The Edmonton Elks (0-3) are the last team in the CFL without a win. They will look to change that on Sunday evening when they host the Ottawa Redblacks (1-3) on Play Alberta Field at Commonwealth Stadium.
The Elks played their best game of the season last week in a 36-23 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Elks erased a 23-10 deficit to tie the game at 23-23 going into the fourth quarter. But the Elks were out-scored 13-0 in the final quarter, letting the game slip away in the process.
Head coach Mark Kilam says building blocks are visible as a brand new team learns to win games. Kilam says his team needs to make more plays in key moments of the game.
“That’s part of it – making plays when they present themselves,” Kilam says. “You have to have an opportunistic mindset that sees and realizes that, and those are some of the things that we have been talking to our guys about.”
The Elks on offence seem to be finding their form; they have scored 45 points in their last five quarters. The defence, in that same timespan, has given up 46 points and has struggled in the first three games of the season. The Elks are last in the CFL in net yards allowed (431 yards) and average points allowed per game (35).
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The Elks have forced a CFL-low three turnovers, have recorded just two sacks in three games, and are the only team not to record an interception. However, reigning CFL Most Outstanding Rookie Nick Anderson is off to a good start. The second-year linebacker has 25 defensive tackles in three games and no fewer than seven defensive tackles in each game.
The Elks are facing the team with the lowest passing yards in the CFL but the Redblacks will have starting quarterback Dru Brown back after he missed the last three games with a hip injury. Brown has a streak of three-straight 400-yard passing games, including a 413-yard performance in Week 1. The Redblacks without Brown averaged only 185 passing yards per game.
The Elks lost two players to injury last week: defensive lineman Tomari Fox has been placed on the six-game injured list with an ankle injury and linebacker Eteva Muaga-Clements is on the one-game injured list with a knee injury.
Linebacker Josiah Schakel and receiver Binjimen Victor have been placed on the team’s practice roster, meanwhile receiver Tyson Middlemost, defensive lineman Francis Bemiy, receiver Kearis Jackson, and linebacker Brock Mogenson have been added to the active roster.
The following are the projected offensive and defensive starters for the Elks:
Offence
Quarterback: Tre Ford
Running back: Justin Rankin (Fullback: Tanner Green)
Offensive line: Martez Ivey, Mark Evans II, Mark Korte, Gregor MacKellar, Brett Boyko
Receivers: Steven Dunbar, Kurleigh Gittens Jr., Arkell Smith, Kaion Julien-Grant, Zach Mathis
Defence
Defensive line: Brandon Barlow, Jared Brinkman, Jake Ceresna, Robbie Smith
Linebackers: Nick Anderson, Nyles Morgan, Chelan Garnes
Defensive backs: Devodric Bynum, Kordell Jackson, Royce Metchie, Kobe Williams, Tyrell Ford
You can hear Sunday’s game between the Elks and Redblacks on 880 CHED starting with Countdown to Kickoff with Courtney Theriault at 3:30 p.m. The opening kickoff from Play Alberta Field at Commonwealth Stadium will be at 5 p.m. with Morley Scott and Dave Campbell calling all of the live action. Hear analysis from former Edmonton Football Team offensive lineman and two-time Grey Cup champion Blake Dermott. Former EE offensive lineman Gord Hinse will provide analysis from the Elks sidelines.
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