ESKIMOS 32 BLUE BOMBERS 3

EDMONTON (CP) – Cue the quarterback controversy in Edmonton.

Backup QB James Franklin came in to toss a trio of touchdown passes, including two to Adarius Bowman, as the Eskimos won their third game in a row with a 32-3 drubbing of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on a rainy Saturday night.

Franklin replaced starter Matt Nichols in the third quarter after Nichols was only able to give his team a 4-3 lead at the half.

“It felt really good,” Franklin said. “Any time you can come in and help your teammates out in a situation like that, it feels really good. I was thankful to have the opportunity.”

Edmonton head coach Chris Jones wouldn’t take the bait when it came to comparing QBs.

“We just decided as a staff that it was time (to make a change),” he said. “It wasn’t really anything Matt did or Franklin did. We’re not going to expand on anything about that. They both played well and we got a team win.”

The Eskimos moved into a tie for first place in the CFL’s West Division at 3-1, holding a game in hand over co-leading Calgary.

Franklin may have taken the spotlight, but the Edmonton defence deserved huge kudos for holding the Bombers to just three points.

“We’re feeling really good about it,” said defensive back Aaron Grymes. “We’ll live it up tonight. We feel really good with how prepared we are right now.”

The Bombers (2-3) have lost two games in a row.

Winnipeg head coach Mike O’Shea said things just sort of steamrolled out of control for his team.

“I think things got bad after we got down by 15,” he said. “That’s where I’m looking at where things got bad. I think there was some frustration the crept in and there was a lack of discipline when we went down and that’s what’s frustrating. We have to work on cleaning that up.”

The Bombers next play host to the B.C. Lions on Thursday, while Edmonton remains home to face Saskatchewan on Friday.

Notes: Winnipeg came into the game without a win at Commonwealth Stadium since July 20, 2006 …  Edmonton won both games over the Bombers last season, holding Winnipeg to just 12 points combined in the two contests.