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TORONTO — The last yard’s always the longest.

Just ask the Edmonton Eskimos, who were stopped on four separate third-and-short occasions on the way to a 16-12 nail-biter win over the Ottawa Redblacks last week.

A handoff to C.J. Gable was tackled for a three-yard loss on third-and-one, a pass to the flat on third-and-two saw DaVaris Daniels stopped for no gain, while quarterback Trevor Harris fumbled the ball away on third-and-one, before failing to reach the end zone on another keeper on third-and-goal from the one yard-line.

Suffice it to say, third downs weren’t kind to the Eskimos on Friday.

“They weren’t. We weren’t very good at them,” Eskimos head coach Jason Maas said. “If we weren’t that bad in third-and-short situations, that game probably doesn’t come down to the last play. But it is what it is.

“Their defence is good in those situations. We felt like we’re good in those situations and our strength didn’t meet theirs.”