Music: {allcanada} ESKIMOS HOPE TO RIDE MOMENTUM INTO UNEXPECTED PLAYOFF SPOT

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

{allcanada} ESKIMOS HOPE TO RIDE MOMENTUM INTO UNEXPECTED PLAYOFF SPOT

When the Edmonton Eskimos were 0-4 near the end of July, most football fans probably didn't think they'd be in charge of their own playoff fate three months later. They didn't exactly have the faith of pundits when they were 1-6 in the middle of August, nor the confidence of critics when they were 2-9 in mid-September.

And yet somehow here they are, against all odds, winners of three straight games, sitting with a 7-10 mark and completely in control of their own destiny as they head into an all-important match-up against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday.

Having beaten the Blue Bombers 16-13 in overtime this past Saturday, the Eskimos have a "win-and-you're-in" proposition before them; if they can beat the Riders on November 6, they will have sealed their trip to the post-season.

Momentum is certainly on their side; this is the first time the Esks have strung together three consecutive wins since 2005. Their poor start to the season has given them a sense of urgency, and that desperation, combined with recent success, has them in a good place heading into Saturday's tilt.

"We're playing well, we're on a roll. We always want to go into the playoffs positive, and this is another game that we get an opportunity to put ourselves into the playoff situation," said head coach Richie Hall. "We said weeks ago that each game is a playoff game for us, and this game is no different than it was last week. We have to win to keep going, and that's what our mindset's been for the last two months, really."

Hall said he was proud of his team's ability to pull out a victory under high-pressure circumstances.

"Through adversity, they found a way to win. In a must-win situation, they found a way to win," said Hall. "[We] didn't play our best ball, but they found a way to win. When you look back earlier in the season, we were finding ways not to come out on top. I think there's a lot of positives, and again, it builds momentum as we go into Saturday's game."

The boys in green and yellow could have advanced to the playoffs this past Sunday if the Riders had beaten the Lions, but they didn't get that help. Instead, they'll have a chance to get the satisfaction of doing it themselves this weekend, and against Saskatchewan at that, in another high-stakes game.

And this is hardly a done deal; there's a lot on the line for the Lions as well, who actually have something in common with the Eskimos squad. The Lions also started the season in dismal fashion, establishing an early mark of 1-7, but they too are now 7-10 and are tied with the Eskimos for the final playoff spot in the West.

As well, B.C. hasn't missed the playoffs since 1996, so there will be plenty of pride on the line for Wally Buono and Co. In fact, it's a two-part equation in place for the Lions; in order to make the playoffs, they need to beat the Tiger-Cats in Hamilton on Saturday and they need the Eskimos to lose to the Riders.

On the other end of things, the Eskimos need only to beat the Riders to advance; if they do that, they will return to Saskatchewan next week for the West semi-final.

Needless to say, with so much on the line heading into Week 19, it should be an exciting display of CFL football on Saturday.