EDMONTON – The Edmonton Elks head to Winnipeg looking to turn up the pressure on the long-time West Division powerhouse Blue Bombers.
As a part of the team’s offseason overhaul, there was a heavy emphasis on improving the defensive line. The free agent splash was headlined by the return of 2024 CFL sack leader and All-CFL defender Jake Ceresna, but he was joined by Canadian star Robbie Smith, experienced pass rusher Brandon Barlow, and the underrated Jared Brinkman – all who come to Edmonton as former Grey Cup Champions.
Yet, through two games, the investment has resulted in a single sack by the returning Noah Taylor. However, with a unit oozing with talent, they know its much more ‘when’ than ‘if’ the sacks will come.
“I think the sacks are definitely coming,” Brinkman said. “That just takes us working our a**es off every day in practice, and just knowing when it’s our time to get that one-on-one that we got to take advantage of. We have got to win that rep as we get the QB to hold the ball a little longer, then it’s on us to take over and get to them.”
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The unit has brought its fair share of pressure, but a pair of elusive quarterbacks in BC’s Nathan Rourke and Montreal’s Davis Alexander have made finishing the play a tough task. Once the more stoic in the pocket McLeod Bethel-Thompson entered the game in Week 3, the Green and Gold finally got home with Taylor’s fourth quarter takedown.
Comes Thursday’s matchup in Winnipeg, it will be two-time CFL’s Most Outstanding Player Zach Collaros that the Elks pass rushers will have to chase down. Luckily for them, the formula on how to beat the Bombers QB is already something the group is already familiar with. Three quarters of Edmonton’s starting defensive line played in the 111th Grey cup game against the Blue Bombers, with Robbie Smith notching the lone sack of the game on the veteran QB.
The unit frustrated the Bombers offence, forcing Collaros to commit four turnovers and holding the former Grey Cup MVP to just 50 per cent completion, en route to a 41-24 Grey Cup victory. The roadmap towards victory is laid out, the defence just needs to chase it down.
“I think the biggest thing is we’ve got to shut down the run to start. They’re just going to pound it between the tackles all day long,” Brinkman said. “Once we do that, then it’s just pin our ears back and get after Zach, because if we give him time, he’ll dissect us all day.”
One aspect of tomorrow’s game that is tilted in the Elks favour is the loss of CFL’s Most Outstanding Player running back Brady Oliviera. The Canadian racked up over 1,800 scrimmage yards in 2024, but is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury. In his stead will be former University of Alberta Golden Bears running back Matthew Peterson or rookie rusher Quinton Cooley.
If the D-line can keep the young runners from churning up the yards, it will be up to former Blue Bomber star Tyrell Ford and the Elks secondary to keep Collaros from having an easy outlet to avoid sacks. The Elks players believe they if they can play that style of complimentary football on the defensive side of the ball, the QB takedowns will come.
“It takes the whole defense to get sacks,” Ceresna said. “We have got to do a better job up front, keeping the quarterback contained, and getting to them when we have our chances. Then we just have to be on the same page on the front end and back end of the defence on what we’re running, and not making those mental mistakes. Then we’ll be fine.”
Thursday would be the perfect time for the Elks defence to come together as a unit, with the Bombers flying high with a 2-0 West Division record. There is plenty of runway left in the CFL schedule, but Elks Head Coach Mark Kilam wants to see the team avoid the slow starts that have plagued the Elks the last few seasons.
“We’ve got to play a complete game on defense. We’ve played a couple halves spread out over two games,” he said. “That’s not a recipe for success, but I see the guys out here working. I see them in the meeting room working. I know that it matters to them, and I think it’s only a matter of time.”