The Edmonton Elks will hit the half-way mark of their 2022 regular season this weekend. Head coach and general manager Chris Jones came aboard in mid-Dec. 2021, rolled up his sleeves and began a massive reload of a team that finished with a 3-11 record. Only 19 players remain from last season’s roster and because of mainly injures, 79 players have suited up for at least one game, which is the highest number in the CFL.
The Elks are 2-6 but can still improve their playoff positioning with a win over the 4-4 Saskatchewan Roughriders when the two meet Saturday night on The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium. A win would move the Elks to within two points of the Riders for fourth place in the West. At the moment, the Riders are in the crossover position in the Eastern Divison by virtue of having more point than the Hamiltion Tiger-Cat and the Montreal Alouettes who have three wins each.
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Elks in playoff mode already as team prepares to face Riders
Following this game, the Elks will have a home-and-home series with the Ottawa Redblacks followed by the back-to-back Labour Day series with the Calgary Stampeders. The Riders schedule after Saturday’s game with the Elks features a home-and-home series with the B.C. Lions and then their Labour Day series with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Elks and Riders will meet again in Regina on Sept. 16 and that game could have playoff implications riding on it.
Edmonton Elks head coach Chris Jones on needing his younger players to take on a bigger role
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Quarterback Taylor Cornelius will start in his fourth straight game, he’s 1-2 this season and is averaging 228 passing yards per game. He will face the Riders for the third time in his career, a team Cornelius has found success against. Last season, Cornelius threw for 546 passing yards (62.1 per cent completion rate), five touchdowns passes just one interception.
Edmonton Elks quarterback Taylor Cornelius on the adjustments the team made during practice this week
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A key matchup for the Elks will be slowing down the Riders rushing attack, which ranks third in the CFL with an average of 105.9 yards per game. The Elks are last in the CFL in average yards rushing allowed per game at 123.1. The Riders boast the league’s top rusher in Jamal Morrow who has recorded 484 rushing yards and two touchdowns. The Elks have executed better in stopping the run over their last three games allowing an average of 75.6 yards per game.
At half-time, the Elks will induct three more players into their Wall of Honour. Running back Jim Germany along with defensive backs Joe Hollimon and Ed Jones will be enshrined. All were a part of the famous five-in-a-row teams who won Grey Cups from 1978 to 1982. The trio will become the 39th, 40th, and 41st players to be placed on the Elks Wall of Honour.
The following are the projected offensive and defensive starters for the Elks:
Offence
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Elks host Riders while looking to end struggles both at home and against the West
Quarterback: Taylor Cornelius
Running back: Ante Milanovich-Litre (Fullback: Tanner Green)
Offensive line: Tony Washington, David Foucault, David Beard, Mark Korte, Martez Ivey
Receivers: Derel Walker, Kenny Lawler, Emmaneul Arceneaux, Kai Locksley, Chris Osei-Kusi
Defence
Defensive line: Thomas Cositgan, Makana Henry, Jake Ceresna, Matt Thomas
Linebackers: Adam Konar, Nyles Morgan, Enock Makanzo
Defensive backs: Malik Sonnier, Ed Gainey, Scott Hutter, Treston Decoud, Nafees Lyon
You can hear live coverage of Saturday’s game between the Elks and Riders on 630 CHED, starting with Countdown to Kickoff with Brenden Escott at 6:30 p.m. The opening kickoff on The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium will be at 8 p.m. with Morley Scott and Dave Campbell with analysis by former Edmonton Football Team offensive lineman and two-time Grey Cup champion Blake Dermott. David Boles will be reporting from the Elks sidelines.
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