Inside the Xs and Os

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/10/2009 (5844 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

VEGAS LINE: Eskimos by 51/2 points.

THE FORECAST: A high of 10 C with a low of 3 C is tonight’s forecast.

BOMBERS VS. ESKS: Since 1949: The Bombers are 76-89-3 all-time against Edmonton; The Bombers have won three of the last 10 games between the teams with one tie, and two of the last five. The Bombers are 46-37-1 in 84 home games against the Eskimos.

ROSTER UPDATE: No lineup changes for the Blue Bombers

CHANGING ESKIMOS: Edmonton has made a number of additions and deletions. Coming on the roster are LB Reggie Hunt, DB Byron Parker, KR Tristan Jackson, DB Randee Drew, DT Jerome Haywood and DT Xzavie Jackson. Coming off are DT Dario Romero, DB Lenny Williams, DB Kelly Malveaux, LB Rodney Kinlaw, LB Greg Whelan and DB Gemara Williams.

TICKET UPDATE: The Bombers said they had sold 20,713 tickets as of early Thursday and it has also been announced that the blackout will not be lifted for tonight’s game. If you want to see it, you have to be there.

WEATHER: Summer winked at us last week and then split town and it’s looking like it will be cold and damp for tonight’s game. Bombers coach Mike Kelly believes any inclement weather will help his club. "I hope it favours us. The structure of our run game and the importance of our run game carries more significance for us than it does for them. They rely on Ricky (Ray) to throw the ball downfield. Having said that, we’ve all seen Ricky perform well in adverse weather conditions."

RIGHT BACK AT YA: Ricky Ray’s reaction to Kelly suggesting bad weather is an advantage for Winnipeg: "Of course he’s going to say that," laughed Ray. "Everybody plays in the same weather."

JUICY NUMBERS: The Eskimos are the worst in the league against the pass, having allowed opposing teams to roll up 3,615 yards. On the other hand, they throw the ball very well and lead the league with 3,608 yards passing. The Bombers are last in the league in time of possession, with a woeful 25.20-minutes average per game. The Esks are much better, with a 30.54-minutes average, third-best in the league. Bombers running back Fred Reid has gone four straight games without a 100-yard effort since putting up 260 against the B.C. Lions on Aug. 21. Reid needs just 14 yards to get to 1,000 on the season.

CRISIS? WHAT CRISIS?

Kelly was asked about the relative quiet around his team this week after spending most of the season in damage-control mode.

"Sideshow stuff. We’ve had two players (Derick Armstrong and Barrin Simpson) that have decided to quit on their teammates. That’s it in a nutshell. That was their individualistic approach. That’s what we’re trying to change here… "

— Gary Lawless