They say winning never gets old. Whoever they are, they're right.
The Edmonton Elks hosted the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Commonwealth Stadium for another edition of Friday Night Lights in Alberta's Capital City, implications aplenty as the Elks seeked a West Final clinch for the first time in 11 years. The Blue Bombers had their own mission, a win giving the Bombers a chance to clinch their own spot in the 2026 CFL Playoffs. With tensions high and nerves coursing through the stadium and tailgate, Elks fans were treated to yet another dazzling performance in the Concrete Castle of the North.
TAILGATE TALK
The weather was beautiful on Friday with a blazing sun that provided temperatures up to 20 degrees Celsius, and very little wind. This made for a great time in the Elks Tailgate Party, with many fans swinging by our stall #182 for pictures, ramen and custom keychains. We also presented the trophy to the winner of the Tailgate Chili Cook-Off, Dave McKinnon of Stall 101!
GAME RECAP
3 THOUGHTS
1. Offense woke up. The first half was tough to watch as Winnipeg had their way with the Elks, but a crucial touchdown in the second quarter injected life into the Elks offense to kick up to intensity.
2. That D is still elite. When you need a play from the defense, you get it. The defense bends but rarely breaks, and they definitely didn't break in this game. The defense did start slow but once the engine was warm, the D was able to tackle and intercept the Blue Bombers to give the Elks the edge.
3. We're going back to the CFL West Final! After 11 years the Green and Gold will host the second biggest game of the season, topping the CFL West with the most points and officially untouchable by any other team in the division. The job isn't finished but this was a major step for an organization that went 7-11 last season.
THE POINT AFTER
The defense struggled early but got it together after halftime. The offense found their footing in this game too, the likes of Fajardo, Mack and Rankin punishing the Blue Bombers at critical points of play.
QB Cody Fajardo didn't have the biggest game himself, but he did what was needed to secure a victory. 12 completions on 17 attempts for 120 yards and 2 passing touchdowns in addition to 8 carries for 72 rushing yards and another 2 touchdowns. RB Justin Rankin carried the ball a whopping 23 times for 133 yards, willing his way down the field to run the clock at the end of the game. WR Joe Robustelli topped the recieving board with only 3 catches for 36 yards, WR Austin Mack and RB ShunDerrick Powell with a TD each.
The defense balled out once again, LB Nick Anderson proving his worth with 8 defensive tackles and an interception, LB Kenny Logan Jr. with the other INT. DL Noah Taylor posted a sack, and DB Tyrell Ford and LB Eteva Mauga-Clements each forced a fumble in this game.
Special teams were special once again thanks to big boots and big returns. K Vincent Blanchard made 2 field goals with a 52-yard FG being the longest, as well as 4 extra points. He also executed 5 kickoffs for 270 yards total, averaging 54 yards per kickoff. On punting duties, P Jake Julien averaged 50.8 yards on 5 boots, his longest coming in at 61 yards. WR Montrell Washington continued dazzling on return duties, his punt returns helping the team get that much closer to scoring. Washington averaged 28.3 yards from 4 punts for 113 yards total.
THE FAN SIDE
Big sighs of relief. This fanbase hasn't been stressed about a playoff game in a long time, let alone a West Final clinch. The crowd wasn't the biggest or even the loudest on Friday, but the crowd sure got rowdy by the end of the game. I don't recall many games this season where the Elks ran the ball down the opposition's throat, yet that's what the Elks did on that final drive with Rankin. Edmonton needed to will their way to a win and they did exactly that. Was this a powerful performance? Based on the fashion in which they won, I'd say the second half of play showed the Elks have what it takes to take on anyone, another victory thanks to great defensive play and a strong finish.
We've said it before and we'll say it again, the 2026 Edmonton Elks find ways to win. No two wins are the same and Edmonton, the city and team, officially have a game at Commonwealth Stadium on November 7th, the West Final returning to Alberta's Capital City after 11 years. Fajardo and company will need the city behind them as they look to capture their first championship since 2015, over a decade since Edmonton has witnessed Green and Gold greatness. An important storyline will be the health of the team, with a few more injuries during Friday's game to make matters worse. The Elks need a healthy team in 3 weeks from now, the game versus Saskatchewan next week now holding little implication for the Elks but everything for the Roughriders. Expect less starters and more back ups next week in Regina.
Another big win for Elks fans is the reality of Playoff Tailgating for the first time in the existence of the Edmonton Elks Tailgate Party. The football tradition was introduced in Edmonton back in 2016, 10 years ago in Lot A. Since then, the Tailgate Party has moved to Lot B and has taken on a life of its own, with sponsors, a stage and hundreds of hardcore fans enjoying a full 5 to 6 hours of fun at Commonwealth Stadium through some good and bad years outside of the Concrete Castle of the North. At long last, these fans have an opportunity to Tailgate in the most frigid temperatures November can offer this year with an El Niño predicted for this fall in Edmonton. Expect a busy day in Lot B on November 7th!
NEXT UP: EDMONTON ELKS @ SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS OCTOBER 24 2026
The Green and Gold hit the skies to battle the Green and White for a Saturday afternoon matinee at Mosiac Stadium. The Elks will tune up the replacements as the Riders will do everything they can to stay in the CFL West, a crossover spot on the line for 3 teams in the division next weekend. This will be a critical week in the name of rest and refinement for Edmonton, but for now, fans of the Double E can relax as their favourite football team is The Best In The CFL West.
Buckle Up!