The Edmonton Elks have faced the BC Lions three times this season, and Friday's 37-24 loss was the closest they came to keeping the score respectable. That's small consolation as the loss puts the Green and Gold outside the playoffs for the fifth straight season.
Here are my thoughts on the game.
Defense starts hot
I could see J.C. Sherritt's defense improving while watching the first half of this game. Six runs for BC, and they scored on five of them, the last one being unsuccessful. Three of those came from the hottest offense in the league. It was a brilliant start for a defense that was on point.
JJ Ross continues to impress at cornerback, showing off his speed and understanding of the game as a rookie. A Western Illinois punter picked off Lions receiver Justin McInnis, stole the ball and returned the ball on the game's second pass. The rowdy play derailed a promising play at the Edmonton nine-yard line.
Tyrell Ford and Cordell Jackson both had knockdowns in the first 29 minutes of the shutout. Brock Mogenson and Joel Dublanco stopped the run with their speed. The growth of the secondary over 17 games, whether it was due to injuries or the emergence of young guys, was really interesting to watch. This group will be able to grow together in the Sherritt system.
The problem was that they had no support…
No points all the time
By half-time, the Green and Gold had possession for more than twice as long and controlled the ball for over 20 minutes. The whole thing turned into a 10-10 tie at the end of the half. Edmonton missed a huge opportunity to give themselves life in this game and in the playoffs.
Missed field goal on first drive. Refusal of security after Ross's big strip. Twice the game ended two-and-out, including once with just over two minutes left in the half. I don't think we need to reconsider how much of a hassle it is for this team to get the ball back to the opposition in a short amount of time in the half.
BC's defense has also improved significantly this year. I don't want to take away from the good job they did against the Elks in this situation. The pressure from that front seven meant Edmonton was unable to capitalize. But when a team has had the ball for more than twice as long, they have to show more.
The Moose finally found success early in the second quarter and then kicked a field goal. The opportunity to knock has already gone unanswered. A brilliant minute-long attack by Nathan Rourke led to an equal score. In the second half, the Lions returned to their usual routine.
The Do or Die Effect
Desperation can lead to some interesting decisions. Cody Fajardo has been great at protecting the ball all year. In the previous 11 games he started this year, the California native had thrown just three interceptions. Accuracy of over 70 percent was normal for him. I have to wonder if the pressure of the game forced him to make some shots he wouldn't normally make.
Three interceptions, including a pick-six and two on the final three drives of the game, really turned the tide against the Green and Gold. The connection with Curly Gittens Jr. came early, but BC caught on and enjoyed it while it lasted. Twelve targets resulted in KGJ catching just six balls, and one miss came from a terrible hit by Robert Carter Jr. that I thought would probably knock Curley out of the game. It was shoulder to chest, but very close to shoulder to chin. Gittens did return, but on the next interception he looked like he should have intervened and came out instead. I can't imagine that some of the effects of this hit haven't lingered to this day.
Another call that felt like a play on tilt came on third-and-12 early in the third quarter at the Lions' 47-yard line just after the pick-six. Now that I've dropped seven points, I realize how tempting it would be to force this big game to regain some momentum. Just last week, the Elks ran third-and-2 on their end and got a touchdown pass from Justin Rankin, so that may have prompted this decision.
I demanded aggressiveness from the team, but that's not exactly what I had in mind. With less than six yards left, I could tell the shot was worth it. Needing 12, BC had all the momentum, and turnovers on downs gave the Lions even more. BC's drive ended with a field goal and the rout began.
Rankin under control
Kudos to the Lions for doing what many teams have failed to do this year by holding Justin Rankin under 100 yards from scrimmage. Rankin led the league in rushing yards heading into this game. A total of 71 yards now seems like a pedestrian night for the sophomore.
As I mentioned earlier, the Lions' front seven did an excellent job of closing down opportunities for their Western opponents. Rankin didn't even have the longest run of the night, as Fajardo found one five yards longer. Not every game will be a success for the young star, but Edmonton needed some Tank and the Lions knew it.
Some of that has to come from the offensive line. I've seen open holes this year, but there hasn't been much vertical movement at the line of scrimmage. Things got a little better when Carter O'Donnell was inserted and got into flow with the line as the former Golden Bear really brought trouble to the line. He was knocked out early in the game with a head injury and Gregor McKellar came on. The safety Edmonton gave up was on the very next play, right in McKellar's spot.
The O-line will need to be worked on this offseason. They have some great pieces but consistency, depth and physicality need to improve.
Linesman Bouncing Back
Is Edmonton's version of South Park's Kenny Jared Brinkman? Every game he goes down with a serious injury, and then three games later he's here again.
There is no doubt that Brinkman plays most games injured. The Northern Iowa product simply doesn't have an opt-out button. He missed one game but, like Kenny, showed up for the next game ready to be part of the group. It's good to see determination and the fourth-year lineman really makes an impact when he's there.
I can't wait to see what he'll be like when he's healthy over the longer term. I would really like the fans to start screaming, “You offended Brinkman! You bastard! Although.
Another season outside
For the fifth season in a row, the Elks will be spectators in the CFL playoffs. Don't let anyone tell you that games in July don't mean anything. The 1-6 start to the season was too big a hole to climb out of. Back-to-back field goals in games where the advantage was in hand proved costly.
However, this year seems less doom and gloom than in years past. The growth of the team under such a coaching staff was obvious. Edmonton was no longer the easy way out it used to be. There is work to be done, as is the case with any team that misses the dance, but the faith is starting to return. This was the first year of creating something bigger, and I believe the best elements will help make it happen.
The final game of the season is Friday against the rival Stampeders. The victory will bring home fans joy and hope for success next year.
