WINNIPEG -- Edmonton quarterback Ricky Ray knows it's a surprise to many that the Eskimos and Winnipeg Blue Bombers lead their CFL divisions.
After all, the undefeated Eskimos (5-0) missed last year's playoffs with a 7-11 mark, while the 4-1 Bombers finished last season with a league-low 4-14 record.
Watch the action when the teams clash tonight on TSN, TSN.ca and TSN Mobile TV, with coverage beginning at 7pm et/4pm pt. You can also log on to our TSN.ca live blog and chat with your fellow fans about tonight's games.
"If you probably asked people about this going into the off-season, I'm sure not a lot of people would have picked this to happen," Ray said after arriving in Winnipeg to prepare for Friday's game between the two teams.
"Just because, in our case, there was a ton of changes. You're kind of seeing two different teams. Winnipeg, the same coach, a lot of the same players. Us, we had a complete turnover.
"Two different ways to get to this point, and just the good thing is we're both playing well."
The nine-year quarterback thinks the last time he was on a team that opened 5-0 was in junior college.
The game pits Edmonton's powerhouse offence against a Blue Bomber defence that's allowed the fewest yards net offence (1,469), the fewest points (97) and is tops with 21 quarterback sacks.
However, Winnipeg's defence will be without 11-year defensive tackle Doug Brown, who's sitting because of a foot injury. It's the first time Brown has missed a game since meningitis sidelined him for the first two games of the 2009 season.
Brown said there's either something torn or broken in one of his feet and he's not sure if he'll miss more than one game.
"I've always prided myself on trying to be a durable player," said Brown, who last missed a game because of injury when he had an eye injury in 2007.
"It makes my skin crawl that I'm not able to participate out there, especially with our old defensive co-ordinator (Edmonton head coach Kavis Reed) showing up here."
Bomber quarterback Buck Pierce said it'd be nice to defeat the Eskimos and "set a tone this early that we can play football here in Winnipeg."
He said the turnarounds for the clubs show the parity in the league.
"The CFL's a funny league," Pierce said. "There's so much parity in this league and so much turnover. Week to week, I don't think there's a bad football team in this whole league."
Pierce is going to have to spark a Bomber offence that's scored the fewest touchdowns (nine). He's thrown for 1,032 yards, with six TDs against four interceptions.
On the flipside, Ray leads the league's passers with 1,492 yards and is tops with a 118.1 efficiency rating. He's tossed 10 TDs and only one interception and was named the CFL's top player in July.
Eskimo Fred Stamps leads all receivers with 578 yards off 30 catches, including five for touchdowns. Running back Jerome Messam was Canadian player of the month. He leads the Esks with 274 yards on 55 carries, including a pair of TDs.
Edmonton's defence is no slouch, either. It's allowed the fewest yards rushing (437) and is second in points allowed (99).
Bomber defensive end Odell Willis, named the league's top defensive player for July, is revved up for the clash.
"You've got the best defence, the best offence. You've got the best team in the east, you've got the best team in the west," said Willis, who leads the league with seven sacks.
"What else you want? We've got a sold-out crowd. Swaggerville is going to be crazy tomorrow night. I can't even wait to play. I'm sweating right now."
Willis was wearing the letters and words RIP Coach Harris on one of his T-shirt sleeves, a tribute to defensive line coach Richard Harris, who died last week after a sudden heart attack in his office.
Brown's injury will cause a hole on defence, but Willis said players are paid to fill in. Don Oramasionswu is expected to see more playing time.
Winnipeg's defence will also see the return from injury of middle linebacker Joe Lobendahn and defensive back Deon Beasley.
Some notable changes to Edmonton's lineup include the addition of receiver Reggie McNeal and running back Daniel Porter, who goes on for the released Arkee Whitlock. Kick returner Brandon James will also miss the game.
"We can't get complacent," Stamps said. "We haven't really done anything. It's only five games. There's 13 games left so we've got to keep fighting."
Notes: The Eskimos will stay in Winnipeg until Wednesday, when they fly to Montreal for a Thursday match.
Saskatchewan Roughriders at B.C. Lions
SURREY, B.C. -- It's the perfect scenario for Tad Kornegay.
The hard-hitting linebacker will play his CFL first game as a B.C. Lion on Friday night against his old team, the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
You can see the game on TSN, TSN.ca, and TSN Mobile TV beginning at 10:30pm et/7:30pm pt.
Kornegay was careful with his answer when asked if the game at Empire Field was personal, since the Riders released him earlier this year.
"It's hard to say no, but you can't look at it that way," said Kornegay, who spent four seasons in Saskatchewan and won a Grey Cup in 2007.
"I'm going to play hardnosed football. I'm not going to let up just because they are my old teammates. I would love to win this game."
Lions defensive back Korey Banks thinks his 29-year-old teammate wants to send a message.
"Nobody wants to get cut," said Banks. "Then play your old team the next (game), that is great.
"That's an ideal story for him. He knows those guys and they know him. He will have a good game."
The game will pit two struggling teams against each other. The Riders are 1-4 while B.C. is the league's only winless team at 0-5.
Wide receiver Weston Dressler is off to a good start this season with 26 catches for 389 yards and two touchdowns. He said the Riders aren't used to looking up at other teams in the standings.
"Ever since I've been here we've gotten off to pretty good starts," he said. "It's a different situation. We kind of look back to last year a bit. We went through that stretch toward the end of the year where I think we lost four games in a row. We are tying to use that as a little motivation.
"We found a way to get out of that and dig ourselves back to the top. We are hoping we can come out of this and start winning some games."
The Lions know a win keeps them in the West Division mix. A loss shoves them deeper into the league basement.
"It's definitely an important game," said slotback Geroy Simon. "We want to start winning and we want to start winning now.
"We can't focus on our record. We can't focus on what happened two or three weeks ago. We have to go out and win this game. It's a must-win game."
The Riders have scored a league-low 101 points this season. The Lions defence has allowed a league-high 161 points.
"It's going to be like a playoff game," said Banks. "Both teams know what is on the line.
"It's going to be war, like usual. We have to be the team that makes the most plays."
Dressler said the Saskatchewan offence hasn't been bad, it just hasn't been good enough.
"When we have had those opportunities to make the big plays, we've been a half step slow here, or a dropped ball there," he said.
"Those have made the difference in the game. I think we have the talent on the team to start winning games. We just have to be better and more consistent."
Kornegay was signed in an effort to shore up a Lions defence that has allowed the most yards rushing (648) and yards passing (1,522) in the league.
"We just need a win here," said Kornegay. "What a perfect time to play Saskatchewan.
"I'm not saying Saskatchewan has a bad team. I think they are a pretty good team, but we are both struggling. It's probably one of the easiest wins you will get if you do get the win. I think this is the perfect time for everything to happen."
Kornegay still isn't sure why the Riders released him.
"I was more confused, just like the whole world was confused," he said. "Nobody understands why they released me.
"Their reasons didn't make sense. I can't be bitter. Everybody is going to be released in their career."
Dressler is expecting a battle against his old teammate.
"It's going to be different," he said. "He just makes plays.
"It always seems you find him around the ball. Whether it's coming up on a run play or somehow making it down the field and breaking up a pass. He's just a playmaker. He has a knack for the football."
The Lions have also moved J.R. LaRose back to starting safety because of an elbow injury to veteran Davis Sanchez.
One player who won't be dressed Friday is receiver Arland Bruce, who B.C. acquired in a trade from Hamilton on Wednesday. Bruce is not expected to start practising with the Lions until next week.
One reason the Lions are winless is the number of passes dropped by receivers.
Rookie Dobson Collins, who has let several balls slip through his fingers, has been put on the practice roster. Nick Moore, who dropped a pair of touchdown catches in the opening loss to Montreal, is back after an injury but may be on a short leash.
Receivers coach Travis Moore said it might be a case of young players trying to do too much.
"It's more focusing," he said. "Some guys put too much pressure on themselves to make a play and drop the easy ones."
Quarterback Travis Lulay, who has been guilty some nights of not finding the open man, still has confidence in all his receivers.
"I just keep firing away," said Lulay. "I'm in a position where I have to trust these guys and I truly do.
"They are out there working hard."
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