THE CANADIAN PRESS
The guessing game is over even before the practice was to officially begin. The Eskimos have announced Matt Nichols will start at quarterback on Sunday in the Western
Division Semi-Final against the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Commonwealth Stadium.
Adding to the drama, the Eskimos also say that Mike Reilly should practice this week and should be available if needed for the game on Sunday.
Back on Nov. 1, the Eskimos clinched second place in the Western Division with a 37-3 win over the BC Lions. The Eskimos claimed a home playoff game for the Western Division Semi-Final on Nov. 16.
The win came at a cost however. Early in the fourth quarter, Mike Reilly rolled out to his right and took off towards the sidelines. He took a big hit and then had his right foot stepped on by a Lions player. Reilly finished the drive and then his night was done. His right foot was examined by Eskimos trainers and doctors, and the injury didn’t seem to be all that serious at that time.
Alarm bells went off when Reilly wasn’t a participant at practice last week as the Eskimos prepared for their regular season finale in Regina. Matt Nichols started at quarterback in a losing cause while Reilly stayed home to rest and get further treatment for his foot.
Before the game, Head coach Chris Jones gave this short update about Reilly’s injury status and his availability for the Western Semi-Final.
“Well he’s got a lower-leg injury and we are just maintaining that’s its day-to-day,” he said. “It’s one of the things we assume that he’s going to be ready to roll.”
It was very reasonable to let Reilly rest up for the next game which has much, much more meaning than the game in Regina.
Then reports surfaced from TSN suggesting Reilly’s injury might be more severe that first thought. Speaking on 63O CHED Radio’s weekly Eskimos Show hosted by the voice of the Eskimos Morley Scott, Eskimos general manager Ed Hervey gave a further update about Reilly’s injury.
“Right now we are still gathering information from the medical staff to determine Mike’s availability,” Hervey said. “We do have a reason to be concerned but we are continuing to gather information and when we know we will be able to give more at that time.”
Hervey expectedly didn’t address the TSN report, but the quote “we do have a reason to be concerned” has made Eskimos fans very nervous.
| 2014 CFL Playoffs: Always better live! |
|---|
 The Eskimos and Riders have met three times in the last six weeks, and on Nov. 16, they’ll meet a fourth time. Reserve your spot at the Western Semi-Final today, as one of the league’s hottest rivalries adds another chapter.
|
The Eskimos by now should have a very good idea what the injury is and the severity of the injury. Now it comes down to can he legitimately play at all? With Nichols starting, could Reilly come in and play at all if Nichols falters? Hard questions to answer right now — how much Reilly practices on his foot this week will go a long way in answering those questions.
Matt Nichols performed well against the Saskatchewan Roughriders in a 24-17 loss. He completed 71 per cent of his passes; the ball was out of his hands quick. He’s not as mobile as Reilly but he used his legs well to stay alive in the pocket. Nichols did get into trouble throwing the ball deep and that just comes down to reps. As the game wore on he was better at throwing down the field.
Having running back John White and slotback Adarius Bowman in the lineup for Sunday will help the offence. Having the best defense in the CFL gives the Eskimos more than a fighting chance against the Riders.
What Nichols has now is another week where he knows he is the going to be starter and will receive the majority of the starting reps in practice. The life of a backup is you have to be ready to play at any point, and quite often that means you are pressed into service at a moment’s notice. Now he gets to take part in the physical preparation during the practice week and not just mental preparation.
Nichols said following the loss last Saturday that having the most recent film on an opponent is a valuable resource; well, it doesn’t come more recent than last week.
The biggest question has been answered now and a new question emerges: can the Eskimos win with Matt Nichols? Nichols has a lot of help around him, not to mention the number one ranked defense in the CFL.
All Nichols needs to be is an efficient game manager.
