BC @ Edmonton preview

BC at Edmonton

Last Meeting ( Jul 11, 2019 ) Edmonton 33, BC 6

The BC Lions look to keep their playoff hopes alive when they visit the Edmonton Eskimos Saturday. The Lions looked dead and buried with a 1-10 record at the beginning of September but have roared back with four consecutive wins, including a 55-8 rout of the Toronto Argonauts in Week 17, to move within four points of the Eskimos in the race for the crossover playoff spot, and hope to close the gap even further by knocking off Edmonton on the road for the first time since 2013.

"We know what the situation is and we know the only way to continue to have a chance at the postseason is to take care of our business," BC quarterback Mike Reilly told reporters. "We can't control what Edmonton does the rest of the season other than this upcoming game." Edmonton is heading in the wrong direction following a humbling 42-12 loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, which dropped the club below .500. The Eskimos had a firm grip on a postseason spot with a 6-3 record in mid-August but have suffered five defeats in their last six games - including three by double digits - and hope to finally clinch the crossover playoff berth by taking down the Lions for the third straight time this season. "We only focus one at a time but this one just happens to be if we win we're in," Edmonton coach Jason Maas told reporters. "We know what's at stake in this game and so do they so it's going to be a great game."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN

ABOUT THE LIONS (5-10): Reilly was named one of the CFL's Top Performers of the Week after he completed 21-of-27 passes for 276 yards and a career-high five touchdown passes in the rout of Toronto. Bryan Burnham also received honours from the league as he hauled in eight passes for 145 yards and three touchdowns as BC was on the verge of setting a franchise record for the largest margin of victory until it gave up a touchdown pass with six seconds left in the game. "It took some time but we're coming together at the right time," Burnham told reporters. "We can't worry about what everyone else is doing but we're going to keep winning and it feels good."

ABOUT THE ESKIMOS (7-8): Logan Kilgore went 23-of-32 for 233 yards but tossed three interceptions in the loss to Hamilton as Edmonton failed to clinch a postseason berth. C.J. Gable accounted for 97 yards from scrimmage, including 47 on the ground, before suffering a knee injury which left him three yards shy of becoming the first Edmonton player to record back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons since Mike Pringle from 2003-04. Gable is questionable after limping off the field in the third quarter with Shaq Cooper ready to replace him in the lineup while wide receiver Greg Ellingson is likely to play despite missing practice Tuesday.

EXTRA POINTS

1. BC has outscored its opponents 149-43 over their last four games.

2. Edmonton has dropped three straight homes games after winning their previous six.

3. Burnham leads the league in receiving yards (1,300).

PREDICTION: Lions 31, Eskimos 27