Post by buwu on Jan 15, 2013 7:00:29 GMT -5
EDMONTON -- The Edmonton Eskimos have gone from a team all but written off to one that controls its own destiny. Purple Torrey Smith Jersey . Kerry Joseph passed for three touchdowns Saturday as the Eskimos kept a possible playoff path through the CFLs West Division open with a 37-20 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders. It was the second win in a row for the Eskimos on the heels of a five-game losing streak and improved their record to 7-8 to move one game back of the Roughriders (8-7) for third in the West. Edmonton now also owns the season series between the two teams in the event of a tie. "Weve turned some things around," Joseph said. "I think we have turned the corner, but we are not where we want to be yet. We still have an uphill battle. We have put ourselves in a good situation where we can control our destiny now. "We just have to continue on the positives from the last couple weeks and stay humble, hungry and focused. If we can play the way we played the last two weeks we can make some noise." Both teams are ahead of Hamilton for third in the East Division in the event of a playoff cross-over game. "Were one more step closer to where we want to be and next week is a whole new season for us," said Eskimos head coach Kavis Reed. "Were not hurting ourselves right now. We are playing smart football. Were aggressive and not afraid to take chances and thats very important in this league and given the situation that we find ourselves in." Saskatchewan, meanwhile, saw a three-game winning streak come to an end. "We knew we were on a short week, but we cant use that as an excuse," said Roughriders head coach Corey Chamblin. "We came out to play a football game and they won it. We must move on. Were still a winning team right now. Our focus is to get into the playoffs and the biggest disappointment is that we didnt get into the playoffs today." There was a comedy of errors to start the contest. It began when Tristan Jackson fumbled a punt return that was picked up by a hard-charging Ryan King at the Saskatchewan 28. However, on the next play, Eskimos receiver Cary Koch fumbled it right back and Saskatchewans Craig Butler ran it all the way back to the Edmonton 37-yard line. That would lead to a two-yard pass from Darian Durant to Weston Dressler for his 11th TD catch of the season and a 7-0 Saskatchewan lead midway through the opening quarter. Edmonton got the ball deep in Roughriders territory once again with five minutes to play in the first as a bobbled snap led to a two-yard punt picked up by Simoni Lawrence at the Saskatchewan 22. The opportunity was quickly converted as Joseph found Fred Stamps on a deep corner route to make it 7-7. The Eskimos took a three-point lead five minutes into the second on a 30-yard Grant Shaw field goal. Edmonton immediately got the ball back as J.C. Sherritt picked off Durant and returned the ball to the Riders 40. The turnover eventually paid off with a three-yard TD pass to Koch, who showed deft hands to reel in the ball to put Edmonton up 17-7 midway through the quarter. Both teams added field goals to their totals before the end of the first half. The Eskimos padded their lead two minutes into the third quarter on a nice-looking drive. One play after taking a handoff from Joseph and then passing back to his quarterback for a first down, running back Hugh Charles made a great move on the sideline to scamper 27 yards for a touchdown and a 27-10 Edmonton lead. Saskatchewan caught a break midway through the third as Jerome Messam fumbled at the Riders seven-yard line and the Roughriders recovered. But Edmonton got the ball back and made good on it, capping off their drive with a 10-yard TD pass from Joseph to Nate Coehoorn to surge ahead 34-10. The Roughriders cut into that lead on a three-yard passing TD to Scott McHenry and a Durant keeper for the two-point convert to make it 34-18 after three quarters of play. The Esks added another Shaw field goal six minutes into the fourth and allowed a late safety to close out the scoring. The Eskimos return to action next Friday when they travel to Vancouver to face the B.C. Lions. The Roughriders are home to the Montreal Alouettes next Saturday. Notes: It was the third and final meeting between the two teams this season, with both winning at home. Saskatchewan won the first encounter 17-1, with Edmonton coming back to win the second match 28-20. ... Edmonton came into the game with a 40-9 record against the Roughriders at Commonwealth Stadium and were 11-2 in the last 13 at home including wins in both Roughriders visits last year and the first one this year. ... Sherritt was back in the Edmonton lineup after missing last weeks game against Hamilton with knee and foot problems. Sherritt is the leagues leading tackler with 104. ... Also returning to play for Edmonton was Koch, who missed two games with a collarbone injury, and fullback Calvin McCarty, who was absent the last four games with a high-ankle sprain. ... Between them, Dressler and Kory Sheets accounted for 21 of the Roughriders 34 offensive touchdowns this season coming into the contest. ... The Riders lead the league in average time of possession at 28 minutes 55 seconds. Black Haloti Ngata Jersey . "It was probably one of our worst games in the playoffs," said Patrik Elias, a member of the past two New Jersey Devils championships. Pink Ed Reed Jersey . As negotiations with the NHL resumed Tuesday, NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr indicated that the union was getting close to responding to the leagues initial proposal, which included a decreased share of hockey-related revenue, term limits on contracts and a 22 per cent salary rollback. www.shopnflravensgear.com/dannell-ellerbe-jersey/ .C. -- A person familiar with the situation says the Carolina Panthers have agreed to terms on a three-year contract with free agent linebacker Kenny Onatolu. Ravens Dennis Pitta Jersey .S. Senate seat. Seven former directors -- including McMahon -- and two officers of Broadway Bank ignored federal warnings about just how risky some of the banks loans were, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. lawsuit filed last month. Joe Flacco Jersey ." The former U.S. Postal Service rider failed an out-of-competition doping test on Aug. 29, the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport said, and was provisionally suspended by Cycling South Africa ahead of an independent tribunal. He now faces a two-year ban.CARDIFF -- David Pocock will make his first appearance in Australias end-of-year tour of Europe as the Wallabies go in search of a victory in Cardiff on Saturday that would condemn Wales to the third band of seeds for the 2015 World Cup. The flanker is back from a knee injury and takes the place of Michael Hooper in one of three changes to the starting lineup from last weekends 22-19 win in Italy. "David is one of the best in the world as a player, and is growing every day as a leader, so naturally we are delighted to have him back," Australia coach Robbie Deans said. Lock Kane Douglas replaces the suspended Sitaleki Timani and Tatafu Polota-Nau comes in for Stephen Moore at hooker. Wales made four changes -- all in the pack -- in a bid to end a six-match losing run that began with three straight losses to Australia in a tight series in June. Another defeat will leave the Welsh out of the worlds top eight in the rankings and consign the team to a humiliating aautumn whitewash. Courtney Upshaw Jersey. . Props Gethin Jenkins and Scott Andrews were recalled to the front row, Ian Evans took over from the injured lock Bradley Davies and Aaron Shingler was named in place of flanker Ryan Jones. ------ Lineups: Wales: Leigh Halfpenny, Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, Liam Williams; Rhys Priestland, Mike Phillips; Toby Faletau, Sam Warburton (captain), Aaron Shingler, Luke Charteris, Ian Evans, Scott Andrews, Matthew Rees, Gethin Jenkins. Reserves: Ken Owens, Ryan Bevington, Samson Lee, Ryan Jones, Justin Tipuric, Tavis Knoyle, Dan Biggar, Scott Williams. Australia: Berrick Barnes, Nick Cummins, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Ben Tapuai, Drew Mitchell, Kurtley Beale, Nick Phipps; Wycliff Palu, David Pocock, Scott Higginbotham, Nathan Sharpe, Kane Douglas, Ben Alexander, Tatafu Polota Nau, Benn Robinson. Reserves: Stephen Moore, James Slipper, Sekope Kepu, Dave Dennis, Michael Hooper, Brendan McKibbin, Mike Harris, Digby Ioane ' ' '