Double E fans, rejoice!

The Edmonton Elks put on a spirited performance on Friday night to secure a win for the first time in what seems like ages. The Alouettes hosted the Elks in what would be a comeback story for the Green and Gold with two heroes returning to their old home stadium to defeat the teams that let them walk.

EDMONTON ELKS WATCH PARTY

On Friday we decided to try something new; instead of watching the game at home, we went to the Edmonton Elks Watch Party at Sherlock Holmes in North Edmonton, and to our surprise it was one of the best decisions we could have made. Between the EE branding everywhere and entertainment in the form of bingo and cheer team performances, the watch party was everything an Elks fan could ask for. The house was packed too, with every seat taken by fans by the time I arrived. At half-time I was fortunate enough to participate in trivia, and while I didn't win the ticket prize I did go home with an Always Edmonton t-shirt! Overall the EE Watch Party is a must-try for Elks fans.

GAME TIME

The game started off rather slow, with the Elks and Alouettes exchanging small scores with an Elks Rouge, followed by an Als field goal on the ensuing drive. Elks QB Cody Fajardo would get reacquainted with his old team rather quickly however, as the offensive line struggled to contain the Alouettes defense thus allowing one of many sacks on the night. A punt return touchdown would add 7 more points for the Alouettes resulting in a 10-1 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter saw much back-and -forth between the two teams as they battled for field position. The Alouettes would finally score a field goal with less than 4 minutes left in the quarter, but less than a minute later Fajardo would find RB Justin Rankin for a massive gain to put the Elks into the Alouettes red zone. With a stall and a boot, Kicker Vincent Blanchard came in for a field goal and found success. At the 40 second mark, fans of the Double E finally got to see the play we've waited all year for; DB Tyrell Ford intercepted McLeod Bethel-Thompson for an elusive pick six, a touchdown the other way. With the point after touchdown, the Elks were able to close out the quarter 2 points behind Montréal, 13-11 the score.

The third quarter saw MBT benched for QB Ciante Evans in an attempt to find some spark for the home team, and even though the quarter saw more back-and-forth play for field position, Evans would find WR Cole Spieker for a touchdown pass late in the third. With a 19-11 score and doubts starting to grow, the Elks found their backs against the wall late in the quarter.

The fourth quarter would open up with more sacks against and failed drives for the Elks. Blanchard loaded up yet again for a field goal but found a miss, but the excitement didn't stop there. Upon returning the ball, the Alouettes found the Elks charging at them early, resulting in a fumble recovery by LB Nyles Morgan. Fajardo would find WR Kaion Julien-Grant in the enzdone for a touchdown pass, a redemption story in the making for the reciever that dropped critical passes two weeks in a row. With time winding down, the Als managed another field goal with just over a minute left. With three down football mode activated, the Elks charged down the field one last time. RB Javon Leake's return set up the most exciting drive of the game and with fans on the edge of their seats, Fajardo orchestrated one last touchdown drive, a pass caught by Julien-Grant to all but end the game. One play remained, a failed desperation attempt by the Alouettes, and like that the Elks secured their second win of the season.

THE FAN SIDE

Considering how bad the Elks looked for most of this game, the Elks sure managed to pull off one of the most exciting finishes we've seen in a while. The vibes at the Watch Party were great, fans of the Green and Gold cheering loudly with the win. Cody Fajardo looked calm and poised, completing 27 passes for 289 yards and 2 touchdowns. KJG also had a redemption game, catching 5 passes for 45 yards and 2 touchdowns. WR Binjamin Victor saw an elevated role this week, with 48 yards on 4 catches. RB Justin Rankin was one of the team's best reciever with 88 yards on 4 catches.

The offensive line still needs help as they allowed 6 sacks for 47 yards, rushing Fajardo's play as the pocket broke down. GM Ed Hervey will need to address the offensive line sooner than later if the Elks want a chance at making the playoffs. Luckily for the EE, the defense stepped it up with fumble recoveries and an interception, the latter being a rare event for the 2025 edition of the Green and Gold.

This win was much need for the teams and fans alike, especially at this point in the season. Year after year this team has struggled in the first part of the season. Whether it's Tre Ford, Taylor Cornelius, McLeod Bethel-Thompson or Cody Fajardo, this team cannot seem to string together wins in the first third of the season. So far Fajardo has given this team the best chance of winning, and after 3 consecutive starts Cody needed to prove himself as well, this latest win doing exactly that. After years of wondering who our starting quarterback should be, we now know that it's Cody Fajardo.

NEXT UP: TORONTO ARGONAUTS @ EDMONTON ELKS

The Edmonton Elks will host the Toronto Argonauts on Friday night, August 15th at 7:00PM in front of the Green and Gold faithful at Commonwealth Stadium, and with momentum finally in their corner, the Elks will look to defeat the 2024 Grey Cup Champions for the 2nd time in 2 seasons. The Argonauts will be hungry, coming off a loss against the Ottawa Redblacks in their own home. Get ready for an exciting matchup with an even more exciting Tailgate 3 hours before the game.

Buckle Up Elks Fans!