Edmonton @ Hamilton preview
Tim Hortons Field
Last Meeting ( Oct 4, 2019 ) Edmonton 12, Hamilton 42
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats look to build on a record-breaking regular season when they host the Edmonton Eskimos on Sunday in the East Division final. The Tiger-Cats set a franchise record with 15 wins, including a pair of victories over the Eskimos by a combined 72-39, en route to the East Division title despite losing starting quarterback Jeremiah Masoli to a season-ending knee injury in late July, and hope to improve to 10-0 at home while earning their first Grey Cup appearance since 2014.
"They are a special group," Hamilton coach Orlondo Steinauer told reporters. "I'm just proud we stayed the course no matter how many bumps we hit in the road." Trevor Harris was nearly flawless as Edmonton went into Montreal and knocked off the favoured Alouettes 37-29 in the East Division semifinal. Harris has thrown for 1,533 yards and 10 touchdowns in his last four playoff games, including a 367-yard, six-TD performance against the Tiger-Cats in last year's East Division final, and hopes to carve up Hamilton's defence once more as Edmonton looks to become the first crossover team to reach the Grey Cup through the East. "We're just happy that we're starting to click and we want to make sure we take it to the next level," Harris told reporters. "When you're going into The Hammer you're going where nobody has won this year."
TV: 1 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS, ESPNews
ABOUT THE ESKIMOS (9-10): Harris was 36-of-39, including a playoff-record 22 straight completions in the first half, for 421 yards and a touchdown against Montreal. C.J. Gable rushed for 54 yards and a pair of touchdowns after missing the previous three games with a knee injury while Greg Ellingson hauled in a game-high eight passes for 125 yards. Edmonton defensive backs Monshadrik Hunter (wrist) and Forrest Hightower (unspecified) are questionable after missing the East Division semifinal while offensive lineman Colin Kelly is expected to play after missing practice because of a maintenance day.
ABOUT THE TIGER-CATS (15-3): Dane Evans exceeded all expectations after Masoli went down as the former Tulsa product threw for 3,754 yards and 21 touchdowns in 13 games. Brandon Banks was named one of the finalists for the CFL's Most Outstanding Player award after leading the league in receiving yards (1,550) and touchdowns (16) while setting a single-season franchise record with 112 receptions. Simoni Lawrence is up for the CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player honours after registering a career-high 98 tackles to go along with four sacks while Steinauer is a finalist for the Most Outstanding Coach award after matching a CFL record for most wins by a first-year coach.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Hamilton led the league in most points scored (551) and fewest points allowed (344).
2. Ellingson has caught 16 passes for 269 yards and one touchdown in his last two East Division playoff games.
3. The Tiger-Cats have won six consecutive contests.
PREDICTION: Eskimos 33, Tiger-Cats 31