CFL.ca Staff

EDMONTON -- Kerry Joseph will get the call for the second-straight game on Friday night, as the Esks look to tackle the Stamps in a rematch of Labour Day.

The 38-year-old threw for 311 yards and two touchdowns on 17-27 passing in Monday’s 31-30 loss to the Stamps, proving leadership and momentum in his first start in over two and a half years.

“I thought he had a game-winning performance,” Head Coach Kavis Reed said of Joseph. “I thought he gave us an opportunity to win. Even at the end, he drove the ball to give us an opportunity to kick the game-winning field goal.”

Joseph was called on two weeks ago in Toronto, after Steven Jyles went down with a calf injury, and played well in the Esks’ 26-17 win at Rogers Centre. When Jyles wouldn’t be ready for Labour Day, that led to Joseph getting the start.

“Kerry Joseph, he’s a leader,” receiver Fred Stamps said. “Not to take anything away from Steven Jyles, he’s a leader, too."

“But, we’re behind our quarterbacks 100 per cent, all three of them, including Matt (Nichols).”

After a slow start to the game for both teams, Joseph found a spark on offence to eventually give his team a 14-7 lead at the half, which included more than 200 yards of passing from Joseph.

“Once we started going no-huddle, and we started getting a feel for what they were doing defensively, we got into a rhythm offensively,” Joseph said. “I think the biggest disappointment was coming out at halftime (for the third quarter). We got the (kickoff) and we had the wind at our backs, but we didn’t take advantage of that.

This week, Reed was given just one day of practice to decide who his starter would be, and it was Joseph who took most of those reps on Wednesday.

Jyles is still expected to dress for Friday’s game, and will be ready to go in if needed.

- With files from Postmedia