The Edmonton Elks clinched top spot in the CFL’s West Division under the Friday night lights at Commonwealth Stadium with a 35-27 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
It came with another complete performance from the team, as the offence pounded the rock all night, and the defence had two key interceptions to help slam the door. A complete performance? Yes. A perfect performance? Not quite, as the first half struggles would continue for the Elks.
They realize it, though.
“That’s kind of what we’ve been doing all year, right?” said running back Justin Rankin, who had a season-high 23 carries for 133 yards, to TSN sideline analyst and Sports 1440 host Tom Gazzola after the game. “We’re still trying to figure out how to start fast in that first half. But we’re a second half team, we’re a third, fourth quarter team.
“And when the game gets under three minutes, I think we got the most wins in the three minutes in the league right now. I just think that we’re really good at finding a way to win.”
Now, with the B.C. Lions mathematically unable to reach the Elks atop the division, Edmonton has secured a first-round bye in the playoffs and will host the Western Final at the Concrete Castle of the North on Saturday, Nov. 7.
This season’s turnaround has been nothing short of impressive, given the team had missed the playoffs in each of the last five seasons.
“It means a lot,” said Rankin when asked by Gazzola what it means to host the West Final. “Things haven’t been the best around here, and to be able to be a part of the turnaround, it feels amazing, man.
“It feels amazing in the locker room. It feels amazing in the city. It feels amazing in the stands, like having the fans come out and actually having them being loud. It’s awesome to see the city starting to turn around for us.”
Edmonton’s early struggles would continue Friday, as the Blue Bombers would score the first touchdown of the game with 4:51 left in the first quarter as quarterback Zach Collaros found receiver Nic Demski for a 13-yard score, before the Elks got on the board with a field goal to end the quarter. Despite a touchdown pass to ShunDerrick Powell after the Elks’ first interception of the game gave the offence great field positioning, Edmonton’s first half struggles would continue.
Collaros would find receiver Ontaria Wilson for a 32-yard touchdown with 5:32 left in the first half, and Bryce Perkins would punch in a one-yard touchdown to give Winnipeg a 21-10 lead with 54 seconds left. It was, however, just enough time for the Elks to get down the field, and for quarterback Cody Fajardo to find receiver Austin Mack for a four-yard touchdown.
Edmonton would be down 21-17 at half time, once again needing to rely on a big second half.
They would deliver.
Fajardo would punch in a one-yard touchdown run with 10:42 left in the third quarter to take a 24-21 lead, as a Vincent Blanchard kickoff single would extend the lead by a point seconds later.
The second half would turn into a field goal fest, as Blue Bombers kicker Sergio Castillo would kick 23- and 53-yard field goals, and Blanchard would have a 52-yarder in the fourth quarter with 8:40 left in the game. Then, the Rankin show came to, as 10 rushes for 60 yards would bleed over five minutes off the clock at a key time. Ultimately, it was a two-yard touchdown run from Fajardo with 1:39 left in the fourth quarter that woudl seal the game.
While Rankin’s 133 yards were the second most he’s scampered for this season, Fajardo would scamper for 72 yards of his own, while Powell added seven of his own. The team ran for 212 yards between the three, the second-most this season behind the Elks’ Week 6 40-17 win over the Ottawa Redblacks, where they ran for 215 yards.
Fajardo’s 72 yards were the second-most in a game this season, while his 120 passing yards were a season-low.
Now, the Elks will close out their regular season with a trip next Saturday to face the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Oct. 24. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. MT.
