Esks and Riders want to head into Labour Day on winning note
This game preview story is brought to you by the number five.
While there is still more than a week to Labour Day - when the real CFL season starts for some fans - there are five major reasons why tonight's tilt between the Edmonton Eskimos and Saskatchewan Roughriders at Commonwealth Stadium is rather important.
1. An Edmonton loss means the Riders win the season series.
The Green and Gold only play three games against Saskatchewan this year.
With a loss to start the regular season in Regina, the Esks are behind the eight ball right now.
If the Riders and Esks are tied in the West Division standings to end the year, the first tie-breaker is the head-to-head record.
That tiebreaker could determine home-field advantage and playoff positioning.
2. Edmonton doesn't want two straight losses heading into Labour Day.
In an ultra-tight West Division - B.C., Edmonton and Calgary enter this week tied at 4-3 - the Labour Day series will be critical.
"The importance of those two games (Labour Day series - Sept. 1 and 5 against Calgary), it is big to go in on a roll," said Edmonton linebacker Scott Coe.
3. The Riders want to avoid two straight defeats.
After six straight wins to start the year, two consecutive losses would put some doubt in Rider Nation.
"The big thing for us is to get back on track. When we played Calgary we started off slow and let them jump out ahead of us," said Rider defensive back Eddie Davis, referring to a 30-25 loss to the Stamps on Aug. 7.
"We need to come out strong (tonight). We can't spot a team 20 points and expect to come back all the time."
4. Remaining perfect at Commonwealth Stadium.
Edmonton is 3-0 at home in the regular season this year.
"The atmosphere you want to create is that no one is going to come in your backyard and win," continued Peterson.
"If you can win all the home games, you got a good shot of getting in the playoffs."
5. Helping the bottom-line.
More than 45,000 tickets have been sold for tonight's tilt, making this the most popular game of the year.
If the Esks soil the sheets on this stage, it won't help the bottom-line down the road this season.
This game preview story is brought to you by the number five.
While there is still more than a week to Labour Day - when the real CFL season starts for some fans - there are five major reasons why tonight's tilt between the Edmonton Eskimos and Saskatchewan Roughriders at Commonwealth Stadium is rather important.
1. An Edmonton loss means the Riders win the season series.
The Green and Gold only play three games against Saskatchewan this year.
With a loss to start the regular season in Regina, the Esks are behind the eight ball right now.
If the Riders and Esks are tied in the West Division standings to end the year, the first tie-breaker is the head-to-head record.
That tiebreaker could determine home-field advantage and playoff positioning.
2. Edmonton doesn't want two straight losses heading into Labour Day.
In an ultra-tight West Division - B.C., Edmonton and Calgary enter this week tied at 4-3 - the Labour Day series will be critical.
"The importance of those two games (Labour Day series - Sept. 1 and 5 against Calgary), it is big to go in on a roll," said Edmonton linebacker Scott Coe.
3. The Riders want to avoid two straight defeats.
After six straight wins to start the year, two consecutive losses would put some doubt in Rider Nation.
"The big thing for us is to get back on track. When we played Calgary we started off slow and let them jump out ahead of us," said Rider defensive back Eddie Davis, referring to a 30-25 loss to the Stamps on Aug. 7.
"We need to come out strong (tonight). We can't spot a team 20 points and expect to come back all the time."
4. Remaining perfect at Commonwealth Stadium.
Edmonton is 3-0 at home in the regular season this year.
"The atmosphere you want to create is that no one is going to come in your backyard and win," continued Peterson.
"If you can win all the home games, you got a good shot of getting in the playoffs."
5. Helping the bottom-line.
More than 45,000 tickets have been sold for tonight's tilt, making this the most popular game of the year.
If the Esks soil the sheets on this stage, it won't help the bottom-line down the road this season.
