EDMONTON – Prepare for a Classic.
The Elks are entering the make-or-break portion of their season and the stakes for Monday’s contest against the Calgary Stampeders couldn’t be any higher. Edmonton gets their first chance to reignite the Battle of Alberta rivalry as they head to McMahon Stadium for a 4:00 p.m. kickoff, in their first matchup against their provincial rivals since September of last year. The two clubs currently sit a game apart in the CFL West Division standings, with the Elks just two wins out of a playoff spot.
If the Green and Gold hope to compete in the Canadian Football League playoffs, the upcoming back-to-back against Calgary will play a large role in the determining whether Novemebr football will be within their reach. With everything on the line and a rivalry game to boot, there certainly is no shortage of motivation for the Elks heading into Monday’s Labour Day Classic.
“If that doesn’t get you riled up in itself, the fact that you’re still in it knowing your record is 3-8 and you face the team that determines whether or not you make it to the playoffs?” Interim Head Coach Jarious Jackson said. “If that doesn’t get you all up, I don’t know what does.”
PROCLOMATION FROM THE MAYOR (OF COMMONWEALTH)
Following Friday’s practice at Clarke Field, Jackson had former EE star Odell Willis speak to the team about the importance of the Battle of Alberta to the team and the the city of Edmonton. Willis was no stranger to the QEII clashes, having suited up for five seasons in the Green and Gold.
While the contents of the speech itself will remain between himself and the team, the overarching message was simple.
“It’s very important. Just from the community standpoint, it’s a rivalry thing. Everybody wants to have those bragging rights for 365 days of who runs Alberta,” Willis said. “This week is the best week. Throw the records out the way, none of that matters. The only thing that matters is the Labour Day Classic and the Labour Day rematch.”
“He’s played in a lot of these games, so his message, I think resonated with the team,” Jackson said about his decision to have Willis address the team. “It’s 0-0 when you play in the Battle of Alberta, it’s about bragging rights. It’s for the community and it’s for the city. It was good to have somebody that’s experienced it, and been in it playing, and is not too far removed to address the team.”
LABOUR DAY DRAMA
The high-end football drama that the CFL is known for was on full display last season in the Labour Day series. Calgary held serve at home, erasing a 28-13 fourth quarter deficit to come away with a 35-31 victory at McMahon. The following week the Elks flipped the script on the Stampeders, outscoring the visitors by an 18-0 margin in the fourth quarter. It was kicker Dean Faithfull who played the part of the hero, booting a 42-yard field goal with zeros on the clock to capture the 25-23 rematch victory.
So I guess all the rumors are true
You know I love a Southampton boy@FaithfullDean 👏#OurTeamOurCity #GoElks #CFL pic.twitter.com/5mlq0ehFpJ— Edmonton Elks (@GoElks) September 10, 2023
Calgary enters Monday’s contest with a fresh squad following a week 12 bye. In their last contest back on Aug. 15, the Stamps fell to the revamped Ottawa RedBlacks by a 31-29 score, with the visiting RedBlacks rushing for 146 yards on only 15 carries. The ground game could be an important factor for the Elks, with Edmonton entering the Labour Day Classic averaging a league high 5.5 yards per rush this season, while Calgary allows a league worst 108.8 yards per game on the ground through 12 weeks.
Regardless of how they attack the Stampeders defence, the Elks league leading offence will be heavily relied on to do the damage. Edmonton currently paces the CFL in points with 313 through 11 games, while Calgary’s defence currently allows the second most points per game with 29.0.
However, the Labour Day Classic is not played on paper. Edmonton will need to use Monday’s contest as a way of setting the tone for the rematch and a pivotal Oct. 12 matchup near the end of the season.
“We have to (set the tone). There’s no if, ands, or buts about it,” Jackson said. “It’s a must. We have to set the tone now and early and hopefully go down here and steal one and then hold court when we come back home.”