Music: {allcanada} STRUGGLING ESKIMOS FACE ARGONAUTS IN MONCTON ON TSN

It has been a forgettable season thus far for Ricky Ray and the Edmonton Eskimos.

The veteran quarterback has completed more than 60 per cent of his passes but has also thrown nearly twice as many interceptions (12) as touchdowns (seven). The Eskimos have mirrored those struggles, standing last in the West Division with a league-worst 2-9 record.

"Whenever you're losing in pro sports it's not very fun," Ray said. "Everyone plays this game to be successful, have fun and win football games.

"When you're not doing that it's hard to find a lot of enjoyment. You just have to really be mentally tough and try and stay confident, believe in each other and just keep going out there to get those wins."

Amazingly, Ray and the Eskimos still have much to play for. Despite its dismal record, Edmonton remains in playoff contention heading into its game Sunday against the Toronto Argonauts at Moncton Stadium which will be the first CFL regular-season contest ever played in Atlantic Canada.

It's a game you can catch on TSN Sunday starting at 11:30am et/8:30am pt. The game will also be available on TSNHD.

"That's been the crazy thing," Ray said. "As bad as things have been . . . by no means are we out of it.

"Despite what we've done this season we still have a lot to play for and a lot to motivate us."

Edmonton is last in the CFL in touchdowns (16), passing TDs (nine) and scoring (18.3 points per game) and second-last in total yards (323.1 per game), rushing yards (97.2) and passing yards (256.2). Toronto isn't much better offensively, ranked last in total yards (318.3) and passing yards (225.3) and second-last in scoring (21.5 points), touchdowns (18) and passing TDs (10).

However, Toronto's defence is at least ranked fifth in points allowed (26.6 per game). Edmonton is dead last (33.8).

Yet Edmonton is just two points behind third-place B.C. (3-8) in the West Division. Also in the mix are the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (3-8), who are last in the East Division but could cross over into the West come playoff time by finishing with more points than the third-place finisher.

Toronto (6-5) is currently tied with Hamilton for second in the East Division.

The Eskimos are also playing for jobs as new GM Eric Tillman is watching players and coaches alike while he makes his late-season evaluations.

"Yeah, but this is a funny business," said Eskimos punter Noel Prefontaine, in his 13th CFL season. "If I've learned anything during my time playing, you're always auditioning.

"It doesn't matter what uniform you have on, you're always having to prove your worth, so to speak. We're treating this as professionals and just trying to go about our business and show the team we play for as well as the opponents we face that we can play football.

"This game counts, especially for us. We've put ourselves in a situation where every week here on in is going to count for a lot."

Toronto will be the home team before a sellout crowd of more than 20,000 fans. The Argos are coming off a 17-13 win over Winnipeg while Edmonton has lost three straight.

The Argos beat Edmonton 29-28 on Aug. 6 at Commonwealth Stadium but had to work for it. Cory Boyd capped a 14-play, 94-yard drive with a one-yard TD run -- his third of the game -- with 22.8 seconds remaining to tie the score before the convert secured Toronto the narrow victory.

"We've played our share of close games where we just haven't been able to make the plays down the stretch," Ray said. "That was the case when we played Toronto earlier . . . it was a tough battle and they just made the plays when they needed to.

"When we get in those situations we just have to find a way to get the job done."

Boyd, the CFL's second-leading rusher with 903 yards, is expected to miss a second straight game with a concussion. So Toronto will again go with a backfield rotation involving Canadians Bryan Crawford and Jeff Johnson along with newcomer Anthony Alridge, who played against Winnipeg just three days after signing with the Argos.

"I think each one has different talents," Toronto head coach Jim Barker said. "Alridge would've had more than two days, he's seen a CFL game now so you hope he'll be able to do a little bit more.

"I believe in Jeff Johnson, he's a good player. I don't have any problem with him or Bryan Crawford. All Bryan Crawford does is make plays."

Crawford has just four carries this season but gained 87 yards (outstanding 21.8-yard average). Included was a career-high 42-yard run off a fake punt in a 37-22 win over Montreal on Aug. 14.

Cleo Lemon will again start at quarterback for Toronto despite passing for just 90 yards against Winnipeg. Lemon played through a hand injury and without Boyd as well as starting offensive linemen Rob Murphy and Cedric Gagne-Marcoux.

Still, he hit Jeremaine Copeland on a nine-yard TD strike in the fourth quarter that proved to be the game's deciding play.

"It (hand) was a factor," Lemon said. "It's a problem with my throwing hand and is something that I've never dealt with before.

"But you know, no excuses. It just takes time and I'm going to have to fight through it."

Barker considered replacing Lemon with backup Dalton Bell against Winnipeg just before Lemon's TD pass to Copeland.

"That is kind of how this guy is," Barker said. "Maybe he senses it, I don't know.

"I'm expecting he will play and at a high level. I have confidence in Dalton that he can do it but it's important for Cleo in his development to go through what he's going through. Every quarterback in this league goes through this kind of stuff and he's got to do it."

Lemon said the Eskimos aren't playing like a 2-9 team.

"Those guys are still competing, still flying around trying to make plays," he said. "They have talent and are capable of beating anybody in this league."

In Ray's mind, Edmonton can't beat itself.

"We haven't been a very disciplined football team throughout the season," he said. "We've made way too many negative plays whether its penalties, turnovers or mental mistakes.

"For us, we have to go out and eliminate those negative plays and be more disciplined."