November 13, 2011
Dave Campbell
ESKS.com
The year was 2004.
For fans of the Edmonton Eskimos, they know what that number means. 2004 was the last time the green and gold hosted a playoff game from Commonwealth Stadium. It was the Western Semi-Final and it wasn’t a good experience for the Eskimos. They lost 14-6 to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Jason Maas was the starting quarterback; it was Terry Vaughn’s last game as an Eskimo. It was Tom Higgins’ last game as head coach, and it would be the start of a long drought in Edmonton, no playoff football at Commonwealth Stadium for seven years. Okay, the 2010 Grey Cup was played at Commonwealth Stadium, but the park was filled with green and white fans, not green and gold fans.
Rider fans might be snickering a little bit, they had to wait 19 years for a home game from 1988 to 2007. This is Edmonton however, you know, The City of Champions. Yeah, not much winning has happened in Edmonton for awhile. The Eskimos’ last triumph was in 2005 and they had to win all of their games on the road that season. When Eric Tillman was hired in September of 2010, one of his organizational goals was to give Eskimo fans playoff football at Commonwealth Stadium. Head Coach Kavis Reed is the man who led the charge for the green and gold instilling the values of Eskimo football of commitment, dedication, intensity and to be a professional in the community. Reed expressed the importance of clinching a home game before the Eskimos played the Riders last Friday saying it was almost a given in Edmonton.
During the Eskimos’ North American sports record streak of 34 consecutive years in the playoffs, the team hosted a playoff game 28 times. Their longest streak without a home game was between 1982 and 1986 when the team was transitioning from the five-in-a-row teams. 82 percent of the time during the 34-year streak, the Eskimos played a post-season game at Commonwealth Stadium. The team sealed the deal last Friday with a 23-20 win over the Riders. After the game, Kavis Reed paid tribute to his team and their road travelled this season.
“I want to tell you that I am extremely proud of you,” said Reed during his post-game locker room speech. “All year, this football team and I emphasize the word team. This team fought the odds, fought adversity, you truly stuck together, and you played for each other. Back with home playoff, that’s what the Eskimos are about.”
So, here we are. It’s Semi-Final Sunday and the Eskimos will host the Calgary Stampeders. These two teams have met numerous times in the Western Final. This is only the fourth meeting between the Eskimos and Stampeders since 1987. Ironically, 1987 is the last time the Eskimos hosted the Stampeders in the Western Semi-Final, the Eskimos won that day.
The Eskimos took two of three from the Stampeders this season. Winning in Calgary twice in early July and on Labour Day, their loss came in the Labour Day Rematch. Interesting because the road team won all three meetings, even more interesting is who is at quarterback for the Stampeders. Drew Tate is now at the controls for Henry Burris. Tate will face an Eskimo defense that surrendered the least amount of points in the regular season and the least points per game as well. Both teams are coming in with some momentum; the Eskimos are winners of four of their last five games while the Stampeders have won three straight games, all with Drew Tate at the helm. Tate will play in his first playoff game today, veteran Ricky Ray will play in the 11th CFL post-season game. The game features the two best Canadian running backs in Eskimo Jerome Messam and Stampeder Jon Cornish and both sides have very stingy defenses.
For the Eskimos to be successful today, they need to get back to a balanced offense. Their running attack has disappeared in the last two games. The offensive line needs to give Ray time and Ray will have time because he’ll likely face a steady diet of zone defense. Their return game has to show up; they need Damon Duval or Derek Schiavone to be clutch in field goals. The defense needs to contain Cornish and force an inexperienced quarterback to make some mistakes.
It’s playoff time; kiss goodbye your margin of error because it’s down to zero.
NOTES: Jerome Messam has been battling a lower-body injury, but is expected to play today. Linebacker J.C. Sherritt is a game-time decision with a broken finger which is encased inside a cast. Sherritt is also dealing with a hurt ankle. Offensive lineman Greg Wojt is doubtful with an ankle injury.