Riders can't pull off comeback against Esks' D and special teams, but had a big non-call on PI

The Edmonton Eskimos managed to prove Sunday that you can win in the CFL without offensive scoring. In an 18-10 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the West semifinal, the Eskimos scored three field goals and two rouges, plus a return touchdown from Kendial Lawrence. That wasn't even a dominant special teams performance, as kicker Hugh O'Neill was only three for five on field goals on the day (but he did add two singles on missed FGs and one on a punt, so that's something, at least). The Eskimos also let the Riders hang around until the dying moments despite an incredible array of Saskatchewan turnovers, and that was mostly thanks to their own offence's struggles. They could have even potentially seen the game tied on a late Saskatchewan drive, where what appeared to be pass interference by the Edmonton defence wasn't detected either by the on-field officials or by the replay booth following a challenge from Riders' head coach Corey Chamblin. In the end, though, the Eskimos did enough to hang on for the win, and they'll take on Calgary in a Battle of Alberta West Final next week.

A big storyline heading into this playoff clash was the dominance of the Eskimos' defence, which led the league in a lot of key categories this season. They lived up to their reputation Sunday, holding Saskatchewan to just one touchdown and not a lot of yards while forcing a ton of turnovers and limiting the ground game. Sure, that was perhaps aided by the cold conditions and preferred Riders' quarterback Darian Durant not being available (both starter Kerry Joseph and backup Tino Sunseri struggled), but Edmonton head coach/defensive coordinator Chris Jones and his defence had a lot to do with this one as well. They held Joseph to 120 passing yards (many of which came on a single, underthrown 54-yard touchdown bomb to a wide-open Korey Williams on some blown coverage near the end of the first half) and seven completions on 17 attempts (a 41.2 per cent completion rate), and picked him off five times while allowing just one passing touchdown. They also stopped Saskatchewan on the ground; Anthony Allen collected just 22 yards on six carries (3.7 yards per), and while the Roughriders probably abandoned the run too early, their lack of success rushing the ball was a big part of the reason why. Edmonton's defence had a lot to do with that.

It's a good thing the Eskimos' defence was outstanding Sunday, as the offence was anything but. Running back John White had a good day, collecting 134 yards on 19 carries (7.1 yards per carry), but he was about the only Edmonton offensive player who really shone. Starting quarterback Matt Nichols was brutal, completing 12 of 23 passes (52.2 per cent) for 59 yards with an interception, and while typical starter Mike Reilly (who was returning from a foot injury) was reasonably good in relief, completing six of his eight passes (75 per cent), he only threw for 53 yards. League-leading receiver Adarius Bowman had some big catches, but was generally covered well, and only finished the day with five catches for 45 yards. The Eskimos couldn't consistently move the chains or generate offensive points, and that's why Saskatchewan was able to stay in the game.

In fact, the Riders had an excellent chance to tie it on a late drive. Sunseri finally seemed to figure things out, and made some key throws, with Brett Swain in particular hauling in a huge catch at the three-minute warning. However, a shot downfield soon after that appeared to be an obvious case of pass interference thanks to a push from an Edmonton defensive back, but it wasn't called on the field and was deemed inconclusive once challenged. That call didn't necessarily decide the game; there's no guarantee Saskatchewan would have scored afterwards, they still had further chances once that ball dropped that they didn't capitalize on, and it's hard to argue with the Eskimos being the more impressive team on the day. Still, that non-call is going to be a big talking point this week, especially amongst Riders' fans.

Nevertheless, the Eskimos did enough to hang in this and move on with a win. They overcame tough conditions, a strong opposing defence and not a lot of fan support, and they now have a chance to take on the Calgary Stampeders for a berth in the Grey Cup. That one won't be easy, as Calgary was a league best 15-3 this year for a good reason, and the Stampeders have looked like a more complete team thus far. This Edmonton defence is tough to beat, though, and they showed Sunday that that can sometimes be enough.