EDMONTON - The Edmonton Eskimos couldn't have picked a better time to start playing their best football of the season.
Forget their middling 9-9 record and a troubling 2-5 stretch late in
the season. The Eskimos are coming off a playoff-clinching 45-13
dismantling of the B.C. Lions as they prepare to face the Calgary
Stampeders in the West Division semi-final at McMahon Stadium on Sunday
(TSN, 4 p.m. ET).
Winners of two straight, the Eskimos appear to be on top of their
game. Hitting that peak for the playoffs is something first-year coach
Richie Hall identified as his goal before the first down of the regular
season was played.
"I know we're a better team now than we were at the start of the
year," Hall said. "I know we're a better team now than we were a month
ago.
"I
know we're playing better. It comes back to doing the little things.
I've always said, we're a process in the making, and we're a long way
from being finished."
The Eskimos went 1-3 against the Stamps this season, including
lopsided 32-8 and 30-7 losses at McMahon Stadium. But they dominated
the Lions in virtually every aspect of a game a lot of people thought
they had little chance of winning.
"That's what he (Hall) has stressed from Day 1," quarterback Ricky
Ray said. "Getting better every day, getting better every week and
being a better football team at the end of the year than at the
beginning of the year.
"At times, it didn't look like we were making the strides that we
wanted, but these last two weeks, you can definitely say yes to that.
Now, we're in the playoffs and it's the same thing. Get better and keep
the momentum and confidence going."
The offensive line manhandled B.C.'s defence as the Esks rushed for
260 yards (rookie Arkee Whitlock ran for 165 yards on 20 carries) and
had a season-high five touchdowns on the ground.
"We've had our ups and downs all year," said Whitlock. "It became
that point of the year where it was either win or go home, where guys
step up now or wait until next year.
"At lot of guys in here, their pride wouldn't let that happen. It's
like a family. We didn't want to break up this marriage we've got as
teammates. We all stepped up."
Ray was sharp, too, completing 19-of-26 passes for 248 yards -
including a four-yard touchdown toss to Efrem Hill - in a game where
B.C.'s defence barely laid a hand on him.
"We're playing well right now and it's a good time to be playing
well," said offensive lineman Calvin Armstrong. "For our group, the
whole team feeds off of us.
"They see us blocking well and Arkee getting big yardage, then Ricky
gets in a groove and gets comfortable, it gets contagious. The defence
gets excited to get us the ball back so we can do it again. We relish
that role of being leaders on this team."
Edmonton's often-maligned defence knocked B.C. quarterbacks Casey
Printers (injured thumb) and Buck Pierce (shoulder) out of the game. The
unit held the Lions to 84 yards rushing and 105 passing yards from
Printers, Pierce and third-stringer Zac Champion combined.
They'll need more of the same against Calgary's offence and
quarterback Henry Burris, who rang up 1,503 yards and eight touchdowns
through the air in their four meetings this season.
"Right now, we're getting better as a football team," Whitlock said.
"We waited 16 weeks to get better, but we're peaking at the right time."