EDMONTON — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have been saying all week they’re not looking at the Edmonton Elks’ record.
If true, that makes them the only ones as Edmonton’s disastrous 0-8 start to the year is nearly impossible to ignore.
Unfortunately for the Elks, there’s a good chance their win column will likely be occupied by a donut for at least another week as all signs point to a Bombers victory on Thursday night when the two sides meet at Commonwealth Stadium for an 8 p.m. CT kickoff.
The Blue and Gold (6-2) are riding high after having their best showing of the season last week with a 50-14 drubbing over the B.C. Lions in a game that had a lot at stake in the West Division playoff race. The Elks, who are coming off a bye week, lost in embarrassing fashion their last time out back on July 29 in a 27-0 shutout against the Lions.
“Those guys get paid, this is what they do for a living. They’re still working and still trying to get a win,” said Bombers defensive back Deatrick Nichols. “Plus, they’re in the West so it’s a game we still need at the end of the day, no matter what their record is. They could shock the world and win eight straight and be eligible for playoffs, you never know. So, a game like this, you can’t take lightly.”
No, this doesn’t have anywhere near the same hype that last week’s Bombers-Lions matchup had, and rightfully so, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth tuning in. To get you prepared for Week 10’s opening contest, here’s this week’s edition of 5 Storylines.
Changes in Edmonton
Would it be the biggest CFL upset in recent memory if the Elks knocked off the Bombers? Absolutely. With that said, there are some things Edmonton has going for them this week.
For starters, they had last week off, so, they’ve had some time to try to find some holes in Winnipeg’s game.
In addition to that, they will look a lot different than the team that lost 28-14 in Winnipeg two weeks ago as they made major changes on offence during their bye. Former offensive co-ordinator Stephen McAdoo has been demoted and replaced by Jarious Jackson. Jackson, a former OC with the Lions and Toronto Argonauts, gets bumped up from quarterbacks coach to play caller as the team is averaging a league-low 13 points per game.
Starting quarterback Taylor Corenlius has also been benched after throwing four touchdowns and nine interceptions on the year. As a third-year pivot, Corenlius was expected to take a step forward and the team put their trust in him with a $350,000 contract. The 6-5, 232-pound QB from Oklahoma State has been reckless with the football and has shown few signs of growth despite all the opportunities.
Taking over for him is second-year Canadian quarterback Tre Ford. The 2021 Hec Crighton Trophy winner has been in the dog house all season but head coach/general manager Chris Jones can no longer find an excuse to not play him. Ford, a 25-year-old from Niagara Falls, Ont., is arguably the most athletic quarterback in the CFL, but has a lot to prove with his arm. You can expect some flash plays, but also no shortage of growing pains from the University of Waterloo product.
Lawler and Schoen with another chance to dominate
If the Lions and their No. 1 ranked defence don’t have an answer for Kenny Lawler and Dalton Schoen, chances are the Elks don’t either.
JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES After lighting up the B.C. Lions, Bombers receiver Kenny Lawler is looking to put up some big numbers against the Edmonton Elks.
Lawler, who spent last season in Edmonton, reminded everyone last week why he’s considered the top wide receiver in the CFL as he put up a monstrous stat line with seven catches for 200 yards and a score. His partner in crime Dalton Schoen, who’s second in the league in receiving yards with 610, was just as impressive with 137 yards on five grabs and two touchdowns.
Schoen is on pace for 1,373 this season, and if he ends up at that number, it would put him at the fourth most receiving yards by a player in their first two seasons with 2,814. He’d only trail Derrell Mitchell (3,457, 1997-98 with Toronto), Allen Pitts (2,936, 1990-91 with Calgary), and David Williams (2,914, 1988-89 with B.C.)
Edmonton is hoping the return of 33-year-old defensive back Ed Gainey will help limit the damage. Gainey, a two-time CFL all-star, is back after a stint on the six-game injured list.
Look out for Willie
Chris Jones brought Willie Jefferson to the CFL in 2014, but on Thursday, there’s a good chance that he’ll wish he didn’t.
JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESSFILES The Edmonton Elks offence could be in for a long night at the hands of the Blue Bombers’ vaunted D.
The 32-year-old defensive end looks as good as ever as he’s first in the league with nine pass knockdowns and second in sacks with eight.
Edmonton’s O-line has given up the sixth most sacks in 2023 with 22, and with 5-11 Ford standing behind centre, there’s a good chance Jefferson will add to his totals.
Going up against an unproven passer also provides defensive back Demerio Houston — the league-leader in interceptions with six — a chance to build on his breakout season. After finishing last season on the bench, Houston has rebounded into a ball hawk in the secondary.
The Elks have some playmakers on defence too, though. A.C. Leonard is right behind Jefferson with six sacks, all of which have come in his last four games. Edmonton had a season-high five quarterback takedowns in their last game.
Kicking game
The Elks have learned the hard way that you get what you pay for.
They had one of the most trustworthy kickers in the league in Sergio Castillo but released him days before training camp in order to save some cash.
Instead of paying Castillo the big bucks, they decided to go a cheaper route and roll the dice on 36-year-old Global rookie Dean Faithfull.
Faithfull, a former semi-pro soccer player from the United Kingdom, is a great story, but is nowhere near Castillo’s calibre.
Despite attempting the fewest field goals in the league with 11, Faithfull has the lowest conversion percentage at 72.7. He’s yet to attempt anything from 50-plus and already has two misses in the 40-49 range plus another misfire from 32 yards out.
Castillo, on the other hand, has been brilliant for the Bombers. The nine-year CFL vet has connected on 18-of-19 field goals and has solved Winnipeg’s biggest weakness from last season. The Amarillo, Texas, native played last season in Edmonton after agreeing to a two-year contract in the 2021 offseason.
The streak continues
There was a time when Edmonton was the model franchise in the CFL.
Today? They’re a laughingstock.
They’ve lost 21 straight on their turf dating back to 2019, earning them the record of most consecutive losses at home by a North American professional sports franchise. It’s a record Major League Baseball’s St. Louis Browns owned for nearly 70 years after losing 20 in a row at their ballpark in 1953.
But it’s not just at home, the Elks have lost their last 12 games. If they fall again on Thursday, it’ll be the first time the club has suffered 13 consecutive defeats since 1963-64. That would put them in a tie for the 10th-longest losing streak in league history and the longest in the CFL since the Montreal Alouettes snapped a 13-game skid in June 2018.
Winnipeg has owned Edmonton in their last eight meetings.
Twitter: @TaylorAllen31
Taylor Allen
Reporter
Eighteen years old and still in high school, Taylor got his start with the Free Press on June 1, 2011. Well, sort of…
