The first five weeks of the CFL Regular Season have come and gone, and while some teams are happy with their position in the divisional standings, other teams are left looking for answers, one of them being the Edmonton Elks.
For the second-straight year, the Elks are starting the season with an 0-4 record and while that stat may look grim on paper, the team fielded has lost most of these games by 3 points in, what most would describe as, competitive games. The Elks have clearly shown that they've improved as a football team, yet the team still struggles to close out games when the lights are the brightest and the pressure is at its highest. McLeod Bethel-Thompson has performed well for the most part at starting quarterback, the defense has stood tall when needed, and the offense has proven that it can produce the net yardage required to win games. So that begs the question... Why isn't this year's edition of the Double E finding wins despite being much improved over last year's team?
After watching the Elks play through 4 hard-fought games, one can visibly see that the Elks have improved in many areas. The addition of MBT has brought instant-chemistry and cohesion to the offense, the connections with Hergy Mayala and Kurleigh Gittens Jr. making for some incredible plays and much-needed positive yardage. As well, MBT has been targeting Dillon Mitchell often in an effort to spread the field, but we haven't seen many high-impact plays from star reciever Eugene Lewis, bringing questions about the chemistry or lack-there-of between Geno and MBT. Nonetheless, this is still a relatively young team as an offensive unit with many games ahead, the production speaking for itself. So where is the flaw in this offense? Look no further than the fumbles and interceptions, or turnover statistics from the first 4 games of 2024. While the Elks' turnover rate isn't exactly horrifying, the critical timing of these mishaps have greatly hurt their chances of winning in each game.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Elks have found ways to stop the run and the pass in most scenarios while also adding quarterback sacks, critical plays being their biggest weakness over these last 4 games. Whether it's a penalty or broken coverage in the final minutes, the defense looks great for most of the game yet they struggle when it matters the most. The addition of Shawn Oakman and the return of Derrick Moncrief come at the best possible time for the Elks as they try to end this current losing streak this Sunday at Commonwealth Stadium.
Fans, alumni and media all agree on one thing; The 2024 Edmonton Elks are a much improved product in comparison to 2023's team. The 0-4 record may not sit well with fans, but the reality is that this team has lost 4 competitive, winnable games by a touchdown or less, and while patience is wearing thin on the Green and Gold faithful, winning no longer seems out of reach. The Elks will find out on Sunday if the bye week and changes will push them over the hump between the loss column and the win column.