Edmonton @ Saskatchewan preview
Mosaic Stadium
Last Meeting ( Aug 2, 2018 ) Saskatchewan 19, Edmonton 26
The Saskatchewan Roughriders look to tighten their grip on second place in the West Division when they host the Edmonton Eskimos on Thanksgiving Monday. The Roughriders are one of the hottest teams in the CFL, having won six of their last seven contests, including a 34-29 victory against the Montreal Alouettes in Week 16, to open up a four-point lead in the race to host a playoff game and hope to increase the gap by avenging a 26-19 loss to the Eskimos on Aug. 2.
"It would be great but we can't think too far ahead and must focus at the task ahead," Saskatchewan quarterback Zach Collaros told reporters. "It's a division game and both teams are going to play hard." Edmonton is heading in the wrong direction following a 30-3 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Eskimos have dropped four of their last five contests to fall into fourth place, two points ahead of the last-place BC Lions with four games remaining and are fighting for their playoff lives as they aim to beat the Roughriders in Regina for the third straight time. "Sometimes it takes you getting knocked down before you rebound and become great," Edmonton coach Jason Maas told reporters. "We got knocked down on the mat and if we're a strong team we'll get back up and start swinging again."
TV: 4 p.m. ET, TSN
ABOUT THE ESKIMOS (7-7): Duke Williams, who leads the league in receiving yards (1,337) and touchdowns (10), suffered a shoulder injury against Winnipeg, but is expected to recover in time to face the Roughriders. Edmonton parted ways with special teams coordinator Cory McDiarmid earlier in the week after the Eskimos surrendered a blocked punt for a touchdown against the Blue Bombers while ranking last in the CFL in punt and kick returns. Edmonton added defensive lineman Alan-Michael Cash, who recorded 17 sacks with the Montreal Alouettes from 2012-16, to the practice squad, and released linebacker Brandon Pittman.
ABOUT THE ROUGHRIDERS (9-5): Collaros threw for a season-high 394 yards and a touchdown against the Alouettes to eclipse the 300-yard mark for the first time in 2018. Kenny Shaw, who caught five passes for 75 yards in his Saskatchewan debut, will get the start at wide receiver once more as Naaman Roosevelt continues to recover from a knee injury he sustained Sept. 22. Saskatchewan added running back/kick returner Shaq Murray, who spent the last three seasons with the BC Lions, quarterback Drew Powell and Reggie Hall to the practice squad.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Saskatchewan has won four straight games against West Division rivals.
2. Reilly leads the CFL in passing yards (4,383).
3. Collaros has thrown an interception in six straight games.
PREDICTION: Roughriders 24, Eskimos 20