WINNIPEG — Edmonton Eskimos‘ leading receiver Adarius Bowman sees similarities between his team’s pass catchers and their Ottawa Redblacks‘ counterparts.
While Ottawa’s offence features four receivers who each hauled in more than 1,000 yards receiving this season — only the third time for one team in league history — the veteran Eskimos slotback is confident in his own side.
“I definitely feel like we have the same group that can do those same things,” Bowman said of his team, which will play the Redblacks in Sunday’s Grey Cup. “No offence to the Ottawa receivers, I take my group still. Even if we were doing the draft right now, I’d take my same group.”
Ottawa quarterback Henry Burris helped develop his team’s prolific quartet of Chris Williams (1,214 yards), Greg Ellingson (1,061), Brad Sinopoli (1,035) and Ernest Jackson (1,036).
Bowman led Edmonton’s receivers with 93 catches for 1,364 yards and seven touchdowns, just behind league-leader Eric Rogers from Calgary (1,448 yards).
CFL rookie of the year Derel Walker set an Edmonton club record for receptions by a rookie with 89. The wide receiver racked up 1,110 yards with six TDs in only 10 starts.
Slotback Kenny Stafford hauled in 47 passes for 732 yards and led the Esks with nine TDs in 18 starts. Kendial Lawrence, who also returns kicks, was next with 332 yards off 35 catches with three TDs.
Some of the output came with quarterback Mike Reilly on the shelf with a knee injury he suffered in the season-opener that kept him off the field until early September.
“This is a pro league, there’s going to be great players everywhere,” Walker said after Friday’s practice at Investors Group Field.
“I wouldn’t change my receiving corps with any other receiving corps in the league. I love these guys. We’ve been through so much together. I’m just ready to strap it up with these guys one more time this season.”
Edmonton’s defence is often the side getting most of the praise, but the defensive line also tipped its hats to the offence.
Since Reilly’s return, the team has put up a nine-game winning streak.
“They started clicking like really, really well towards the end of the year,” Edmonton fifth-year defensive lineman Almondo Sewell said. “And if I was supposed to choose, that’s when you really wanted that because we had a bunch of injuries.
“We all feed off of each other. The offence goes out there to do their thing. We go out there. We’re all feeding off of each other’s energy. It’s a good time to start doing it.”
Edmonton head coach Chris Jones said the defence complements the offence and sets them up to do what they do best.
“We’ve got an awful good offence,” Jones said. “And when you’ve got a good defence, that means that offensively they’re staying on the field.”
Fifth-year linebacker J.C. Sherritt described his team’s receivers as “very explosive.”
“Adarius is one of the best players I’ve ever played with,” he said. “And then I think everybody’s going to see now what (Walker) can do.
“And then the guys that aren’t in the headlines. Nate Coehoorn and Shamawd (Chambers) and Kenny (Stafford), who show up every day and seem to make a big play for us.
“They’re as complete a receiving corps as I’ve ever played with.”
