Eskimos lose Ricky Ray to injury in rout

The Edmonton Eskimos enter their bye week with six losses and might come out of it with a very different look.

Trades or firings could highlight the Canadian Football League team's 12-day break following a 56-15 drubbing at the hands of Calgary on Sunday night, the Stampeders' highest-ever, single-game output against their provincial rivals.

General manager Danny Maciocia was axed last month and second-year head coach Richie Hall could be next.

Henry Burris passed for 305 yards and three touchdowns and the Stamps scored 17 points off turnovers on the way to becoming the first team to win six times this season. They sit atop the West Division with a 6-1 record and have held opponents to under 30 points in all seven games.

"We have to humbly take this win because we have to see them twice for the Labour Classic and the rematch," Calgary running back Joffrey Reynolds said.

"With the score the way it is, you can best believe when they come back here for Labour Day, they don't want that to happen again."

The 1-6 Eskimos are off to their worst start since 1965 and tied with B.C. for last in the eight-team CFL.

"I think it was pitiful, our performance today," Hall said. "It's pretty pitiful regarding our performance over the first third of the season."

The Eskimos could be minus veteran quarterback Ricky Ray in the lineup when they host the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Aug. 28.

Sternum injury

Ray, who took a bone-crunching hit late in last week's loss to Toronto, exited Sunday's game in the second quarter with a sternum injury after being tackled hard by Calgary's Robert McCune. Ray completed two passes before leaving the game and didn't return.

"The doctors did look [at it]," Ray said following the game. "I tried to throw one ball and it was pretty painful and I just couldn't really get anything on it. We'll find out more tomorrow."

If Ray can't go, Hall said he's confident Maas can pick up the slack.

"Any time you lose a player it makes a tough season a little tougher," Hall said. "That's why we have Jason Maas."

Fifth in CFL passing yardage entering the contest, Ray completed only two of five passes for 19 yards against a tough Stampeders defence before he got hurt. Second-year Eskimo Jared Zabransky split time with Jason Maas the rest of the way and connected on eight of 16 pass attempts for 107 yards and a touchdown.

He also threw one interception, one play after making good on a third-and-six gamble. Zabransky's pass found the hands of Calgary defensive back Dwight Anderson, who ran 87 yards into the Edmonton end zone to give the home side a comfortable 32-8 lead it wouldn't relinquish.

After a sluggish third quarter in which the Stampeders appeared to lose focus, they proceeded to put up 23 points in the final 15 minutes to punctuate their ninth win in the last 10 home starts.

Nik Lewis extended his record of consecutive games with a reception to 112 and had touchdown receptions of eight and nine yards in the fourth quarter. He compiled 117 yards on five receptions, while backup quarterback Drew Tate found Romby Bryant in the end zone with under four minutes remaining and also rushed for a major.

"We're showing we're a better team than everybody gave us credit for, but at the same time, we've still got a long way to go," declared Lewis.

Former Winnipeg Blue Bombers receiver Arjei Franklin will remember his first touchdown as a Stampeder. The five-foot-nine wideout hauled in a 17-yard pass from Burris just inside the goal line while absorbing a bone-jarring hit by Edmonton linebacker Maurice Lloyd.

Reynolds 10th on rushing list

Reynolds had the Stampeders' other major, rushing 14 times for 79 yards to pass former Montreal Alouettes quarterback Tracy Ham into 10th on the all-time CFL rushing list with 8,063.

Playing in his 101st CFL game, the two-time defending league rushing champion opened the scoring Sunday on Calgary's first possession running up the middle nearly untouched for 27 yards.

With the Eskimos down 18-1 and an ailing Ray on the sidelines, Maas relieved Zabransky in the second quarter and found slotback Jason Barnes for a 29-yard strike. Zabransky was back in and on the ensuing play connected with Barnes for a 28-yard TD reception before Calgary answered with a couple of majors before the half.

Kelly Campbell, filling for an injured Fred Stamps at receiver, gave Edmonton a bit of life 78 seconds into the third quarter when he returned a Burke Dales punt 95 yards to cut the Stampeders lead to 32-15.

Campbell also missed a potential touchdown in the first half when he tripped over a teammate at midfield on a kick return. He finished the night with five punt returns for 162 yards and five kickoff returns for 141 yards.

Stampeders kicker Rob Maver booted a 33-yard field goal in the first quarter but missed from 25 yards in the third, his first gaffe since Week 1.

Calgary returns to action Aug. 27 at Vancouver against the 1-6 B.C. Lions.

Sunday's game marked 50th anniversary of the first CFL game played at McMahon Stadium. The Stampeders sported retro uniforms, including grey pants with red stripes.