November 19, 2011
Dave Campbell
ESKS.com
Training camp for the Eskimos began in the first week of June. The best word to describe the 2011 edition of the Green and Gold was change. There was a new head coach who was equipped with new coaching staff including new offensive and defensive coordinators.
When the regular season started, the Eskimos had just four remaining starters on defence and seven on offence.
Many CFL pundits had the Esks finishing in last place and, I have to admit, this so-called pundit felt the Eskimos would be battling the Riders for third place and perhaps a crossover spot in the Eastern Division.
Well at least I had the Riders near the right spot.
The Eskimos have to be perhaps the Canadian Football League’s biggest surprises with a tip of the cap to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
They stormed out of the gate with a 5-0 start, then lost three-straight and played .500 football for the next four games. They ultimately finished the season by winning four of their final five games to earn their first home playoff game in seven years.
The Esks have been playing the underdog role all season long. In a game where the Eskimos had the home field advantage, many of those same pundits felt they were going to fall to the Calgary Stampeders in the Western Semi-Final.
Edmonton chased an inexperienced Drew Tate to the bench and held Henry Burris and the rest of the Stamps offence in check to win 33-19 and clinch a berth into the Western Final.
Now the team that everyone believed would be fighting for their playoff lives is where not many people expected them to be, one win away from the Grey Cup.
The man who was entrusted to rebuild the Eskimo franchise on the field is General Manager Eric Tillman. He challenged his team to capture a home playoff date, they did that and won. So the GM should be pretty happy, right? Yes but expectations are continuing to rise.
“Our ultimate goal wasn’t just tie for first place and win a home playoff game, we have bigger goals than that,” explained Tillman. “We’re pleased with what we’ve done. I think most people would say we’re ahead of schedule but at the same time, we have higher aspirations than most reasonable people.”
This week, the Eskimos will enter the unfriendly confines of the warm, cozy, and newly renovated BC Place Stadium for third time in seven weeks.
It’s probably a blessing for the Eskimos considering it’s supposed be a frigid minus-17 for a high in Edmonton today, although with the name Eskimos, there were some players and coaches who wouldn’t have minded playing in the frozen tundra. Be that as it may, it will be a controlled environment instead for both teams who display a lot speed and on a fast track. The dome provides a big advantage for the Lions because of the noise.
During practice this week, Head Coach Kavis Reed was blasting artificial crowd-noise to prepare. In fact, the Lions did the same thing.
Edmonton has lost three-straight games to the Lions, the last two of which were in Vancouver.
Both games have almost gone by the same script. On offence, the Eskimos have moved the ball well but have settled for too many field goals. On defence, they’ve given up the big play at the wrong time of the game leading to both touchdowns and field goals.
Reed says his club needs to fly out of the gates to succeed.
“If we can get out of the first quarter and play these guys even or have a lead I think it’s an entirely different story,” Reed said. “That’s simply the way it’s been with us, we’ve gotten behind in the games in all three times that we’ve lost to them.”
The Lions are coming off of a bye week.
Eskimo cornerback Rod Williams suggested earlier in the week that would be a disadvantage for the home side. We’ve seen many upsets in the Western and Eastern Finals; sometimes the home team can take awhile to find their legs. Then again, teams with the bye can come out flying. The Eskimos did just that in 2002 and 2003 with Ricky Ray as their quarterback.
Ah yes, the wily veteran Ray. Do you realize he’s 8-3 lifetime in the playoffs, yet Lions quarterback and Most Outstanding Player candidate Travis Lulay is getting all the press? Reed says give Lulay, Andrew Harris, their entire team all the press they want.
When asked this week if his club needs to razzle and dazzle their way to victory, his response was a flat out no saying he feels his team is good enough to beat the Lions straight up.
Predictions and prognostications go out the window. The game is played between the white lines and the Eskimos are in BC trying to prove a point that they are not satisfied with just being the “other team” in this game.
Tillman says there’s one more game to play on the schedule after today, and he wants in.
“We realize we have a great opportunity this weekend. We’re going to play against a team that’s physical, that’s playing outstanding, they’re at home but we’re one game away from playing for a championship,” Tillman said.
“We’re happy to be where we are, we’re excited but ultimately the goal is not achieved until we bring another championship to this city and this proud franchise.”
The only thing it seems this team will settle for is settling into a nice new dome stadium with a swanky new home dressing room next week.
NOTES: Running back Jerome Messam is gone for the season with a torn meniscus in his left knee. Calvin McCarty and Hugh Charles will share the running back duties. Linebacker J.C. Sherritt will return to the lineup after missing the last two games with a broken finger and injured ankle. Offensive lineman Greg Wojt will miss his third straight game with an ankle injury.