No one has thrown around the phrase must win more than I have. The last two weeks, especially. And while once again this isn’t a game where mathematically you must win or the season is over, 5-10 with three games left would pretty much put the nail in the coffin.
The good news about this one is that this team knows that. This is a really proud group of guys. I’ve been around them at practice, I’ve talked to players and coaches after the game, and I’ve seen the intensity at those practices. This isn’t a team that’s going to roll over and die. They’re going to go out and compete. Plus, there’s the elephant in the room. They’re doing this one for Larry.
Larry was a guy who bled green and gold. He lived out his dream of owning the team he cheered for as a child. He had them headed in the right direction. He wanted it more than anyone. The guys in this locker room know that. They know their leader is now gone, and I’m sure more than anything, they want to go out and get this one for him.
Now you don’t just show up and win based on circumstance. You have to go out there and execute a game plan and win. So let’s take a look at what they have to do.
Saskatchewan got crushed in the passing game last week. Crushed. Now Exume won’t be starting this week (shocker), but it’s still a DB group without their ace in Tevaughn Campbell and Marcus Sayles coming off an injury. There’s potential for some vulnerability there. Cody has never been thought of as a real gunslinger, but he has a chance to air it out against a team that’s given up 325 or more in two of their last three games. More than that, use this as an opportunity to have the offence flow through someone other than Justin Rankin.
As good as Rankin is, and I do think he’s the team MVP, he has games where he doesn’t always show up in the box score. 116 yards on the ground total in the last three losses. 204 in the lone win. Obviously, 204 is an anomaly, and he’s very versatile in the receiving game, but the point remains that there are games his box score isn’t there, and that’s when you want someone else to step up. Maybe this Saskatchewan secondary is the chance for a receiver to do it.
Another big one is the offensive line. Saskatchewan has the most sacks this year with 34, and Edmonton is the most sacked team with 43. You have to protect Cody. In his first start this season vs Saskatchewan, he was sacked eight times, including two in the final drive that were crucial. You have to give Cody the chance to sling that ball the way I talked about. That comes with keeping him upright. Easier said than done vs this Saskatchewan defence, but hey, no one said this would be easy.
Defensively, I think they’ve done a good job lately and have given the team the chance to win. The unit is gelling. DBs are playing better in coverage and making plays on balls. The defensive line is playing as a unit and getting to the QB. Linebackers are flying around. There are still issues that exist, don’t get me wrong. There’s still sloppiness that needs to be sorted out, still angles that need to be taken better by flowing backers, and coverage that’s too soft. But it’s such a night-and-day improvement from early in the season that you have to tip your hat and say, “hey, they’re giving us a chance.” They’ve won the turnover battle 8-1 in the last two games. That’s giving the team a chance.
The last point I’ll add is this… Coaching has to be more aggressive. No timeout at the end of the first half against Hamilton to take a shot at the endzone, and punting it on 3rd and two with 1:46 left from Hamilton’s 52 is way too passive. You have to be coaching to win. That’s where you were against Hamilton, and it’s CERTAINLY where you are now. You can’t coach like there’s a tomorrow because there really isn’t one anymore.
I wanted to add a cool stat like “the Elks are 4-0 when they score 30, so score 30,” but that doesn’t exist. I really looked. So play your game at every level. Offence, defence, special teams. When they play their game, they can play with anybody, even if the record doesn’t reflect that.
Now for a prediction. I think there’s really something to be said about going out there and winning this one for Larry. He cared. He loved the team. He wanted them to turn it around. All the guys know that. That’s real. There’s going to be a real sense of going out there and getting this one for him as much as there is a sense of keeping their playoff hopes alive. I think they do it.
Edmonton wins 28-24.
