The Eskimos Report

Wow, what a roller coaster ride this season has been for an Eskimos fan. That game on Friday night was one of the most emotional for the faithful fans that I know in some time.

So What Happens Next?

For me it certainly ranked right up there as potentially the biggest game of the year for the green and gold. Lose and you drop to 3- 8, 8 points behind a playoff spot with 7 games left to play. Win and you improve to 4-7, 4 points back and the next two contests against Hamilton. If the roller coaster continues to climb here in Sept they could be 6-7 and solidify the crossover, embarrassing as it may be.

It was clear from the outset that the Eskimos were trying to do something different. I'm not sure if Maciocia has been reading the comments online and in the paper or whether he has been listening to the various talk radio show callers. When was the last time we saw the Eskimos run the ball 3 of the first 4 plays of a game? When was the last time we saw an Eskimo running back log over 80 yards in the first half? The whole offense showed much more spark and intensity on this night though or even the most radical changes in game planning would not have made any difference.

The defence certainly had a statement to make and punctuated it with a stellar effort as well. They were embarrassed, badly in Calgary and it was inspiring to see them take things personally in this game. Rookie Adam Braidwood has been improving all year and may have served notice that he will be around and a force on the Dline for years to come. He forced the fumbles for two defensive touchdowns, scoring one himself (although the game was one and it was merely window dressing it was nice to see him get it after such a solid game) and was instrumental in shutting down the inside running game.

Some people may hate AJ Gass for his style, but clearly he is the emotional leader of this defense. He had an outstanding game, all over the field making tackles and breaking up plays. Again, he was a major reason for the defence being able to shut down Joffrey Reynolds for the most part. Honorable mention should be given to the rest of the Eskimo defence on this night. Even though I have singled out two individuals, the entire squad showed what they were made of.

Speaking of showing what he was made of, I need to say a couple things about Ricky Ray. I remember watching him run the ball with reckless abandon and thinking, there's no way he's going to let us lose this game without a huge fight. He's doing everything he can to lead his team, to get the first down and to give an emotional spark. It looked at times like he would have to do it all by himself, but then the offense would be back on the next play or series and they hung in there. I said to the person with me early on that it's a game of 60 minutes, that even if we didn't blow them out it wouldn't matter we just needed to find a way to win. Ricky Ray gave that to the Eskimos on Friday night.

More than any other player he gave his team a chance to win. He gave others the opportunities to make plays. He kept the offense in the game which in turn took pressure off the defense and allowed them flourish. Is he the best QB in the league? I don't know about that. Some would say that if you needed a QB to win just one game that a healthy Dave Dickenson or Anthony Calvillo would be a better choice. While those are all good choices there should be no doubt about the fact that Ray is every bit the big game QB those other players are. He has demonstrated the knack to win big games when it counts.

In terms of athletic ability, there are a number of QB's with more. Most notably Henry Burris and Kerry Joseph. For poise, smarts and gamesmanship in this league it tough to pick anyone over Damon Allen. He ranks up there in athletic and big game ability. Ray is mix with all of them, and although he falls off athletically a little he ranks high on the list as a clutch performer. So is he the best. As a Eskimo fan personally it doesn't matter at this point. My reasoning is simple. I have read and heard a number of times this season that the Eskimos are rebuilding. With the infusion of youth they have added and are now starting it's tough not to see it that way, although that will still never be an excuse to miss the playoffs.

Here's the question I have been building to with all this. As a CFL football fan, putting all bias aside, if you were building a team in this league who among those mentioned would you want as a QB? I think the choice is obvious. Ricky Ray has all the intangibles you want in a QB, a proven clutch performer, with 2 Grey Cup rings. The best part is that he's only 26 years old and has evolved into a veteran leader on this team. The best?, maybe not but certainly the only one I would want here.

Cheers