It was a season of streaks for the Edmonton Eskimos in 2017, but they still ended up going to the West Final. If they can put together some consistency in 2018 and stay healthy, they could be a contender. They would love to get to the Grey Cup this season, as the Eskimos will host the 106th edition of the event.
Edmonton Eskimos 2018 regular season win total
Over 11.5
Under 11.5
Odds courtesy of BetDSI Sportsbook.
What Happened Last Year
The Eskimos won their seven games of the season, then lost their next six games. They ended the season on a five-game winning streak to finish at 12-6, putting them in third place in the West Semi-Final. There, the Eskimos won in Winnipeg before falling to their rivals from Calgary in the West Final.
Quarterback Mike Reilly was the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player last season, while receiver Adarius Bowman won the Tom Pate Memorial Award for outstanding sportsmanship. The offense was very good, coming in tied for third in points scored, and they led the league in time of possession. However, the defense struggled at times, ranking sixth in points allowed. Considering how much the offense had the ball, that is not a good look for Edmonton.
What Will Change This Year
The loss of receiver Brandon Zylstra to the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings is massive as he had 100 catches for 1,687 yards and five touchdowns last season. Bowman is gone to Winnipeg, so his five touchdowns need to be replaced. Kenny Ladler is working out with the NFL’s Washington Redskins, and the safety/linebacker was the Eskimos’ leading tackler last season. John White is back as after a knee injury, but the running back might have lost his spot to C.J. Gable, who was impressive after coming over from Hamilton. Defensive tackle Da’Qun Bowers decided to retire, taking his seven sacks with him. Fellow tackle Euclid Cummings moved to British Columbia, but he is in legal trouble and is now out of the league.
Outlook & Prediction
The Eskimos did get caught up in a slew of injuries last season, which sparked their midseason slump. Reilly is a very good quarterback and the Eskimos do have some good receivers left, but losing Zylstra was a huge blow for them. The combination of D’haquille Williams and Vidal Hazelton, among others, need to step up. The Eskimos could also run more as Gable is back, and Reilly actually led the CFL in rushing touchdowns with 12.
However, the Eskimos have a lot to replace on defense as they lost a lot up front and then they lost Ladler, which would allow them figure things out with the pass rush. The Eskimos should be fine offensively, and head coach Jason Maas will basically led Reilly work it out. However, on the defensive end, the Eskimos have a lot of work to do and it might be too much to get over 11.5 wins. They should come in under that number, although ten wins should be a suitable target.
