For the first time this year, the RedBlacks looked very much like an expansion team, as defensive breakdowns and a sputtering offensive unit provided the worst combination for head coach Rick Campbell, making his return to the house that his father built.
The RedBlacks held tough for three quarters, but the final frame of the game was all Eskimos who lit up the scoreboard after taking an 11-8 lead into the quarter.
Bowman was the main cause of the RedBlacks frustrations on the night, as the Eskimo slotback ripped apart the RedBlacks defensive backfield, offering up a sample of the kind of impact he can bring to the Eskimo lineup when the ball is tossed his way.
The first half of the game wasn't much to speak of, both teams struggled to make much headway in yardage, with frequent two and outs the rule for much of the first thirty minutes. The third quarter started out much the same as the previous two, before the Mike Reilly and the Eskimo offensive unit finally found their range, once they started putting the points on the board however they were in control of the game and on their way to the eventual 27-11 victory.
Ottawa showed more of the promise of the previous week as Chevon Walker galloped for a 65 Touchdown run, the only major on the night for the RedBlacks.
Unfortunately much of the Ottawa game on the night featured frustration as passes went off target, were dropped or resulted in little in the way of gain.
Another issue on the night was that of pass protection, which at times was almost non-existent, leaving Henry Burris either laying on the ground or scrambling for survival, two aspects of the game that don't work well if you're trying to claw your way back into the picture.
Keeping drives alive proved to be another stress point for Ottawa, a situation that led to their defensive unit returning to the field time and time again, a situation that the Eskimos finally began to exploit in the fourth quarter.
Campbell most likely understands that these things will happen through the season, the key for the Ottawa coaching staff will be to recognize the problem areas early on and make their adjustments in a timely manner.
With a couple of road games under their belts now, the RedBlacks make their home debut this week on Friday Night football when the Toronto Argonauts help the home side open up TD Field.
The Eskimos have their own bit of destiny ahead this week as well, as they take their undefeated record into Winnipeg for a Thursday night showdown with the Bombers who also sport a 3-0 record.
By the time the gun sounds to close out Thursday night, one team will no longer be among the undefeated, the Esks will need to make sure that theirs is a four quarter game on Thursday should they wish to be considered for that title.
Reviews of Friday's Ottawa/Edmonton game can be found below:
Edmonton Journal-- Bowman's trio of touchdowns sparks Eskimos' win over RedBlacks
Edmonton Sun-- Hold off on the parade ... for now?
Ottawa Citizen-- RedBlacks come up short again against Eskimos
Ottawa Sun-- RedBlacks drop second game
Canada.com-- Strong fourth quarter over RedBlacks boosts Edmonton's record to 3-0
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