Montréal vs Edmonton. East vs West. Potential Grey Cup Match Up.
On Saturday afternoon the Alouettes hosted the Elks for what could have been a spectacle of a football game between the 2 leading teams of their respective divisions in the Canadian Football League. Unfortunately for the viewers and the Edmonton Elks themselves, the game was not as spectacular as most had hoped for. Instead we witnessed a lopsided battle with one team dominating the other at Percival Molson Stadium.
GAME RECAP
3 THOUGHTS
1. Lots of drops - errors and good coverage. Between Montréal's defense playing well and Edmonton's offense missing catches or straight up fumbling the ball, Edmonton's drops were very noticeable, especially the missed opportunities on touchdown attempts.
2. Defense had no answer for Montréal. It seemed like WR Tyson Philpot and RB Travis Theis broke through or past the Edmonton Elks defense often, picking up yards and scoring against the Elks in the process.
3. Nice to see Rankin rush for big chunks. RB Justin Rankin has been struggling to pick up major yards as of late, so it was good to see him move the ball with his feet after struggling for weeks.
THE POINT AFTER
Edmonton Elks were dominated by the Montréal Alouettes, simply put. There's no real way to look at this game differently as the Elks looked like they had some steam in the first half of the game but none in the second half.
On offense, the Elks could have performed much better against the Alouettes defense but given how well Montréal played, it also could have been worse. QB Cody Fajardo completed 21 passes on 35 attempts for 231 yards 2 TDs and 1INT. He also used his legs, achieving 43 yards and 1 TD from 6 rushing attempts. RB Justin Rankin racked up 72 yards from 7 rushes. WR Austin Mack took top recieving honours with 9 catches on 13 targets for 110 yards and 1 TD, however he did fumble the ball in this game to give Montréal possession. Worth noting was WR Carter Kettyle's first career TD coming late in the game, courtesy of QB Taylor Powell.
The defense struggled to contain the Alouettes in this game. LB Nick Anderson returned to the lineup, providing 5 defensive tackles to top the tackle board. DB Tyrell Ford had 2 picks in this game which was great, but the Elks did lose LB Kenny Logan Jr. In the first half of play forcing the Elks to shuffle positions. No sacks were recorded by the Elks in this game, an indicator of the struggle in the trenches.
Special teams also had a tough day between a blocked punt and big returns allowed. K Vincent Blanchard missed a field goal to go 1-for-2 with 2 extra points and a Rouge. P Jake Julien averaged 41.7 yards from 3 punts, the blocked boot hurting his average. Return specialist Javon Leake only averaged 17 yards on punt returns and 22.6 yards on kick returns. Alouettes return specialist DeVonte Dedmon was able to find bigger returns with his longest play being a 39-yard kickoff return. While the return averages are similar between the two teams, the big plays put the Alouettes in much better field position
THE FAN SIDE
Like we said, the Elks looked good for one half of play but the call for a field goal late in the second quarter on a 3rd-and-1 scenario was a head scratcher for fans and pundits alike. Montréal clapped back immediately with a field goal of their own before halftime and from there, the Elks couldn't find momentum again for the rest of the game. Fans on The Elks Herd socials noted that the team seemed to play differently after the final sequences of the 2nd Quarter.
For the first time this season the Elks have suffered a 3-phase loss. Drops, turnovers and failure to capitalize hindered the offense, the defense couldn't stop the run or the long ball, and special teams had a punt blocked and a missed field goal with big returns allowed. We haven't seen a loss like this yet from the 2026 Elks and it certainly leads to more questions about the team. A second-straight loss for the Elks proves that Edmonton still has much to work on in order to be considered a true contender in the league, Montréal and Saskatchewan holding that status after their latest victories. The latest loss is alarming due to the nature in which they lost, a 3-score deficit that hasn't been seen since 2025.
ON A POSITIVE NOTE...
6-3 isn't a bad record to own at the half-way point of the CFL Regular Season. While the momentum and hype for the Double E may have taken a dip after back-to-back losses, the reality is that the Elks are still in the hunt for a playoff spot with a firm hold on 2nd in the West. If there was ever a good time for a team to take a beating like we saw on Saturday, it would be right now, smack dab in the middle of Regular Season. This loss gives the Elks an opportunity to evaluate their roster, plans and schemes as they enter the second half of the season.
Worth noting was the decrease in penalties, 5 for 68 yards which is an improvement over last week. The Elks will need to stay disciplined as they navigate the path to the Labour Day Series vs the Calgary Stampeders in 3 weeks, the Toronto Argonauts and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers next on the schedule.
NEXT UP: EDMONTON ELKS VS TORONTO ARGONAUTS ON AUGUST 15TH
The Green and Gold will host the Double Blue next Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium for what will be an important game for both clubs. The Elks will be hungry to get back into the win column while the Argonauts are hoping to solidify their spot in the East Division standings, currently in 2nd Place behind the 8-1 Montréal Alouettes. Expect an exciting battle between the two teams, implications and pride on the line next Saturday. Kickoff is at 1PM Mountain with the Tailgate Party starting at 11AM in Lot B.
Buckle Up!