Unbelievably, the winner of Saturday’s game between the Eskimos and Lions could be playoff-bound.
EDMONTON -- It is ludicrous that a 4-10 football team can look up in mid-October and legitimately say, "If we win this weekend, our playoff fate is in our own hands." But this season has been all about ludicrous for the Edmonton Eskimos.
Today, we submit as equally absurd the 5-9 B.C. Lions.
With a chance to virtually lock up third place in the West Monday in Winnipeg, the Lions imploded in historic fashion. With the Eskimos in town this Saturday and another opportunity to grab a playoff spot by the throat, B.C. on Wednesday released their No. 1 quarterback, Casey Printers, inviting a passel of controversy upon their dressing room.
The Canadian Football League has always had a bit of ludicrous in it, however. That's one of the reasons we like it, and one of the reasons we'll be in Vancouver Saturday night to witness first hand the Epic at Empire.
It should come with its own radio spot: "Two teams. Nine wins. Nineteen losses. One playoff spot.
"And come playoff time? Zero chance!"
It is hard to believe that any self-respecting playoff season would let either of these teams anywhere near it.
In Edmonton, it has been in the eyes of many the worst season in the modern day history of the franchise. The Eskimos have set records for their futility, been absolutely pounded by Calgary this season, and still require one victory to avoid posting their lowest wins total since 1964.
Yet in Vancouver lies a team so catastrophically troubled, that they found a way to keep the Eskimos in play. Last weekend in Winnipeg, leading 32-11 in the fourth quarter, the Lions suddenly fell apart. They punched opponents in the groin in full view of the officials, they threw OT picks, and in losing they breathed life into the moribund Eskimos.
Let's face it: When you're 4-10, you haven't had many breaks. More so, you haven't earned any breaks. Yet here are the Eskimos: With a win on Saturday Edmonton would be tied with B.C., and having won the season series they would be in control of their playoff destiny.
"It's crazy being at 4-10 and holding your own destiny. But that's the CFL. It's all you want in life, an opportunity to do good things," said linebacker Rod Davis. "You know, you say we don't deserve a chance. I say, it's about time to have breaks come our way.
"A lot of days, things ain't been coming our way this year. Finally we get a break," the Gulfport, Miss., native continued. "Now, it's our fault if we don't take advantage of it. It's easy at 4-10 to hang our heads and say, 'We'll get better next year.' But now we have a chance. Somebody looked out for us, gave us an opportunity. It's on us. We've just got to go out Saturday and prove we deserve that chance."
While the Eskimos have endured their share of controversy earlier in the season with the firing of GM Danny Maciocia and replacing two assistant coaches back in August, B.C. saved their turmoil for this past week when Printers was jettisoned.
Between the epic meltdown in Winnipeg, and the fact Printers berated his intended receiver on national TV after throwing the interception that lost the ballgame in OT, Buono's steady hand was forced.
"What happened in the fourth quarter was an embarrassment to all of us," Buono said in Vancouver this week. "The B.C. Lions as an organization don't condone that type of behaviour. We've worked hard for many, many years to build the reputation of an organization that has dignity and has class and has discipline, and in the fourth quarter there was none of that."
So QB Travis Lulay gets the starting job back. Will it help matters?
"Still too early," said receiver Paris Jackson. "This is a big game to figure out whether it was a good decision or not."
Wow, talk about a resounding endorsement…
Just in case you wondered if the Lions were still messed, that was a veteran receiver's opinion of the QB who will be running the Lions offence from here on in.
Yikes!
"What's going on over there, that's their own issues," said Eskimos head coach Richie Hall. "The meltdown, the release of their quarterback, that's their issues."
Hall has enough of his own issues to meddle in anyone else's.
And his players? They know this opportunity is the last one they'll see this season, if they don't knock off the Lions in Van City.
"In poker they say, all you need is a chip and a chair," said Esks linebacker Javier Glatt, an ex-Lion. "That's us right now. Give us a glimmer of hope, and let's take advantage if it."
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