Edmonton @ Hamilton preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 22, 2018 ) Hamilton 38, Edmonton 21

The Edmonton Eskimos look to continue their winning ways when they visit the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Thursday. The Eskimos have won four of their last five games, including a 40-24 victory against the Montreal Alouettes in Week 10, and can move into a first-place tie with the Calgary Stampeders in the West Division by avenging a 38-21 loss to Hamilton on June 22.

"We want to be as good as we can be," Edmonton coach Jason Maas told reporters. "I feel like we're a good football team but we still have to get better." The Tiger-Cats limped into their off week losers of four of their last five games to fall six points behind the Ottawa Redblacks in the East Division standings. Hamilton dropped a 29-23 decision to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Aug. 10 and hopes to fend off the streaking Toronto Argonauts in the race for second place by completing its first season sweep of Edmonton since 2006. "You hate to have a loss going into the bye week," Hamilton coach June Jones told reporters. "You just have to win to get to the next one and this is a big game for us."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TSN, ESPN Plus

ABOUT THE ESKIMOS (6-3): Mike Reilly threw for a season-high 424 yards and three touchdowns to go along with his league-leading eighth rushing TD as Edmonton beat Montreal for the 10th straight time. Bryant Mitchell hauled in seven passes for a career-high 128 yards and a touchdown in his season debut while Shaq Cooper filled in admirably for an injured C.J. Gable as he racked up 102 yards and a TD in his first CFL start. Defensive back Mercy Maston was ejected late in the second quarter following a skirmish with Montreal's Adarius Bowman, and could receive further punishment from the league.

ABOUT THE TIGER-CATS (3-5): Brandon Banks hauled in six passes for 106 yards and a touchdown against the Blue Bombers to go over 100 for the sixth time in his last seven games. Starting cornerback Delvin Breaux missed Winnipeg game with a concussion, but is expected to be medically cleared in time to play Thursday while fellow defensive back Richard Leonard is considered week-to-week because of a sore hamstring. Kick returner/defensive back Frankie Williams is expected to suit up after a one-game absence while Hamilton signed defensive backs Josh Johnson and Robert Porter Jr. to the practice squad.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Hamilton has lost three straight games to West Division opponents.

2. Reilly leads the CFL in passing yards (3,046) and total touchdowns (27).

3. Edmonton has had at least one wide receiver top 100 yards in nine consecutive games.

PREDICTION: Eskimos 28, Tiger-Cats 27