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Not that it looked like it was going to work out that way.

The Eskimos went from down 17-3 to up 39-23 at the end and made Pat Reilly happy he decided not to come.

Reilly’s dad Pat sent a text to your correspondent to say he didn’t make the eight-hour drive from Kennewick, Washington to head to Edmonton to attend. And it had nothing to do with the change of uniforms by his 34-year-old son.

The funeral for Mike’s grandfather on his mom’s side was held Thursday and while it would have been possible to arrive just before game time, they decided not to try.

“For me this is only the second regular season game that Mike has played in Edmonton that I have missed in six years. I know it’s going to be very difficult not to be at Commonwealth Stadium for the game. I got to know so many people up there and was looking forward to the banter. I’m sure this will be a game that Mike will remember all his life.”

Not in the way it looked like he might the way it started.

Two plays into the game and it looked like a nightmare of a night for Reilly in his return to Edmonton as it indeed turned out to be. But for a while there …

The quarterback who chose to leave Edmonton after six seasons had the new attack defence of Phillip Lolley unleashed and was sacked by rookie Vontee Diggs and stopped eight yards short of the first down on the second play by Larry Dean.

A challenge flag and 12 plays later and he had an 8-0 lead that, thanks to a steady stream of penalties and a turnover, soon had the Eskimos down 17-3.