Courtesy Edmonton Journal:

Celebrity chef Matt Dunigan figures the Edmonton Eskimos have all the raw ingredients of a playoff football team.

The Esks have upgraded their team speed with the addition of flashy wideout Brock Ralph and dependable cornerback Jordan Younger. They boast a stable of three proven quarterbacks in Ricky Ray, Stefan LeFors, and Jason Maas. And their offensive line, anchored by a healthy Dan Comiskey, his little brother John and newcomer Garrick Jones, looks more formidable than in years past.

The question remains: can a team with 22 newcomers gel in time to qualify for the post-season?

“I see big-time changeover in Edmonton,” said Dunigan, cookbook author, TSN analyst and hall-of-fame quarterback. “It all depends on how quickly they can come together. They’ve got athletes here. Better athletes than they’ve had in the past.

“Now, are these guys committed? Are these guys going to be able to check their egos at the door and come together as a football team? How quickly can they get that done?”

Early success is crucial in a football-mad fan base clearly on edge after watching the club finish out of the playoffs for two years running.

The heat is on head coach Danny Maciocia to produce a wining football team, preferably before the kids go back to school.

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