103rd Grey Cup Festival Week in Manitoba

Blue Bombers defensive lineman Jamaal Westerman was in the running for Most Outstanding Canadian but lost out to Ottawa Redblacks wide receiver Brad Sinopoli.

As football fans from across Canada blitz into Winnipeg for the upcoming 103rd Grey Cup game, the province officially proclaimed this week as the 103rd Grey Cup Festival Week in Manitoba.

Edmonton won that last matchup with Ottawa in the Grey Cup and Reilly now has the chance to give his team another title.

However, the Eskimos are about defense and you know what “they” say: “Defense wins championships”. “We look out for one another”. “We’re inviting them to join us because the product and the experience are fun, exciting, accessible and authentic”.

“To be honest with you, at that time I didn’t think I’d ever play another down of football in my life”, Sinopoli said.

“In the game of football it’s hard to compare seasons and stats”.

Ottawa counters with a solid unit – one that was ranked first in fewest yards allowed (297.6 per game), rushing yards (70.8) and most sacks (62) – but Jones is the difference-maker.

Burris was 20-of-36 passing for 162 yards and an interception in a 46-17 loss at Commonwealth Stadium and was 29-of-39 for 252 yards and an interception in a 23-12 loss the following week at TD Place. “You’re not excited about a big catch or a guy getting 100 yards, you’re just hoping to get the win”. It’s a lot on your plate. “Individuals don’t get recognized unless your team does well and the fact that we have had the success that we’ve had, (it’s because) we’ve had each other’s backs through the highs and lows, all the different things that have occurred this year”.

“If the offence is doing good, that makes our defence better because we’re rested”.

“I’m extremely lucky to be back in the league and I’m lucky to be on a team with the opportunities I’ve been given”, he said. Furthermore, Edmonton enter the Grey Cup having won nine straight games, the playoffs and regular season combined. Inking a bevy of receivers before the 2015 season-Chris Williams, Greg Ellingson and Ernest Jackson among them-provided Burris with a bunch of weapons.

Maas said Ray, too, had trouble at first processing a similar offence in Toronto, so he wasn’t surprised it took Burris a little time. It’s once every decade, maybe, that we get something like this in town. “I’m always going to be grateful for that”. “Just the journey to get to this point has been a lot of work”.

Campbell says he expects minimal lineup changes Sunday.

For Burris, who spent seven seasons in Calgary looking over the line of scrimmage at Green and Gold, it’ll be like old times.