The Edmonton Elks took on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at IG Field on Thursday night, where Week 7 of the CFL season kicked off with a hard-fought contest that ultimately saw the home side prevail 28-14.
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A strong first half by Edmonton’s defence saw the score tied 6-6 at halftime, before Winnipeg outscored the Elks 22-8 over the final 30 minutes. The Elks hung around, with quarterback Taylor Cornelius driving Edmonton into the redzone late in the fourth quarter, but Winnipeg defender Willie Jefferson knocked down a pass on third down to halt the Elks’ comeback bid.
“In the first half I feel like we did a very good job competing against a very good team, and in the second half, you have to give credit to the Blue Bombers because they made the plays when they needed to be made,” Elks linebacker Tony Jones said in a post-game interview on 630 CHED, radio flagship of the Green and Gold. “We have a big emphasis on finishing strong and I feel like we didn’t do that tonight.”
Dillon Mitchell had Edmonton’s lone touchdown of the contest, on a spectacular 80-yard reception in the third quarter, the longest catch of his CFL career. Kicker Dean Faithful connected on the extra point and was two-for-two on field-goal attempts, while Jake Julien notched a single from a punt to account for the rest of Edmonton’s scoring.
How’s that for a response?!#CFLGameday | @GoElks pic.twitter.com/Vwzz8xSt5U
— CFL (@CFL) July 21, 2023
Cornelius finished the game 17-of-29 passing for 220 yards, and led the Elks with 57 rushing yards on four carries. Mitchell had a game-high 115-yards receiving from four receptions, as the game-breaking had his most yardage of 2023. Kyran Moore led Edmonton with five catches, while University of Manitoba product Gavin Cobb had his first CFL reception, an 11-yard grab that gave the Elks a first down in the third quarter.
A Bombers team that has scored the most points in the CFL this season was limited to just a touchdown in the first half, as the Elks defence caused two turnovers: an interception by Marcus Lewis and fumble recovery by Kony Ealy. Jones led the Elks with seven tackles, including one for a loss, while defensive tackles Jake Ceresna and AC Leonard each wrapped up Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros for a sack.
The loss drops Edmonton to 0-7 heading into a Week 8 matchup at Commonwealth Stadium against the BC Lions on July 29.
Go western when the Elks battle the division rival BC Lions on Country Night, Saturday, July 29 at Commonwealth Stadium. Being part of the action has never been more affordable, with tickets starting at just $15. Click here to get your tickets now and be part of the tradition.
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