Monday Night Football is a thing for this season, at least early on.
Both teams looking to make big improvements over last year.
Power Rankings
6. Saskatchewan Roughriders
2022 record: 6-12, missed playoffs
Next game: At Edmonton, June 11
A powerful looking defence, with special teams anchored by exceptional players, in Mario Alford and Brett Lauther, the story of the 2023 Saskatchewan Roughriders will come down to one thing: can new QB Trevor Harris be adequately protected? The preseason gave a peephole-sized look at the possibilities. We’ll start to get some real answers this week in Edmonton.
8. Edmonton Elks
2022 record: 4-14, missed playoffs
Next game: Vs. Saskatchewan, June 11
The Elks had something of an advantage in getting their preseason games out of the way in the first two weeks. They made the bulk of their cuts more than a week ago and will have used that time with their full roster to begin to prep for their opener against the Riders. A win at home in Week 1 would let them get past a big roadblock and would do its part in pushing them further up these rankings.
Make your picks here:
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I have a feeling that after this game Edmonton shows the league that they are a force to be feared this season.
Not to take anything away from the Riders. If this game goes down the way I think it might, they turn themselves into angry brutes for the rest of the season.
I remember Harris - I think it was 2-11 that season he was traded to Montreal, where they went 9-9 last season.
2 other tidbits - he has never had a season without a losing streak, (last year it was losing 6 of 8 to start the season) and he has a total of one playoff victory in his 11 year career, an Eastern semi final as the crossover team, the year he led Edmonton to an 8-10 record.
Photo courtesy: Electric Umbrella/Liam Richards/Saskatchewan Roughriders
6) Saskatchewan Roughriders (6)
Take it from quarterback Trevor Harris, the Riders’ undefeated preseason doesn’t mean a thing. That’s not to say the team didn’t check a few boxes, however, as Harris lived up to the billing in his debut and new offensive coordinator Kelly Jeffrey’s offence looked promising. Both will have to deliver if the current regime of head coach Craig Dickenson and general manager Jeremy O’Day are to have their expiring contracts renewed.
Photo: Larry MacDougal/3DownNation. All rights reserved.
8) Edmonton Elks (8)
It appears that no amount of spending on receivers will convince our writers of an Elks’ resurgence, at least not until they win a home game. After wrapping up their preseason over a week ago, Edmonton still has quite a few question marks including their kicking game and has taken care not to get caught looking ahead.
OK, color me wrong… I thought they may be prepping for game 1 but I guess they had a list of things to work on in training camp and stuck to it. I guess camp is short enough as it is to go rushing through and not laying the groundwork for the whole season
But it could just as well be a bonehead move too🤔
900 less players to pick from as the USFL and XFL have that big of player rosters … Some teams gonna have to go without upgrades I fear
