Edmonton And Ottawa To Battle For 103rd Grey Cup In Winnipeg

"They put a whole team together around him and he stayed healthy for the whole year", Miller said.

As odd as it sounds, the Eskimos needed to be back in the Grey Cup game.

Edmonton chalked up its ninth straight win Sunday with a 45-31 victory over the Calgary Stampeders in the West Division final.

In fact, Vegas odds makers installed the Eskimos as 8 1/2 point favourites shortly after the West Division final concluded.

"I know it's a big deal and I have a lot of respect for it", Ottawa head coach Rick Campbell said after defeating Hamilton.

Jones is also Edmonton's defensive co-ordinator, and he has built a group on that side of the ball that is one of the league's elite.

Jones and Campbell will go against one another for the CFL coach of the year award on Thursday night in Winnipeg.

But the CFL team's president and CEO has to shelf that disappointment as the club focuses on hosting a week of fun events leading up to the 103rd championship game between the Edmonton Eskimos and Ottawa Redblacks in Winnipeg. "You know the ball, more times than not, is coming to one of them". He had a hand in every touchdown the Eskimos scored. The Eskimos are still good, while the are a lot better.

"All three games we've played so far against Edmonton have been tight, low-scoring games". He has also thrown for more than 300 yards in four consecutive games. "We don't believe that, and our players don't believe that". We don't teach that. "They've won 15 games with those guys, right? I think that's why when we play and match up, the games are pretty tight". The last time the Eskimos were in the Grey Cup they won it. That was in 2005 - and since then, a decade of disappointment.

Danny Maciocia was Edmonton's head coach, while Ricky Ray was the quarterback.

As for the Eskimos, the changes that began with Ed Hervey being appointed the general manager have taken root.

The last time an Ottawa team was in the Grey Cup was 1981, when the Rough Riders lost to the Eskimos 26-23.

It's amusing how football works sometimes. Two defensive touchdowns were called back, one for a penalty and one for an inadvertent early whistle by the officials. He was just another name whose dream stalled. "Hank has been magical for this team all season, and he's after something". He wants to be a legend. Despite a rash of injuries that has swept across the unit, the team has found a number of fill-ins and converted defensive linemen that have got the job done. "I hope I'm half as good as he is at 40".

"When they're able to run the football, the offence just opens up to all kinds of things so it starts with being physical and stopping the run", said JC Sherritt. Cool, willing to take the second or even third read, trusting his receivers to get yards after the catch, and most importantly - and very much unlike the Stamps, who turned the ball over four times - making no mistakes.

John Hufnagel is done as Calgary's head coach, however, and he will move to the GM chair.

He did, however, confirm that Calgary assistant GM/Director of player personnel John Murphy is a candidate to become Saskatchewan's G.M. The man who replaced him, Jerome Messam, is a free agent. But on Sunday, his receivers didn't make any plays until late in the fourth quarter.

"When we were unable to score touchdowns in the first half, and they did, that really was a big factor in the overall outcome of the game", Hufnagel said.

"We thought it would be a good idea to camp out".