Ray has smile on his face after Edmonton beats B.C. for share of first place
Published Saturday October 11th, 2008
VANCOUVER - It's been a long time since Ricky Ray left B.C. Place Stadium with a smile.
The Edmonton Eskimos quarterback had a big grin Friday night after he threw for over 300 yards and a stifling defence shut down the B.C. Lions offence in a 27-20 victory that created a four-way tie for first place in the CFL West.
"We were due here," said Ray after the Eskimos won their first game in B.C. since July 2004. "It was our turn to get a victory. Our defence played great, got us some turnovers, and we were able to seal the deal."
While the Eskimos beamed, the Lions brooded after seeing a five-game win streak snapped.
"It's the worst we've played all year offensively," said quarterback Buck Pierce who was pulled after completing 10 of 18 passes for 90 yards and an interception. "We just made too many mistakes. We can't play like that again."
The win improved Edmonton's record to 9-6-0 for 18 points, moving them into a four-way tie with B.C., Calgary and Saskatchewan in the phone booth on top of the West. The Stampeders and Riders play Monday in Calgary.
The Lions, who are 9-6-0, will now need some help if they hope to finish first in the West for a fifth consecutive year.
Ray picked the Lions defence apart with patience and pin-point passing, completing 23 of 35 passes for 311 yards and an interception. When the Eskimos weren't beating the Lions through the air, they were chewing them up on the ground as running back Calvin McCarty rumbled for 70 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.
McCarty, who grew up in Surrey, B.C., also hauled in six passes for 26 yards to make some key second-down conversions.
"When the stuff is not open downfield, Ricky dumps it off to me," said McCarty. "I try my best to make first downs and keep the chains moving. "
The Eskimos controlled the ball for 37 minutes and 33 seconds. The defence had four sacks, recovered a fumble and made an interception.
"We played well," said head coach Danny Maciocia. "We never gave them an opportunity to put multiple drives together and try and cash in on those drives."
The Lions sputtered on offence, collecting 270 total yards. B.C. didn't score an offensive touchdown until Jarious Jackson hit Bret Anderson with a six-yard pass late in the fourth quarter.
"I don't think they were doing anything out of the norm," said Jackson, who finished the night completing 11 of 22 passes for 125 yards and the touchdown. "They were just playing Edmonton football".
"They didn't re-invent the wheel and come out with something we weren't expecting. We just didn't come out and execute."
Many in the crowd of 34,778 were streaming for the exits with over seven minutes left in the game.
All the Eskimo points came on short runs. Ray and bruising fullback Mathieu Bertrand scored on one-yard plunges.
Noel Prefontaine kicked field goals of 27 and 13 yards.
Lions cornerback LaVar Glover returned his first interception of the year 18 yards for a touchdown.
Paul McCallum kicked field goals of 40 and 37 yards.
Even before the game started the Eskimos knew they had returned to the playoffs after a two-year absence. The Toronto Argonauts losing 25-16 to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers means Edmonton has wrapped up at least a chance to cross over into the East playoffs.
"We like where we are right now," said Maciocia. "With three weeks to go we have three games at home.
"I didn't say it publicly at the beginning of the year because I think a lot of people would have thought I'm crazy coming off a 5-12-1 season. But I did say it was going to come down to the last week or two. "
The teams have a return engagement Friday at Commonwealth Stadium.
"We'll be ready for them next week," said McCarty. "They'll come to our house and try and get it done. We'll be ready. "Even before the game started the Eskimos knew they had returned to the playoffs after a two-year absence. The Toronto Argonauts losing 25-16 to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers means Edmonton has wrapped up at least a chance to cross over into the East playoffs.
The Eskimos dominated the first half. They had the ball for almost 23 minutes and took a 24-10 lead into the dressing room. A fumble by McCarty that snuffed out one drive, and some costly penalties robbed them the chance for a larger lead.
Tempers flared late in the second quarter after a fumble by B.C.'s Stefan Logan. Edmonton's Jason Goss picked up the ball and returned it 34 yards toward the end zone before he fumbled. The Eskimos recovered it at the B.C. one.
While the players were battling over the ball, B.C. offensive tackle Rob Murphy was entangled with Goss on the ground. That started a melee which resulted in Edmonton's Siddeeq Shabazz being tossed out of the game.
The resulting penalties meant instead of having the ball on the B.C. one, the Eskimos took over on the 38-yard line. A sack by Cameron Wake pushed the ball back 12 more yards. That forced an Edmonton punt.
Notes: The Lions have outscored their opponents 37-9 in the first quarter of their last four games. ... Defensive end Brent Johnson has recorded 10 or more sacks for five straight seasons. ... Slotback Geroy Simon, who didn't have a catch until late in the game, became the first Lion to have over 10,000 yards in receiving.
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