EDMONTON – Two of the hottest teams in the league will be going head-to-head when the Elks and Blue Bombers clash Saturday night at Commonwealth.
Edmonton comes off the bye week winners of five of their last six, including back-to-back dismantling’s of their Alberta rival Calgary Stampeders. Winnipeg has been no slouch in their own right, winning five straight as they find themselves in the enviable spot of West Division leaders.
The next two games can flip the whole Western Division standings on their head. The Elks sit just four points back of the Bombers, with a home and away series over the next two weeks between the two clubs. As much as the playoff implications between the West rivals are at the forefront, there is a veritable excitement around the battle between the Ford brothers.
Elks quarterback Tre Ford and his brother Tyrell are Waterloo Warrior legends, but have never gone ahead-to-head in the Canadian Football League regular season. On the Elks side, you have one of the league’s most dynamic offensive weapons going up against the league’s interception leader, who knows him like no other.
“Definitely excitement,” Ford said about his emotions heading into the game. “I’m always happy to go in and play football whenever I get the opportunity. So definitely exciting. And then, also nervous because I get nervous for every single football game I play, even since I was six years old playing till now. So, mixed emotions, but definitely excited to be playing.”
As much as the Elks defence has been a menace the last few weeks, they got even better with the return of sack maestro A.C. Leonard.
The eight-year veteran was brought in over the bye week to help supplement a solid Double E pass rush, but the 32-year-old has a pedigree that can’t be matched by the Elks young defensive line. Leonard has been a stalwart for years in the CFL — being named an East Division All-Star in 2018 with the RedBlacks, having three double-digit sack seasons under his belt (including an EE leading 12 in 2023), and contributing 51 career quarterback takedowns.
The Elks league leading ground game will look a little different on Saturday, with the speedy Javon Leake expected to miss the contest. Leake had not practiced all week due to non-football related injury, meaning Kevin Brown will bear the brunt of the load against the Bombers.
The 27-year-old has found the form that made him such a dynamic threat the last two seasons for the Elks, rushing for 231 yards on 37 carries (6.24 yards per carry) over the last three games. Behind him will be rookie Justin Rankin who has shown he can carry the torch on the ground for the Elks when his number is called. In six games this season the 215 lb back is averaging 6.77 yards per carry and has scored five total touchdowns.
“That’s the reason we have three American backs on the roster, right?” Head Coach Jarious Jackson said. “Because if you’re going to run the ball and commit to it the way we say we’re going to do, if you have one go down, you still have two in the stable.”
The next major change for the Elks will be the loss of wide receiver Hergy Mayala, who was put on the six-game injured list. The five-year vet has been a surprising star for the Green and Gold early in the season, with his 503 receiving yards and five touchdowns both being close to exceeding the career highs he set as a rookie with Calgary in 2019. Fellow Canadian pass catcher Gavin Cobb will get the start in his stead.