The heat is on in CFL showdown

With the temperature in Winnipeg expected to hit 30 C, the Edmonton Eskimos and Winnipeg Blue Bombers will find out who can stand the heat. Chris O’Leary outlines four things to watch for as the offensively charged Bombers play host to the defensively min

THE BATTLE IN THE TRENCHES

You’d be right arguing that the offensive/defensive-line battle is the most important in any game, but this win will truly be decided by which team owns the line of scrimmage. If Winnipeg quarterback Drew Willy can operate without too much pressure from the Eskimos, the points should ring up on the board quickly. If, like the past three weeks, the Edmonton defensive line can find its way to the QB, there will be rushed plays, turnovers and a lot of that blue No. 5 jersey on the turf. Winnipeg has given up 10 sacks already this year, ahead of just the B.C. Lions (11) and Hamilton Tiger-Cats (14).

“We want to get after Drew Willy,” Eskimos defensive end Marcus Howard said. “But I think (Winnipeg has) the best offensive line we’ve played all year so far.”

It’s more than the line of scrimmage getting crossed when these two teams line up across one another. Tempers and emotions usually get the best of both teams.

“There’ve been a few runins between the groups,” Bombers left tackle Glenn January admitted.

TWO UNDERSTATED COACHES

Esks coach Chris Jones and Bombers coach Mike O’Shea don’t reveal much to the media, but they’ve both got the coveted buy-in from their players. January said O’Shea has a cool grip on the room. “One of his great abilities is to stand up there and tell you something in a stern fashion without yelling at you and getting the message home,” January said. “He’s treating everyone the same and he expects the same frome veryone, whether you’re an eight-year vet or you’re a rookie.”

After a poor walk-through practice on Wednesday morning in Edmonton, Howard found out that a tough-toread coach can be more stress inducing than a drill sergeant-type.

“We had a terrible walkthrough. Guys were losing focus,” Howard said. “You could make the excuse that it’s early morning (they were on the field at 8:30 a.m.), but guys were not getting play calls, not getting to where they’re supposed to be.

“Coach Jones, like a good head coach, he called us out on it.”

It wasn’t a classic blowup from the coach, Howard said.

“He has a way. He hasn’t gone crazy or anything like that. You’re not walking on eggshells, but you know you have to be on point with everything in the game, in walk-through, everything, or you’re going to hear from somebody on it sooner or later.”

Sans outburst, the Edmonton coach is hard to read.

“He always wears those sunglasses,” Howard said of Jones. “And you can’t tell if he’s looking at you or not. I told him last week before the game, ‘Take those glasses off, you’re kind of intimidating us.’”

SHERRITT A SCRATCH

Injured Eskimos linebacker J.C. Sherritt was on the team’s depth chart on Wednesday, but Jones confirmed that Sherritt will not suit up against the Bombers. A lingering foot injury will keep him out of his third game this year. Rookie Dexter McCoil will get the start in Sherritt’s place.

50-50 GROWING

Sports Illustrated tweeted a picture on Wednesday morning of NFL legend Johnny Unitas’s 1956 contract. It was for $7,000 a year. The Eskimos’ 50-50 pot from last week was more than 10 times that a mount—$71,732 — and went unclaimed.