CFL Week 11 – Game 1 Analysis – Saturday August 15 at Commonwealth Stadium
This will be the first introduction to the Toronto Argonauts new head coach, Mike Miller, for the Edmonton Elks, but they did face him as an offensive coordinator in 2013 with the Alouettes. The Argonauts are playing their 8th road game of the season out of their nine regular-season games. These road warriors are coming off their first home game nine days prior to this one. The Elks meanwhile, are playing their 2nd consecutive afternoon game. The Elks should have enough tape on Miller’s offence to not be surprised. This should be a good match up with Elks looking to use the home field advantage to win this game (Elks 13-5 at home in August vs the Argo’s)
CFL Week 16 – Game 2 Analysis – Saturday September 19 at Toronto
For both teams, the Labour Day Classics have passed, both are coming off of 7 days rest and both are facing 3 consecutive games against the other division. Playing each other a month ago, the memory will be fresh of what worked and what did not. There is a chance that each team may have slightly different looks with NFL cuts being available. The Elks have struggled in Toronto with 3 consecutive losses. Both teams are looking for a push down the stretch of the season, looking to string some wins together and make a case for the playoffs and hopefully see each other in November and play the rubber match in their Grey Cup series.
The History
The Argonauts were the first Grey Cup opponents for the Edmonton Football team in 1952 and handed them a 21-11 loss. It will be the last Argos Grey Cup win until 1983 while the Eskimos will win 9 Grey Cups before that next Argo title. Since inter-divisional play in 1961, the Argonauts have been the most difficult Eastern opponent to play against as well as the hardest host to play against with only a 0415 winning percentage in Toronto. The history has been a back and forth affair with the Argos winning 10 of the first 15 contests with Edmonton winning 11 of the next 12, then Argos winning 9 of 14, Edmonton 10 of 13 and so on. Both teams share the same career passing yards leader in Ricky Ray (40,531 Edm & 20,205 Tor) as well as many of CFL great QB’s in Tom Wilkinson, Matt Dunigan, Damon Allen, Tracy Ham and Jackie Parker. Both teams have faced each other in 4 Grey Cup, splitting them evenly with an Edmonton 118-116 points for and against advantage…and Yes, Virginia, that was a fumble in the 1996 Grey Cup.
The 2 cities have played in:
1 East Division Semi-Final: 2012 Toronto 42, Edmonton 26
Grey Cups
-1952 Toronto 21 Edmonton 11
-1982 Edmonton 32 Toronto 16
-1987 Edmonton 38 Toronto 36
-1996 Toronto 43 Edmonton 37
Common Players/Staff between the two Organizations
Current: Nick Arbuckle, Jared Brinkman, Demarcus Christmas, Jarret Doege, Cody Fajardo, Kurleigh Gittens Jr., Martez Ivey, Javon Leake, Gregor Mackellar, Demetrious Maxie, Royce Metchie, Jordan Williams,
Historic: Damon, Allen, Zenon Andrusyshyn, Sandy Annunziata, John Avery, Kerwin Bell, Leroy Blough, Tommy Joe Coffey, Matt Dunigan, Craig Ellis, Rickey Foggie, Nealon Greene, Hank, Ilesic, Kerry Joseph, Neil Lumsden, Don Matthews, Scott Milanovich, Bill Mitchell, Derrell “Mookie” Mitchell, Joe Montford, Frank Morris, Jackie Parker, James “Quick” Parker, Elfrid Payton, Reggie Pleasant, Willie Pless, Dale Potter, Ricky Ray, Kavis Reed, Adam Rita, Rich Stubler, Annis Stukas, Bobby Taylor, Tom Wilkinson, Don Wilson, Kelly Wiltshire, John Wydareny, Bill Zock
The Stats
Elks Record when:
Elks Record vs Toronto: 56-49-1 (0.533)
Elks Record vs Toronto at Home: 34-18-1 (0.651)
Elks Record vs Toronto at Away: 22-31-0 (0.415)
Elks Record on August 15: 8-3-0 (0.727)
Elks Record on September 19: 13-3-0 (0.813)
The last 10
Elks Record vs last 10 Toronto Games: 5-5-0 (0.500)
Elks Record vs last 10 Toronto Games at Home: 8-2-0 (0.800)
Elks Record vs last 10 Toronto Games on the Road: 3-7-0 (0.300)
Last time Edmonton swept season series: 2019 *Won the single game in shortened 2021 season
Last time Toronto swept season series: 2023
| 2025 Head-to-Head Statistical Comparison | ||||||
| Edmonton Offensive Rankings | Toronto Defensive Rankings | |||||
| Rank | Total | Avg | Rank | Tot | Avg | |
| 8 | 422 | 23.4 | POINTS FOR/ALLOWED | 9 | 583 | 32.4 |
| 6 | 40 | TDS | 9 | 54 | ||
| T8 | 35 | FGS | 4 | 44 | ||
| 9 | 5665 | 314.7 | NET OFFENCE | 6 | 6591 | 366.2 |
| 5 | 1766 | 98.1 | RUSHING YARDS | 8 | 1903 | 105.7 |
| 8 | 4392 | 244 | PASSING YARDS | 5 | 5019 | 278.8 |
| 6 | 6.2 | AVG YDS/PLAY | 9 | 7.07 | ||
| 4 | 5.2 | AVG GAIN RUSH | 6 | 5.2 | ||
| 8 | 6.1 | AVG GAIN 1st DOWN | 9 | 7.7 | ||
| 9 | 43.6 | 2nd DOWN CONV % | 6 | 47.7 | ||
| 5 | 118 | 1ST DOWN by RUSH | 9 | 142 | ||
| T8 | 185 | 1ST DOWN by PASS | 1 | 199 | ||
| T4 | 26 | 1ST DOWN by PEN | 7 | 25 | ||
| 1 | 71.9 | COMPLETION % | 9 | 72.4 | ||
| 9 | 19 | PASSING TD’S | 9 | 35 | ||
| 4 | 102.5 | PASS EFFICIENCY | 9 | 111.7 | ||
| 8 | 52 | SACKS ALLOWED/BY | 4 | 41 | ||
| 1 | 12.9 | PUNT RET AVG | 9 | 13.6 | ||
| 5 | 22.5 | K/O RET AVG | 9 | 25 | ||
| 2 | 3 | KICK RET TDS | 8 | 4 | ||
| Edmonton Defensive Rankings | Toronto Offensive Rankings | |||||
| Rank | Total | Avg | Rank | Tot | Avg | |
| 5 | 490 | 27.2 | POINTS ALLOWED/FOR | 3 | 497 | 27.6 |
| T6 | 44 | TDS | T7 | 38 | ||
| 7 | 47 | FGS | 2 | 57 | ||
| 9 | 7013 | 389.6 | NET OFFENCE | 7 | 6012 | 334.1 |
| 5 | 1831 | 101.7 | RUSHING YARDS | 9 | 929 | 51.6 |
| 9 | 5336 | 296.4 | PASSING YARDS | 2 | 5483 | 304.6 |
| 8 | 6.84 | AVG YDS/PLAY | 8 | 6.12 | ||
| T3 | 5 | AVG GAIN RUSH | 9 | 3.9 | ||
| T3 | 6.5 | AVG GAIN 1st DOWN | 7 | 6.2 | ||
| 9 | 51.2 | 2nd DOWN CONV % | 7 | 45.3 | ||
| 6 | 123 | 1ST DOWN by RUSH | 9 | 93 | ||
| T7 | 245 | 1ST DOWN by PASS | 3 | 238 | ||
| T3 | 24 | 1ST DOWN by PEN | T4 | 26 | ||
| 8 | 71.5 | COMPLETION % | 2 | 71.5 | ||
| T6 | 29 | PASSING TD’S | 3 | 31 | ||
| 8 | 104.3 | PASS EFFICIENCY | 5 | 96.5 | ||
| T7 | 24 | SACKS BY/ALLOWED | 9 | 56 | ||
| T6 | 11.9 | PUNT RET AVG | 3 | 12.2 | ||
| 5 | 22.2 | K/O RET AVG | 6 | 22.2 | ||
| 7 | 3 | KICK RET TDS | T4 | 2 | ||
