Elks playing for jobs next year.
Argos playing to clinch first in East.
Despite seeing the Roughriders lose in week 18, the Elks could not take advantage as they were slaughtered 48-11 by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and need to win both of their remaining games and get a couple lucky bounces in order to make the playoffs now. Understand making the playoffs is still doable for the northern Alberta team as quarterback Taylor Cornelius, running back Kevin Brown, and receivers Kenny Lawler, Derel Walker, and Dillon Mitchell have been the x-factors to the team’s second half success but need to do that once again in order for them to continue their season after the regular season. Note though a win this week will not come easy amid playing at home against the east division leading Toronto Argonauts. Right from week 1 of the regular season to now, the Toronto Argonauts have been the best team in the east in which their record indicates that as they are on the verge of clinching the division title. True it has been a team effort where the Argos look to win at least 10 games this season, but arguably quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson has been the best player on the team. Ranging from having multiple 300 passing yard games, to distributing the ball quite evenly to the receiving core it has been pivotal in the Argos success this season and look to do this entering the final weeks of the season and possibly in the Grey Cup.
The MBT to Nield game-winning TD last weekend was a beaut. An an Argos fan, I hope to see more targets for Nield in the next six weeks.
Heck, let's have another look:
This is surprising considering how many home games Edmonton has lost in recent years.
Argos losing streak at Commonwealth ends, Elks lose another one!
Probably, but . . . the Elks are a .600 team against East opponents this year, having gone 3-2 thus far.
Game notes pdf:
Team Notes for Week #19 ‐ Game #81 Toronto vs Edmonton:
Meeting #100:
Since 1961 and the start of interlocking play, Toronto and Edmonton have met 99 times with the Elks franchise holding a 54-44 edge and one tie. In Edmonton they are
Recent History:
Edmonton has won the last four meetings overall and holds a 6-game winning streak in Edmonton vs the Argos and have won 10 of the last 12 there overall. The last Toronto win at Edmonton was on Sep 28/13. This will be the one time in 2022 that these clubs will meet.
Clinching 1st Place:
The Argos can clinch first place this week if Montréal loses again to Ottawa on Friday in advance of this game. That combined with a Toronto win would give them a second straight #1 finish for the first time since 1996-97.
Edmonton at Home:
The Elks have a 15-game active home losing streak and are 1-18 in their last 19 games. Their current 15-game is the longest in CFL history across Post WW-II play. Their last home win was on October 12, 2019 over BC - a span of 1,098 days from then to game day Oct 15/22.
Team Gm From To PF PA Diff Streak Ended
Edmonton 15 Oct 26/19 Oct 01/22 17.5 31.0 -13.5
Ottawa 14 Jul 19/87 Oct 8/98 16.7 38.1 -21.4 Oct 22/88
Kurleigh Gittens Jr. #1:
Leads all Canadian receivers in 2022 with 920 yards and with 80 more can record his first 1,000-yard season. The last Toronto receiver to lead all Canadians in any season was Bobby Taylor in 1969 with 1,183 yards. Gittens and Bethel-Thompson have connected together for a league-high 70 completions in 2022.
Henoc Muamba 593 DT:
With 58 defensive tackles in 2022 he now has 593 for his career. That puts him #21 all-time and just 9 back of #20 Singor Mobley at 602.
Bethel-Thompson 5K Pace:
Macbeth leads the CFL with 4,218 passing yards - on pace for a 5000-yard season (5,062). That would make him just the 4th Toronto passer to reach the 5,000 mark:
Rk Player Year Yards Att Com Pct Int TD
1 Doug Flutie 1996 5,720 677 434 64.1 17 29
2 Ricky Ray 2017 5,546 668 474 71.0 11 28
3 Doug Flutie 1997 5,505 673 430 63.9 24 47
4 Damon Allen 2005 5,082 549 352 64.1 15 33
10 M.Bethel-Thompson 2022 4,218 522 348 66.7 14 20 (Pace: 5,062)
101 Edmonton players:
With the addition of two more players to their roster this week, the Elks are now up to 101 that have been either dressed or on their Injured List. They have used 92 different players in their active game rosters in 2022.
Taylor Cornelius:
Will be making his 20th career start and is 4-15 overall. He has a 1-0 record against Toronto. Over his last 5 games he has 6 TD passes to 3 interceptions (2:1 Ratio) and an improved Passer Rating of 93.0. .
IN 2022
BY GAMES Effic Att Com Pct Yds Int TD 30+ W-L
Starts 1-6 74.8 186 102 54.8 1,387 5 4 6 2-4
Last 5 Starts 93.0 141 85 60.3 1,196 3 6 9 1-4
Dillon Mitchell 30+ gains and more:
In just 6 games, he has 27 catches for 548 yards - an average of 20.3 yards and pace of 91.3 yards per game, and has a at least one for 30+ yards in all 6 games.
Elks will win this one!!!! Money in the BANK!
Last year's win over Argos was when Argos used their back ups. Cornelius has not figured out how to win, after 2 full seasons, he really needs to digest and understand the CFL. At this point, he is not the qb that Jones wants.