New faces could have a critical impact on both sides of Eskimos-Alouettes clash

For both teams involved in Friday' night's Montreal-Edmonton CFL clash (9 p.m. Eastern, TSN/ESPN3), it could be new faces that make the difference between victory and defeat. The Eskimos made one of the most high-profile midseason acquisitions in recent memory this week, signing CFL rushing leader Cory Boyd after he was bizarrely cut loose by Toronto. He's already impressed in practice, will be in uniform Friday night and could see 10-15 snaps, combining with current starter Hugh Charles to make the Eskimos' ground game even more fearsome. Meanwhile, the Alouettes have plenty of their own new faces entering the lineup thanks to injuries to Jamel Richardson, Brandon Whitaker, Marc-Olivier Brouillette and Seth Williams. It's not all about the new names, of course, as there are plenty of longer-tenured players on each side who will also be crucial, but a boost to either side from new faces might be enough to tip the balance here.

On the Edmonton front, Boyd could have a substantial impact. Yes, the Eskimos have been doing all right in the ground game with Charles, who's collected 400 rushing yards (fifth in the league) and two touchdowns, but it's taken him 84 attempts to get there, giving him just a 4.8 yards per carry average. A large part of that's because Edmonton's passing attack hasn't really clicked into place consistently yet; Steven Jyles looked very good last week against Saskatchewan, completing 18 of 23 passes (78.3 per cent) for 282 yards and a touchdown, but he's been more up-and-down on the year, which has allowed teams to focus on stopping Charles.

Of course, that won't necessarily change with Boyd, but, contrary to Boyd's previous general manager's beliefs, it's very possible to run against a stacked box, especially with a power back like Boyd. It's that contrast in styles that may be the most effective part of this pickup; Boyd's power and Charles' speed expand the variety of running plays Edmonton can use, and alternating between those kinds of backs can significantly throw off defences, especially if both are on the field at the same time. In addition to the double-tailback package, Charles can also line up at wide receiver or slotback, further expanding the Eskimos' potential looks. Don't expect Boyd to take over this game single-handedly, especially as he's still adjusting to the Edmonton system, but he could make a difference on the plays where he's used, and just having him in the lineup gives Montreal's defence plenty of new worries to consider.

It's Montreal where the new faces may have an even larger impact, though. The losses of Richardson and Whitaker in particular are huge, as they led the league in receiving and rushing yards respectively last year, but the sometimes-vulnerable-looking defence and special teams will also miss Brouillette and Williams. With most teams, there would be a substantial step down from those guys, but as Clifford Pine points out, there are always plenty of talented guys waiting in the wings in Montreal. General manager Jim Popp has a substantial focus on depth, and that's paid off in the past with players like Whitaker and Brouillette who slowly worked their way up into crucial roles. A lot of those players only made their impact following injuries, too, so this attrition can also be seen as a chance for new players to step up. We'll see if the current crop of replacements, including running back Victor Anderson, receivers Trent Guy and Bo Bowling and linebackers Wopamo Osaisai and Michael Carter, can step in and take advantage of their opportunities Friday night.