CFL Preview - Edmonton (10-5) at Saskatchewan (9-6) (ET)

GAME NOTES: Trying to avoid their first four-game losing streak of the 2014 season, the Saskatchewan Roughriders settle in at Mosaic Stadium on Sunday afternoon versus visiting Edmonton.

Winners of seven straight and eight of the first 10 games on the schedule, the Riders appeared to be well on their way to challenging for the West Division title with the Calgary Stampeders. However, in recent weeks the charge by Saskatchewan has lost steam and now the squad finds itself sitting in third place in the standings behind both the Stamps and these same Eskimos. Like Edmonton, the Riders have already secured a spot in the postseason, but there is still opportunity to cause a shift or two in the final pecking order.

Unfortunately, Saskatchewan has picked the wrong time to hit the skids, losing three in a row and four of the last five after being pummeled by a resurgent Montreal squad on Thanksgiving Day, 40-9. The Riders actually scored the first points of the day on Monday on an 11-yard TD pass from Tino Sunseri to Anthony Allen, but after that the offense was never heard from again. In fact, the only other points came courtesy of Montreal punter Sean Whyte who conceded in the end zone in the fourth quarter.

Sunseri finished the lackluster effort 7-of-12 for 72 yards, was intercepted once and sacked three times. Also seeing time under center for the visitors was Seth Doege who connected on half of his six attempts for another 37 yards, but he too suffered a pick and was sacked twice.

Allen did manage to run for a game-high 105 yards on 21 carries, but that was only due to the fact that the so-called passing attack for the Roughriders was nowhere to be found.

As for the Eskimos, they too played on Monday and were involved in a lopsided decision, but in their case it was a very favorable blowout as they crushed visiting Winnipeg, 41-9.

Edmonton found itself ahead 40-0 before it was ever really challenged by the Blue Bombers, an opponent that had to settle for three field goals in the second half. Mike Reilly was the star of the game for the hosts as he connected on 19-of-31 passing for 197 yards and added another 26 yards and two majors on the ground. Backup quarterback Pat White ran the ball four times and finished with a score of his own.

Although he was kept out of the end zone, receiver Adarius Bowman continued his assault on opposing defenses as he caught 10 balls for a game-high 94 yards. Despite the fact that he has just six TDs, placing him in a tie for second in the league in that department, Bowman has simply been abusing defenders with his 101 catches for 1,241 yards.

Bowman now has at least 40 more catches than anyone else in the league, and his yardage total distances him by more than 350 yards from his closest competition.

While Bowman leads the way in his particular category, the same can be said for Allen coming out of the backfield for the Roughriders. One of only six players with at least 100 carries to this point, Allen checks in with 849 yards and five TDs on 156 attempts, but Calgary's Jon Cornish continues to close the gap.

With respect to the all-time, regular-season series between the clubs, Edmonton owns a 116-90-2 edge over the Riders, dating back as far as 1938. Just a few weeks ago, the Eskimos completely stumped Saskatchewan in a 24-0 final, giving Edmonton a fourth win in seven tries in the series.

Saskatchewan sent both Seth Doege and Sunseri into the huddle to try and get something started for the visitors, but it simply was not meant to be as the duo combined to hit just 11-of-23 passes for 114 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Under constant pressure, Sunseri was sacked four times and Doege twice. The Riders were limited to a mere 205 yards of offense on 60 snaps.

Edmonton went with Reilly at quarterback in that game, the signal caller converting 14-of-25 passes for 124 yards and a score. Clearly the star of the game for the Esks was running back John White who ran for a staggering 192 yards and a major on just 17 attempts, not to mention adding a touchdown reception as well.

These two teams will be back in action against each other in the final game of the regular season on Nov. 8 right back here in Regina.

Without Durant at the helm, the Roughriders seem to be spinning out of control these days. While Saskatchewan still is a better team than most over in the East Division, even with the recent setbacks, against Reilly and the Eskimos the Riders are at a disadvantage this weekend.