October 9, 2017

Reilly ‘good to go’ despite exiting second half with injury

Johany Jutras/CFL.ca

MONTREAL – The Edmonton Eskimos can breathe easy as quarterback Mike Reilly said he was ‘good to go’ following his exit in the second half of Monday’s win.

Reilly was replaced under centre by James Franklin to start the fourth quarter of the team’s 42-24 victory over the Montreal Alouettes. He was seen standing on the sideline throughout the final frame and the club said he had a ‘lower body injury’ but was expected to return.

“You get dinged up in games and that is what happens,” said Reilly. “Sometimes the situations are as such where you go back in the game and sometimes they are not. I know we have a short week and Toronto we have next, but I will be ready to go for that one, there is no doubt in my mind.”

 

The win snapped a six-game losing streak by the Esks but it didn’t come easy. It rained for most of the game, causing dropped passes and plenty of fumbles from both sides. One wouldn’t be able to tell by looking at Brandon Zylstra, who emerged as Reilly’s favourite target of the game, finishing with 201 receiving yards and a touchdown.

“It was hard to get a grip on it and (Zylstra) seemed to be the calm for sure out there. He was making plays and had a great game. Again, big contributor and he has been all season. We needed this one today and it didn’t really matter the elements, we were going to find a way to get it done. Don’t really care what it looks like, just happy we got the ‘w’.”

 

This was CJ Gable’s first game as a member of the Edmonton Eskimos, acquired earlier in the week. The running back fumbled the ball on his first possession with his new club and it was returned for a touchdown. However, Gable rebounded and finished the game with a touchdown through the air and on the ground, rushing for 111 yards in his debut.

“The elements made it really difficult for anybody that was carrying the football or had their hands on it,” said Reilly of Gable. “That first fumble, that stuff happens but he kept his chin up and he is a veteran so he came out and finished the game. He got in the endzone twice for us, did a great job in pass protection and running the football so I’m obviously happy to have him on our team.”

Edmonton now sits at 8-6 and tied for third place in the West Division. They look to make it back-to-back wins when they visit the Toronto Argonauts next week.