CFL SIM: EDMONTON 22 BC 9

VANCOUVER – It was a tough afternoon for quarterbacks at BC Place as Week 4 in the 2020 CFL SIM came to a close with the Edmonton Eskimos running their record to 3-0 with a 22-9 victory over the still winless BC Lions.

In a computer-simulated game on Doug Flutie’s Maximum Football, BC quarterback Mike Reilly was intercepted on his team’s opening drive and Edmonton defensive back Forrest Hightower returned it for a touchdown. Reilly was picked off twice more as part of a 233-yard passing night while his counterpart Trevor Harris of the Eskimos was torched for four interceptions.

Edmonton led 7-0, 17-0 and 19-0 by quarter as they stifled the Lions in their home-opener.

Veteran WR Ricky Collins Jr. caught a 47-yard touchdown pass from Harris as part of his 79 total yards on the evening while Anthony Parker led all Esks receivers with 127 yards on 8 receptions. Running back Brandon Burks was Edmonton’s top rusher with 32 yards along the ground. Kicker Sean Whyte was 2-2 on field goals.

Mike Reilly accounted for BC’s only touchdown, capping a 91-yard drive late in the fourth quarter on a run of his own. The 2-point convert attempt was unsuccessful. WR Lemar Durant was the Lions’ top receiver with 57 yards on 10 catches while WR Devon Bailey was inexplicably BC’s top rusher with 24 yards. Kicker Sergio Castillo was 1/1 on field goals.

The Eskimos put their unbeaten record on the line in Week 4 as they host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1-1) on Friday, July 3. The Lions (0-3) look for their first win of the season when they visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders (2-0) on Saturday, July 4.

The standings through three weeks of the SIM season look like this:

Calgary 3-0
Edmonton 3-0
Saskatchewan 2-0
Toronto 2-0
Winnipeg 1-1
Hamilton 1-2
Montreal 0-2
BC 0-3
Ottawa 0-3

The Week 4 schedule is as follows:

Thursday: Ottawa at Montreal
Friday: Winnipeg at Edmonton
Saturday: Calgary at Toronto, BC at Saskatchewan