Esks plan to let QB Mike Reilly run, no more “One Steamboat” quarterback

EDMONTON – Edmonton Eskimos quarterback Mike Reilly will start against the Saskatchewan Roughriders this weekend, and will be the No. 1 signal caller for the rest of the season.

Head coach Kavis Reed says Reilly is the franchise quarterback and needs to be developed, adding that the Eskimos still have a slim chance of making the CFL playoffs.

Reed was criticized after last Saturday’s loss to the Montreal Alouettes for curtailing Reilly’s trademark scrambling ability and having him throw quickly out of concern for the quarterback’s health.

There were concerns that Reilly should not have been on the field in the first place since he had suffered a concussion in a loss to the Toronto Argonauts seven days earlier.

Reed now says Reilly’s health did not factor into the game plan at all, and that having Reilly get rid of the ball quickly was the best way to attack Montreal’s defence.