The Edmonton Elks seem to struggle playing in Toronto and Saturday proved no different.
The Argonauts hosted the Elks for WWE Night and in true fashion we saw a rough affair between the two teams. The crowd was loud at BMO Field as fans of all ages gathered for what would be a close game between the two teams. A winnable game was not won for the Edmonton Elks as the victor, the Argonauts, would prove once again that they feast on the Elks in Toronto.
GAME RECAP
3 THOUGHTS
1. What's up with the Red Zone problems? The Elks found pay dirt once on 6 attempts, a troubling stat for a team that has struggled in the red zone earlier in the season.
2. Stupid Penalties held the team back. LB Chelen Garnes was ejected for punching an Argonaut and while the Elks only committed 6 penalties for a total of 65 yards, the timing of the penalties was very unfortunate.
3. Turnover battle lost = game lost. Edmonton had 3 turnovers to Toronto's 2, a Fajardo pick on the final drive to seal the victory for the Argonauts.
THE POINT AFTER
Heartbreak on the final drive. The Elks had every opportunity to win this game but many self-inflicted factors held the team back from securing a 5th win in-a-row.
The offense put up great numbers on the day but ultimately they struggled to capitalize throughout the entire game. QB Cody Fajardo completed 31 passes on 42 attempts for 360 passing yards and 2 interceptions. He also amassed 63 yards and a touchdown from 12 rushing attempts. RB Justin Rankin had notable numbers in the match, carrying the ball 21 times for 89 yards in addition to 47 yards from 5 catches. WR Austin Mack topped the reciever board with 116 yards from 7 receptions.
The defense played well in Saturday afternoon's tilt. DB Kordell Jackson and DB JJ Ross each had an interception while DL Malik Carney posted 2 sacks on the day.
Special teams didn't have their best outing against the Argonauts in Toronto. K Vincent Blanchard hammered 4 field goals from 5 attempts, his longest coming from the 33-yard line. He also secured 1 extra point from 1 touchdown. P Jake Julien averaged 45 yards on 5 attempts, the longest punt coming from a 57-yard boot. KR/PR Montrell Washington may be the biggest story of the phase and maybe even the game, combining for 219 yards on returns and thus, giving the offense decent field position to work with on his returns.
THE FAN SIDE
While we only had a chance to watch the first half of play due to a wedding, listening to the game might have been the better option in the way of curse words and frustration. The Elks were close the entire game but ultimately, the "Second-Half Team" title would not hold true for this game. So many missed opportunities plagued the Elks, with penalties, turnovers, red zone failures and even a missed field goal. Saturday's game was very uncharacteristic for the Elks, mental lapses on full display as Edmonton basically gave away the game in the final minute.
ON A POSITIVE NOTE...
All of the issues mentioned above can be fixed in due time. While there's never really a good time to take a loss such as this, the Elks have an opportunity to rebound at home next weekend. Saturday's game was a great example of what not to do and even though some of these issues are reocurring, the EE haven't had these types of performances twice in-a-row. You can expect the Elks to bounce back next weekend back at home in front of their fans.
NEXT UP: EDMONTON ELKS VS HAMILTON TIGER-CATS SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26TH 2026
The Edmonton Elks will look to rebound next weekend against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Commonwealth Stadium, otherwise known as the "Concrete Castle of the North". Hamilton is trying to keep their season alive as crossover implications loom in the CFL West Division. The Elks are marching toward a home playoff game but a loss or two could still be the difference between hosting the West Final, the West Semi Final and not hosting at all. Kickoff is at 5PM next Saturday with the Tailgate Chili Cook-Off starting at 3PM.
Buckle Up!