EDMONTON – Don’t look now, but the Elks are starting to make some noise in the CFL’s Western Division.
The Elks last two games came against the top dogs in the West, and they’ve beaten both of them now, courtesy of their 33-16 win over the B.C. Lions on Sunday night.
The game hardly went to script, with starting quarterback Tre Ford leaving the game midway through the second quarter with an injury. The Canadian pivot completed all six of his pass attempts for 96 yards before exiting the game.
McLeod Bethel-Thompson filled in admirably in his return under centre, completing 14 of 18 passes for 171 yards and a touchdown. Most importantly, the veteran helped lead a 13-play 97 yard touchdown drive with 6:43 remaining in the game to put the contest comfortably out of reach for the visitors.
“I told (McLeod) from the get go, even when Tre was a starter that at some point we’re going to need you,” Head Coach Jarious Jackson said post game. “In the CFL, it happens that way. You at least need two or three good quarterbacks that can step in and play.”
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The victory puts the Elks within two wins of a playoff spot, with five games in hand against the two teams above them — Calgary and Winnipeg.
“It’s definitely genuine momentum growing,” Jackson said. These guys work their tails off to get to where we are now as far as two wins in a row. And if you look at it, it’s against the top two teams in the west.”
Edmonton now head on the road for the next month — starting in Hamilton on Aug. 17, followed by Aug. 24 in Montreal, then Sept. 2 in Calgary for the Labour Day Classic.
RUNNING CIRCLES AROUND THE OPPOSITION
Javon Leake’s audition as the Elks lead running back couldn’t be going any better.
Fresh off a dominant performance in Saskatchewan where the 26-year-old rushed for a season-high 169 yards and three touchdowns, Football’s fastest player got off to another quick start in B.C.. Leake carried the ball nine times in the first half, ripping off 50 yards and a 12-yard touchdown scamper — his fourth major of the season. The touchdown helped kickoff an 18-0 Elks scoring run in the second half, turning a 10-1 deficit into a 19-10 halftime lead.
Leake wrapped up the game with 134 all-purpose yards — supplementing his sensational ground game with four receptions for 37 yards. His bruising counterpart in rookie RB Justin Rankin had a second strong game on the ground, rumbling for 77 yards on seven carries on the ground, including a 45-yard rip late in the fourth quarter. The 27-year-old also recorded his first career CFL touchdown on a 17-yards reception from Bethel-Thompson to seal the game.
“I think we didn’t really miss a beat,” Bethel-Thompson said about the offence. “We moved the ball well. Kudos to the o-line and the running backs. When we have a running game like that, football is pretty fun.”
JONES STEPPING UP
Since Jarious Jackson took over the reigns, a few CFL veterans who found themselves without homes prior to the start of the season have made a major impact for the Elks.
Leading the way has been receiver Tevin Jones, who was coming off a solid season in Saskatchewan in 2023 where he racked up 882 yards and three touchdowns on 65 receptions. Jones signed with the Montreal Alouettes, but was released in the last batch of cuts before being added to the Elks practice roster in June. The 31-year-old has found an opportunity in the last two games and has made himself a featured weapon in the team’s offence.
Jones followed up his 123-yard performance in Regina with another 123-yard performance against the Lions. the product of Amory, Mississippi is currently averaging a whopping 27.3 yards per reception this season.
THEY SAID
Jackson on Geno Lewis and his consecutive games with a catch streak ending:
“One thing I would like to say, I really want to apologize to Geno. I didn’t really realize that Geno has had a career of over eight years where he’s had consecutive games with a catch, right. It kind of got dismissed a little bit because, we were running the ball. Had I known that was a record that he was holding on to then I would have did everything in my power to get him a football. So, from the bottom of my heart, apologize to Geno.”
Jackson on deferring the ball in the second half due to the wind:
“If you see there in the fourth quarter, the kickoffs that we had, Boris was able to put them all the way down to like a yard inside the goal line. So that was my whole thought process. We had the decision in the second half and I decided to choose a side the second half since we were up nine points. They started to make a little run. I think they kicked two field goals got within three and then we were able to throw on the gas and run the score up a little bit.”
McLeod Bethel-Thompson on the fan support at the end of the game:
“It’s a blue collar town. They want good football, and we’ve been playing good football. In probably seven of the nine games we were playing winning football. So that’s got to be something worth watching. I think we appreciated them today and it’s great to have them out.”