The final game of the CFL regular season is here for the Edmonton Elks as they take on their cross-province rivals, the Calgary Stampeders, on Friday night at 7:30 PM at Commonwealth Stadium.
So, how do you get up for a game like this? How do you get motivated when you’ve already been eliminated from playoff contention? Well, there are a few ways. One is that a lot of players are playing for jobs right now. That’s not specific to this Elks club — that’s just how things go in the CFL. Contracts are short, and team turnover (now more than ever) can be high. If you have a chance to put something on tape and show you can be part of a team moving forward, you go out and do that — even if it’s a seemingly meaningless last game of the season with no playoff implications.
Take some of the Americans on the roster, for example. Every year, there are a lot of players coming out of college who don’t make it to the NFL, and there are only 19 roster spots for Americans on a CFL team. You don’t want to be the one replaced by a cheaper, fresher, hungrier option. That’s why you go out and play your heart out, even in games like this. That’s how I imagine more than a few players on this Elks roster will approach it — and how more than a few coaches will evaluate them.
There’s also another element adding to this week’s intensity, game plan, and overall tone: Head Coach Mark Kilam’s history. He had a rather unceremonious departure from Calgary, a team he was with for nearly two decades. In his first season as the Elks’ head coach, his record against Calgary is 1-1. You can bet he wants to finish the year 2-1 against his former team. It won’t be easy, especially with some of the injuries the Elks are dealing with, but it’s certainly a motivating factor.
Now, let’s look at this week’s depth chart. Who’s out? Brett Boyko, Jared Brinkman, Kurleigh Gittens Jr., Robbie Smith, Arkell Smith, and Jaylin Williams are all sidelined with injuries. All are starters except for Williams and Robbie Smith, who’ve been more of a rotational edge rusher lately with Noah Taylor emerging. Losing four starters is no small task. And while you want to battle hard, play for jobs, and win, you can take some solace in knowing those injuries come in a game without playoff implications rather than one that decides your fate.
So who’s drawing in? Jalon Calhoun will start at slotback, Elijah Alston draws in as a backup defensive end, Canadian rookies Jerrell Cummings (backup safety), Jaxon Morkin (backup centre), and Bradley Hadlik (backup fullback) all suit up, and Greg Eiland will start at right tackle while Gregor MacKellar moves into a starting role at right guard. All are players to keep an eye on when asking, “Who’s playing for a job?” and “Who should we watch for next year?”
One other big depth chart note — Tre Ford will be QB3 in this one. The third-string quarterback. Yikes. Many thought this would be the perfect chance to throw Ford out there and see what he can do in a low-pressure game. Instead, the Elks have Cody Fajardo starting and Cole Snyder backing him up, meaning Ford likely won’t see a single snap. That’s tough. A guy who was brought in on big money as the clear-cut starter has not only lost his job but now won’t even get end-of-season reps to gauge where he stands.
To me, this solidifies that Tre Ford won’t be part of the Elks’ plans moving forward. Maybe he could come back on a restructured deal as a backup, but I’d bet on him being with a new team next season. And honestly, if the Elks don’t see him as part of the future, wouldn’t you at least want to audition him for trade value? The fact that he’s buried at third string makes you wonder if the organization has lost faith in him entirely. I don’t want to discredit Ford’s ability, but doesn’t it kind of feel that way?
As for the game itself, it’s not like Calgary has nothing to play for. They’re still fighting for playoff seeding. But I’m still taking Edmonton. They’ll want to finish the year on a high note, prove they’re building something, and beat their provincial rivals. They’ll want to win this one for Coach Kilam — and Kilam, whether he admits it or not, will want to win this one for himself.
Prediction: Edmonton 23, Calgary 22.
