20,036 fans may have paid for a seat at Saturday's Edmonton Elks game, but they only needed the edge.
In what could only be described as an Overtime Thriller, the Edmonton Elks hosted a very desperate Hamilton Tiger-Cats team at Commonwealth Stadium for a match that featured extra time as the two teams battled for field position, points in the standings and playoff implications. The Concrete Castle of the North needed to be defended against a team that could see elimination with a loss.
2026 EDMONTON ELKS TAILGATE CHILI COOK-OFF
The annual Chili Cook-Off was a hit like always, however, the weather certainly put it's own spin on the event. While we plan this event to be more of a "cold weather" affair this year the wind was a very big factor, our clipboards flying in our faces on multiple occasions. 8 contestants gave judges their spin on Chili, the judges panel consisting of Travis Currah of 2 and Out Podcast, Officer Jeff of the Grey Cup Fun Police, competition-winner Pierre Bourret and myself. Every competitor put in a great amount of effort and even though I could still taste Chili at the end of the game, it was an honour to try out each and every creation. We're hearing that over 150 servings were provided from one stall alone! A big shout out to the Edmonton Elks, Merv Jennings, Edmonton Sports Talk and The Turf District for making the event possible!
GAME RECAP
3 THOUGHTS
1. Montrell Washington has talent. Washington was able to amass 179 yards between punt and kickoff returns, putting the Elks into decent field position on most, if not all returns.
2. Holy dropped balls Batman. We hate to single out players for negative play but WR Brandon O'Leary-Orange, amongst other recievers, struggled to hold onto the ball in critical passing plays. The conditions could have played a role in the missed catches, wind and chill being a factor in this match.
3. OVERTIME THRILLER! Green and Gold fans were treated to their first dose of the new overtime format, a quarterback shootout in the 2 point fashion in order to declare a winner. The Double E would rise to the occasion, Fajardo completing a pass into the end zone for the first time of the night to seal the win.
THE POINT AFTER
The Elks caught the ball that mattered. Red zone concerns are alive and well in Edmonton but QB Cody Fajardo and company didn't care to hear it in the post-game presser. For the Elks the win mattered the most, but K Vincent Blanchard's record-breaking 9 field goals were a major reason for the Elks securing the win.
Fajardo posted a stat line of 298 passing yards from 47 passing attempts, completing 32 passes with 1 interception. He also rushed 6 times for 28 yards and 1 touchdown. RB Justin Rankin topped the rushing chart with 11 carries for 74 yards. WR Zach Mathis notched 75 yards from 5 catches to top the reciever board. In total the Elks posted 448 offensive yards from 70 plays.
On defense, LB Joel Dublanko, LB Nick Anderson and DB Tyrell Ford each had 5 defensive tackles, Ford snagging an interception in the end zone to prevent a score. DB J.J. Ross also had an interception in this game and DL Noah Taylor had the team's only sack in this game.
Special Teams were indeed special in this game. As mentioned previously, KR/PR Montrell Washington showed much promise with 179 return yards, in addition to Vincent Blanchard's 9 field goals for a perfect performance on the night, his longest field goal coming from a 54-yard boot. P Jake Julien averaged 46.2 yards from 6 punts, a 62-yard boot the longest if the day.
THE FAN SIDE
Screw the edge of the seat, we needed to stand for Double Overtime. It was next to impossible to sit as Cody Fajardo and company attempted to get their first passing play into the end zone. Our kids don't necessarily understand football to the fullest but they understood the weight of the moment as they both stood beside me in Section W, a relocation made in an effort to stand where no fans were sitting behind me. And oh, what a catch it was.
It goes without saying, this game was not pretty and the Elks definitely have some questions in certain parts of their game, including the red zone, but us fans don't get to witness history very often. Blanchard's 9 field goals will be talked about for some time but if the Elks want to be taken seriously as a Grey Cup contender, the team will need to solve the penalty issues along with the red zone deficiencies.
NEXT UP: BYE WEEK
The Edmonton Elks get a much-needed rest next week as the playoffs loom, along with a rematch with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Hamilton Stadium after the bye week. Even though Hamilton suffered playoff elimination at the hands of the Elks, Ticats players will be fighting for jobs and the Elks will be fighting for a home playoff game for the first time since 2015. The Elks will need health for this final stretch in order to take the next step in their hunt for a Grey Cup.
Buckle Up!