Although Edmonton won the divisional semi-final game against Saskatchewan by a healthy six-point margin, there are some serious question marks around the team as they head into the divisional final. It was hardly a comfortable win given that Saskatchewan gave up an ungodly number of interceptions and barely put up a fight. With that result, Edmonton made it into the final, but exposed some serious problems as well.
But their opponents are an even bigger problem for the Esks. Calgary swept the season series between the two teams, and that will weigh heavily on the Edmonton players as they come out of the locker room and onto the hostile McMahon Stadium field. Does Edmonton stand a chance of wiping the season record out, and beating the charging Stampeders? We’ll break it down below.
Offence
The biggest worry for Edmonton last week was the performance of their green backup quarterback, Matt Nichols. Those doubts can be set aside, though, because starter Mike Reilly will return to the lineup. Assuming he’s completely healthy, this will give the Edmonton offence a huge boost of confidence. Reilly has performed admirably all season, and his presence under centre will be sorely needed.
And unlike in the early September losses, tailback John White and slotback Fred Stamps will also be in the lineup. If White can come close to last week’s 134-yard performance, and Stamps and Adarius Bowman pulling most of the coverage from the Calgary secondary, Edmonton’s offence will give Calgary all it can handle.
Defence
The ridiculous gymnastic displays all season from the Edmonton defensive line, with a set of somersaults after every big play they made, will not help them stop the many options Calgary will put forward in this game. But Edmonton has had the league’s strongest defence all year, with the lowest mark in total yards and passing yards per game, and second only to the Tiger-Cats in rushing yards per game. This is a remarkably stingy defence.
Odell Willis is the man to watch on their defence; he was tied for second in sacks this year, and he doesn’t just exploit weaknesses in offensive lines, he creates them. If he can put pressure on the Calgary quarterback, Edmonton’s chances of staying in this game will be vastly improved.
Special Teams
Hugh O’Neill’s facial hair may get nods of approval in hipster bars across the nation, but he missed two field goals against Saskatchewan last week. That kind of inconsistency could be fatal against a team of Calgary’s calibre. If this is a close game, the Eskimos will have a lot riding on O’Neill’s kicking, and he can’t afford to come up short again. Although Kendial Lawrence is a great kick returner, Edmonton’s special teams are not the equal of Calgary’s. They need to rely on their offence scoring early and often to ensure the game doesn’t hang on special teams play.
Coaching
After Edmonton’s abysmal showing in 2013, a winning record was the most any fan could hope for; Chris Jones has delivered far more. The rookie head coach was John Hufnagel’s defensive coordinator until the Argos wooed him away in 2012, and relations have reportedly been frosty between the two rivals since then. Now they’re meeting in their biggest matchup yet, and Jones is decidedly the underdog.
But Jones is a daring coach, and making it to the Western Final is proof that he’s running a good team. This game will be the difference, though, between an unexpectedly good season and and unqualified success.
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