Ottawa @ Edmonton preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 22, 2018 ) Edmonton 15, Ottawa 28

The Edmonton Eskimos look to halt their late-season slide when they host the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday. The Eskimos have dropped five of their last six games, including a 19-12 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Week 17, to fall into last place in the West Division -- two points behind the BC Lions in the race for the crossover playoff spot -- and hope to end their three-game losing streak by knocking off an East Division opponent for the first time in nearly two months.

"Our backs are up against the wall," Edmonton coach Jason Maas told reporters. "We've got three games left and they're all important now." Ottawa missed a opportunity to tighten their grip on first place in the East Division after dropping a 40-32 overtime decision to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Redblacks scored 15 points in the last 3:50 of the fourth quarter to force overtime but couldn't complete the comeback to see their lead at the top of the division shrink to two points and hope to bounce back by sweeping the season series with Edmonton following a 28-15 win in Week 15. "We're in the stretch so we have to lengthen our stride and stick our neck out because the finish line is here," Ottawa quarterback Trevor Harris told reporters. "I've been a part of two Grey Cups teams and I see a lot of similar qualities here in terms of the spirit."

TV: 5 p.m. ET, TSN

ABOUT THE REDBLACKS (8-6): Harris completed 33-of-45 passes for 349 yards and three touchdowns against the Blue Bombers to top the 300-yard plateau for the third consecutive game. Rookie kicker Lewis Ward went 3-for-3 against Winnipeg to set a CFL record for most consecutive field goals with 40 in a row, eclipsing the old mark set by Calgary's Rene Paredes (39) from 2012-13. Starting safety Antoine Pruneau and offensive lineman Nolan MacMillan missed last Friday's loss with undisclosed injuries and will likely sit out another week while running back William Powell was absent from practice Tuesday, but is expected to play.

ABOUT THE ESKIMOS (7-8): Mike Reilly went 13-of-27 for 222 yards through the air, but threw three interceptions and finished without a touchdown pass for the second straight game. Duke Williams, who leads the league in receiving yards (1,415) and touchdowns (10), hauled in six passes for 78 yards against the Roughriders despite playing with a sore shoulder. Edmonton signed wide receiver Kevin Elliott, who has played for four different teams in six CFL seasons, to the practice squad and released defensive end Alan-Michael Cash.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Reilly has thrown five interceptions in his last two outings.

2. Powell leads the league in rushing yards (1,236).

3. Edmonton hasn't scored a touchdown in more than 139 minutes of game time.

PREDICTION: Redblacks 24, Eskimos 20