Eskimos get 1st win of season

Ricky Ray and Andre Talbot helped the Edmonton Eskimos narrowly avoid another disaster on Friday, hooking up for a late touchdown in a 28-25 win over the B.C. Lions.

Ray also threw a touchdown earlier in the second half to Kelly Campbell at Commonwealth Stadium to help Edmonton to its first win in five games this season, with Noel Prefontaine contributing four field goals.

Chris Thompson recorded two key interceptions for the Eskimos to bring his total to five this season, while Arkee Whitlock was a sparkplug with 102 rushing yards on 18 carries.

The win occurred on a rainy night that saw the game delayed late in the second quarter for several minutes at the heaviest part of the storm, with power temporarily out.

It was nearly lights out for the Eskimos, who came close to going 0-5 for the first time since 1965.

"We had a lot of urgency and heart out there," said Eskimos head coach Richie Hall. "Those guys all wanted to play today. With the storm and everything, [the Lions] came back. They hit us with a couple big blows and we came back."

Eskimos president Rich Lelacheur deemed last week's loss in Winnipeg an embarrassment and promised changes should the team lose to the Lions, although he didn't get specific as to whether coaches or players would be most affected.

Edmonton seemed willing to call Lelacheur's bluff nevertheless by nearly throwing away the game in the second half. With a chance to go up by 15 points in the third quarter, Ray was stuffed short of the goal-line on third down.

On the next drive Ray wasn't on the same page as his receivers, with Davis Sanchez of the Lions returning an interception 54 yards to the end zone for an 18-17 Edmonton lead.

The Eskimos added a field goal but then conceded a safety and saw diminutive B.C. rookie Yonus Davis blaze for an 88-yard touchdown return on the ensuing kickoff to put the Lions ahead midway through the fourth.

It seemed Edmonton would fold again, but they caught a break in facing a B.C. team that has also been adept this season at shooting themselves in the feet. The Lions held the Montreal Alouettes without a touchdown in a July 16 home game yet still lost, and then coughed up a 14-point lead in a defeat in Toronto last week.

B.C. quarterback Travis Lulay, in just his second CFL start, looked more harried than in his debut against Toronto.

Lulay rushed for 62 yards and a touchdown against Edmonton, but managed just 134 passing yards, more than half of those in the fourth quarter with his team in desperation mode. He  unwisely tried to make something out of nothing late in the game, leading to Thompson's second interception.

B.C. has now dropped four in a row since winning their season opener. The Lions will try and regroup at home Aug. 7 against Calgary.

"It's crisis mode every week," Lions head coach Wally Buono said. "The reality right now offensively is that we make too many mistakes. The quarterback is too inconsistent and it is difficult to win football games. Until that corrects itself it is going to be tough."

Prefontaine and Paul McCallum of the Lions traded field goals in the first quarter as the two lowest scoring CFL teams combined for just three first downs and 72 net offensive yards.

The Eskimos early in the second racked up 69 yards on a drive from Ray completions to Talbot (twice), Andrew Nowacki and Fred Stamps, but had to settle for another Prefontaine field goal.

The Lions weren't getting much going through the air, but running back Jamal Robertson provided a spark by busting it 69 yards up the middle.

The big play set up a nine-yard scoring scramble for Lulay and B.C. led 10-6 just as the storm came, with lightning in the distance.

After play resumed, Lulay was hit in the third quarter while attempting a pass in B.C. territory, with Thompson hanging onto the ball for an interception.

The Edmonton offence took advantage of the great field position. After completions to Jason Barnes and Stamps, Ray lofted the ball deep in the end zone for a seven-yard touchdown to Campbell to help make the score 16-10.

"We had to win this game," Campbell said. "There was no other option at all. We talked about it all week. We had nothing else to lose. We just had to go out there and get it.

"We knew it was going to be a dogfight for both teams. We had to make sure we came out on top. It's a big relief."

After the Lions fizzled offensively and conceded a safety, the Esks marched again. Stamps drew a roar from the crowd by fighting through B.C. tackle attempts on the way to a 35-yard reception.

But Ray got stuffed on third-and-goal and then was picked off by Sanchez on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Whitlock helped set up another Prefontaine field goal with a 32-yard rush but the lead was precarious.

Davis, who nearly fumbled away a punt return earlier in the game, silenced the crowd with his long return to put the Lions back on top, 25-21.

But Edmonton responded to their gut-check moment. Campbell took a screen pass and sped to a 46-yard gain into B.C. territory, one of his game-high eight catches.

Ray then shook off a Korey Banks sack to find Talbot for the nine-yard score. The Edmonton pivot would complete 25 of 34 attempts for 360 yards.

"We didn't play our best game," Ray said. "But it is good for us to feel that we don't have to play perfect to win. That when we are not playing well, the defence can pick it up for us."

On the final chances for the Lions, Kai Ellis and Kenny Pettway burst through with pressure to force a Lulay fumble.

Division mates Calgary and Saskatchewan likely welcomed Friday's result, with those teams two games ahead of the Eskimos and Lions.

Edmonton will try for its first winning streak on Aug. 6 when they host Toronto.