REGINA — The Edmonton Elks kept their post-season chances alive with a back-and-forth 36-27 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Friday at Mosaic Stadium.
It’s still a massive uphill climb. They might need to win out and they have a tough remaining schedule: BC, Toronto, Montreal, and Winnipeg.
Still, there’s a chance and they’re extremely dangerous right now.
Fun team to watch!
Well deserved win for the Elk
The math doesn’t add up for the Elks this year. They WOULD have to win out. Calgary & Ham still play each other so that’s 6 wins for one of them & the Elks need to finish ahead of those 2 & Ottawa. The crossover is the only option at this point - mathematically. But no, they’re done. This is next year’s team.
It’s easy to see what’s happening in Edmonton. Ford is the match that has lit the fire but half of the roster is either in their 1st or 2nd year in the league. Ford has only started 8 career games. His elite speed will allow him to grow his passing game. I see a lot of Damon Allen in him. Or, more recent example, Vernon Adams. The upside is huge but it is just potential at this point.
The Elks are the youngest team in the league. The OL didn’t have the same starters last season for their 1st 15 games. It’s taken time. Their DB’s going in this year were supposed to have Grymes, Purifoy & Gainey but injuries has forced them to play 5 rookies back there at times. Three of them are now regulars. Those units, in particular, don’t gel overnight.
This is a team that is just now learning how to close out games. They’ve shut out the Riders & Stamps in the 4th Qtr their last 2 games. The 1st 3 in the “Ford Emergence” - just the opposite giving up big leads to the Bombers & Stamps. Early days yet but this is beginning to look like the Jones’ teams in his last 2 HC gigs. They don’t look like an easy out anymore.
Sunny days ahead for Squishy & the Elk fans. Likely some missteps on the way but they have a lot of good pieces signed up on multi-year deals. 
Gaining experience and learning to win is the big thing. We may be tossed aside by some guys but the Elks have a great young team.
They may not make the playoffs this season but it’s gonna be fun to watch at least…
Lots to like. I mean, let’s not forget this was a complete tear down from top to bottom. They have a lot of pieces signed for next year. May be too early for Cup dreams but Jones should have them there in 2 years IMO.
That makes me giggle - there was nothing left to tear down when Jones got here…really. In the last 5 weeks I think we have seen as much progress for the defence as the offence. Plus guys are playing for each other.
It’s fun to watch now. Ford really is a team leader as much as a QB and that was something we really needed.
Imagine the possibilities if Jones had started Ford from the first game. We all saw the flashes of his talent when the Elks came into THF last summer and beat the Ticats. But he stubbornly stuck with Cornelius and Doege to start 2023. If only…
I have said it before but Jones lets his position coaches and Co-ordinators run their part of the team. When we changed OC’s Jackson was the one who said Ford was his guy. Jones never said a word about it.
So really it was former OC Macadoo who was sticking with Corny and Doege…