and logic.
And if you look at it logically, Cornish will likely be the deciding factor in Monday’s Labour Day Classic in Calgary. The Eskimos need to make a defensive stand in this game. Staying under 30 points allowed for the first time in over a month is a necessary start, but what’s also necessary is taking the run away from the Stampeders. If the Eskimos can do that they’ve got a great shot at winning. If, like the majority of their games this year, they aren’t able to, logic prevails and the strongest survives another week.
There are two Eskimos-related pieces out there worth your attention if you haven’t seen them already. Out in Toronto, Mike Ganter says that Tavoy Moore — the return man who the Eskimos so desperately miss this season — slipped away from Edmonton over $25,000.
Piece No. 2: Esks GM Ed Hervey’s recent media shutout extends only as far as Edmonton. He spoke with the Calgary Herald’s Vicki Hall about Labour Day and growing up in Compton (also the home of Moore, if you remember).
My picks for this week are below. Enjoy the Labour Day games this weekend, which get underway tonight in Vancouver with the Tiger-Cats facing the Lions.
Season record: 20-12
Last week: 1-3
Hamilton at B.C. — Sorry TiCats, it can’t be Winnipeg every week. A .500 Hamilton team gets a stiff test this week on the road, where the Lions haven’t lost at BC Place this year…and most of last year. The Lions aren’t without their problems, though, having coughed up a 14-point lead to Montreal last week — something very un-Rich-Stubler of a Rich Stubler defence. The home field and a refocused Lions team should be enough to put down an improving Hamilton squad. — B.C.
Winnipeg at Saskatchewan — Why are you still reading? You saw the first three words here, right? Winnipeg. At Saskatchewan. This is 1-7 Winnipeg, mired in instability, owners of a six-game losing steak, a team from a landlocked province lost at sea, going up against a 7-1 Riders squad that’s 3-0 at home and wins when given a sliver of a chance on the odd week it’s not able to blow a game apart on its own. Despite what Steve Martin tells you, you can play the blues on the banjo. The first show is on Sunday. — Riders
Edmonton at Calgary — Kory Sheets and Jon Cornish may not have a lot to talk about, being on rival teams and with Cornish chasing Sheets for the rushing title in the CFL. But the pair have their share of stories to bounce off of one another when it comes to playing the Eskimos. Even before allowing a league-worst 1,088 rushing yards this year, the Eskimos have had issues stopping Cornish. Until the Eskimos can stop a running back (let alone an elite one like Cornish), their losing streak will live on. — Calgary
Montreal at Toronto — With Ricky Ray out and Anthony Calvillo just starting to work his way back into the swing of things for Montreal, Tuesday’s game is shaping up to be the battle of the backups at Rogers Centre. Montreal’s Tanner Marsh will have to take much better care of the ball this week to give his team a chance. If it’s Zach Collaros in for the Argos, they’ll hope he plays the way he did on July 30, making 21 of 25 passes for 253 yards in a win over B.C. Experience, even if it’s just a few more games, makes a difference. Toronto
