Edmonton @ Ottawa preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 14, 2017 ) Ottawa 21, Edmonton 23

The Edmonton Eskimos look to keep their perfect record intact when they hit the road to take on the Ottawa Redblacks on Thursday. The Eskimos held off the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 33-28 on Friday to improve to 6-0 for the first time since 1961 and hope to continue their winning ways by sweeping the season series with the Redblacks following a 23-21 victory July 14.

Edmonton's offence hasn't skipped a beat despite injuries to their top two running backs John White (knee) and Travon Van (shoulder), and star wide receiver Adarius Bowman (hamstring) as they have put up 31 or more points in three consecutive games. Ottawa is the only team in CFL history to have its first seven games decided by five points or fewer after a 33-30 setback to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Redblacks failed once again to hold on to a late lead, giving up 10 points in the final five minutes to suffer their fifth loss in six games, and hope to bounce back by beating a West Division opponent for the first time in five tries. "You can call me crazy but I still believe in this team," Ottawa quarterback Trevor Harris told reporters. "We'll keep fighting and we'll put together a string of wins as we're a good team."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS

ABOUT THE ESKIMOS (6-0): Mike Reilly threw for 317 yards and accounted for four touchdowns against Hamilton to extend his touchdown passing streak to 16 regular-season games, which is tied for the longest in franchise history. "The West is a dogfight and you have to keep winning to keep pace and keep that slim lead," Reilly told reporters. "We dug ourselves a big hole last year as we were 2-4 but 6-0 feels a lot better." Brandon Zylstra saw his three-game streak of 100-yard receiving games come to an end after he suffered a lower-body injury in the first half and his status for Thursday's contest is unknown while centre Justin Sorensen hurt his knee and is questionable.

ABOUT THE REDBLACKS (1-5-1): William Powell rushed for 85 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game with a lower-body injury in the third quarter and could miss Thursday's clash. Defensive end Arnaud Gascon-Nadon, who has registered two sacks this season, missed the second half of the Winnipeg loss with an undisclosed injury and is questionable against Edmonton. Greg Ellingson continues to have a career year as he caught five passes for 59 yards a touchdown to take his total to a league-best 702 while kick returner/wide Quincy McDuffie accounted for 145 yards of return yards in his Ottawa debut.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Reilly leads the CFL in total touchdowns (15) -- 11 passing and four rushing.

2. Ottawa has dropped five games by a combined 13 points.

3. Ellingson has caught a touchdown pass in three straight games.

PREDICTION: Eskimos 33, Redblacks 31