Montreal Alouettes’ Dominique Ellis, left, chases Edmonton Eskimos’ Derel Walker as he scores one of his three touchdown on Nov. 1.JASON FRANSON/The Canadian Press
Derel Walker reeled in three touchdown passes as the Edmonton Eskimos secured first place overall in the CFL and a bye before hosting the West Division final with a 40-22 victory over the Montreal Alouettes on Sunday.
The Eskimos (14-4) finished off regular season play with eight consecutive wins, the first time they have done so in 33 years.
With a bye in the final week of the regular season, the Eskimos won't return to action until Nov. 22.
The Alouettes (6-11) were officially eliminated from playoff contention with the loss. It ended a run of 19 straight playoff appearances, the second-longest in CFL history.
Edmonton scored on its first two possessions, getting a 32-yard field goal from Sean Whyte before quarterback Mike Reilly found Walker for a six-yard touchdown pass. Walker passed 1,000 yards receiving earlier in the opening quarter and would go on to set a new rookie record for receptions.
The Alouettes responded early in the second quarter to make it 10-7 as quarterback Kevin Glenn completed a four-yard touchdown pass to B.J. Cunningham.
Montreal surged into the lead with four minutes to play in the second frame as Glenn hit former Eskimo Fred Stamps for a 37-yard touchdown strike.
Whyte booted a 37-yarder to close the game to 14-13 at the half.
Edmonton had a good start to the second half as Dexter McCoil picked off a Glenn pass at the Montreal 15-yard-line just 26 seconds in, but were forced to settle for a 20-yard Whyte field goal.
Montreal got a single before Whyte added another three-pointer for a 19-15 Esks lead.
However, Montreal regained the lead on a 30-yard passing major to Cunningham with two minutes left in the third.
The Eskimos retook the lead to start the fourth on a six-yard TD pass to Walker.
Walker scored his third touchdown of the game with nine minutes to play, hauling in a 28-yard pass.
Montreal was closing in, but Tanner Marsh fumbled just before the goal line, with Otha Foster recovering for the Eskimos in the end zone.
Edmonton added a last-minute three-yard TD run by Chad Simpson.
There was a lengthy delay in the third as Alouettes defensive lineman Michael Klassen went down with a neck injury and left the game in an ambulance after being stretchered off the field.