The Edmonton Eskimos captured their fourth-consecutive victory with a 30-5 win over Saskatchewan at home Friday night in Canadian Football League play in front of 37,842 fans, the team’s largest crowd of the season.
Edmonton’s defense held Saskatchewan to just a field goal. The other two points were 1-pointers.
In the Canadian Football League, teams can get one-pointers. The kicking team can get one pointers on any punt or missed field goal that does not touch the goal post.
If the returner is tackled in the end zone or the ball goes out of bounds in the end zone, the kicking team is awarded one point. After that happens, the receiving team takes over at its own 35 and begins the next drive.
This rule does not apply to made field goals, kickoffs, fumbles out of the end zone or kicks that hit the goal post. On a made field goal or after at point after touchdown, the defensive team can elect to take the ball at their own 35 instead of having a kickoff.
Otha Foster III had another solid game. He recorded three tackles and he picked up his first sack of the season.
This season, the 2006 Varnado High School graduate has posted 15 tackles to go with the sack Friday night.
Foster is part of the CFL’s No. 1 defense. Edmonton is allowing 300 yards per game to its opponents through the first five games. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are second at 319.
In Friday’s game, Edmonton was ahead 10-0 after the first quarter. Saskatchewan scored four unanswered points in the second to trim the deficit to six.
But the Eskimos pretty much ended any doubt of which team would win this one in the third quarter, outscoring Saskatchewan 13-1, to go up 23-5 after three.
Edmonton added a touchdown in the fourth to reflect the final score of 30-5.
Quarterback Matt Nichols completed 27 of 39 passes for 300 yards with two touchdowns.
Adarius Bowman was the team’s leading receiver this week, catching nine passes for 111 yards.
Kenny Stafford and Kendial Lawrence tallied a touchdown reception each for Edmonton.
Patrick Watkins led the defense Friday with a big game. He posted five tackles, a sack and two interceptions.
The victory was Edmonton’s fourth in a row. The Eskimos are now 4-1 this season. Saskatchewan falls to 0-6. Despite the record, going in to Friday’s game, Saskatchewan’s biggest loss was by just 10 points, and the others were by four or fewer.
Edmonton is 4-1 this season and the Eskimos are in first place of the West Division. They are one up in the loss column over 4-2 Calgary.
Edmonton is back in action Aug. 6 on the road against 2-3 BC. BC comes into the contest after a 23-13 loss to Winnipeg.
That begins a two-game road trip, as Aug. 13, Edmonton faces Montreal.