Winnipeg @ Edmonton preview

Winnipeg at Edmonton

Last Meeting ( Jun 14, 2018 ) Edmonton 33, Winnipeg 30

The Edmonton Eskimos look to stay in contention to host a playoff game when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers visit Saturday. The Eskimos had a firm grip on second place in the West Division before dropping three of their last four games, including a 28-15 setback to the Ottawa Redblacks in Week 15, to fall into the third spot and hope that a return to the friendly confines of Commonwealth Stadium, where they have won five straight contests, provides some relief.

"Nothing comes easy at this time of the year," Edmonton coach Jason Maas told reporters. "Hopefully we learn our lesson, come back home and take care of business." Winnipeg is back on track after a 31-14 victory against the Montreal Alouettes ended a four-game skid. The Blue Bombers are tied with the BC Lions for the crossover playoff spot, but can vault into third place by avenging a 33-30 defeat to the Eskimos in the opening week of the season and notching their first road win in more than two months. "Any time you go through a stretch like that without getting a win you almost forget what the feeling is like," Winnipeg quarterback Matt Nichols told reporters. "If you want to be the best you've got to beat the best and we play some of the best teams down the stretch."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN

ABOUT THE BLUE BOMBERS (6-7): Nichols repaid coach Mike O'Shea's faith in him by throwing for 256 yards and a touchdown against Montreal while finishing without an interception for the first time in five games. Andrew Harris caught a touchdown pass and added 44 rushing yards against the Alouettes to reach 1,000 for the fourth time in his career before sitting out the second half with a lower-body injury and is questionable for Saturday. Linebacker Adam Bighill, who leads the team with 75 tackles to go along with two interceptions and a touchdown, suffered an elbow injury in the second half, but is expected to play Saturday while wide receivers Darvin Adams and Nic Demski will be game-time decisions.

ABOUT THE ESKIMOS (7-6): Mike Reilly completed 27-of-41 passes for 276 yards and a touchdown to go along with a rushing TD, but threw a costly interception late in the fourth quarter against the Redblacks. Duke Williams caught four passes for 65 yards and a score to extend his touchdown streak to five straight games while Kwaku Boateng recorded three sacks against Ottawa to take his team-leading total to eight. Edmonton added former Ohio State wide receiver Torrance Gibson, linebacker Taylor Reed, who recorded 94 tackles and four sacks in 18 games with Ottawa last season, and defensive back Brandyn Thompson to the practice squad.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Winnipeg leads the CFL in scoring at 30 points per game.

2. Reilly has scored a league-best 39 total touchdowns in 2018.

3. Blue Bombers WR Weston Dressler has caught a pass in 121 straight games.

PREDICTION: Eskimos 31, Blue Bombers 27