Blue Bombers visit Elks as hottest teams in the West square off

Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros (8) throws against the Saskatchewan Roughriders during the first half of CFL Banjo Bowl action in Winnipeg Saturday, September 7, 2024. (John Woods/The Canadian Press)

EDMONTON -

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have won five in a row. The Edmonton Elks have won five of their last six games. They are the two hottest teams in the West.

When they meet Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium, something has to give.

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"Yeah, somebody's got to lose," said Elks rookie defensive back Devodric Bynum. "It won't be us, though."

Bynum is part of a secondary that hauled in nine interceptions in two previous wins over the Calgary Stampeders. Bynum has five picks this year, just one shy of the league lead entering the week.

An Elks defence that gave up a slew of big plays during an 0-7 start to the season has become a takeaway machine, as the team has climbed to 5-8.

"Our coaches are on us every day," said Bynum. "Heavy is the head that wears the crown. They demand greatness. We demand greatness out of ourselves. We're all just giving a little something more to the game -- a little bit of something."

Elks coach Jarious Jackson noted the evolution of his team's now-daunting secondary.

"There's a lot of communication," he said. "Guys are being ball hawks.

"If you give them the opportunity to take it, they'll take it. That's slowly progressed over the course of the season. When we started off the season, you probably could have thrown the ball backhanded and completed it."

This will be the first of two games in a row against the Blue Bombers, who lead the west at 7-6. If the Elks sweep, they will be firmly in the CFL post-season race, and even in the discussion for a home playoff game.

Even though the Blue Bombers are racking up the wins, the offence has not caught fire. Despite being over .500, the Bombers rank last in the CFL in yards per game (357.8) and points per game (22.7). Meanwhile, the Elks top the CFL with an average of nearly 30 points a game.

The Bombers are leading the division with stats that make you think they do it with mirrors. Meanwhile, if you look at the Elks' offensive numbers and the fact their turnover ratio is plus-16, you wonder how the heck they could be 5-8.

"It's a long season, there's going to be ups and downs," Bombers' wideout Nic Demski, who has 722 receiving yards, told reporters this week. "I think our offence is coming around. We've got to put more points on the board, for sure. There's probably not as many explosive plays as there has been in the past, but, you know what, there's still a lot of time left in the season."

The Elks will have Tre Ford return as the starting quarterback. The Canadian, who is 2-0 as a starter this season, backed up McLeod Bethel-Thompson in the two wins over Calgary. Ford was recovering from a rib injury, and Jackson wanted the young pivot to be close to 100 per cent before handing him back the keys.

Ford had initially replaced Bethel-Thompson as the team's No. 1 option after the Elks dropped seven in a row to start the year.

"They've got two quarterbacks who can step in and run the offence and make it look differently," Bombers coach Mike O'Shea said. "You've got to watch enough film on both and be able to adjust -- the defence can do that."

Jackson said the Elks will likely have A.C. Leonard on the defensive line. He joined the team's practice roster after being away from the CFL for the first half of the season. Leonard had 12 sacks for the Elks in 2023.

"His status is that he's practising right now and, hopefully, we can get him up to go," said Jackson. "So far, so good. He looks like the old A.C. to me. I don't think he's lost a step. I think he's been working out and running. He looks great."

WELL RESTED: Both the Elks and Bombers are coming off bye weeks. Neither have played a game since Sept. 7.

LONG TIME, NO SEE: Despite being divisional rivals, the Elks and Blue Bombers haven't faced each other since Oct. 21, 2023. The Bombers rolled over the Elks, 45-25.

PICK `EM: Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros has just eight touchdown passes in 13 games, but has thrown 13 picks. The 36-year-old veteran has only once finished a season with more picks than touchdowns -- in 2018, with Saskatchewan.

   This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 20, 2024.