The Edmonton Elks travel to Manitoba for their week 17 tilt where they will square off with Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Princess Auto Stadium. 

With the standings tight in both divisions, it is very much doable for all teams to move up when they get hot at the right time.  The Edmonton Elks will face a big test in playing in one of the most never-wrecking and hostile environments in pro football.

The slogan on Manitoba license plates reads: “Friendly Manitoba”.  But come kickoff time, the Blue Bombers faithful will be mixing up the vocal cords whether that would be that of a soprano, basso, baritone, falsetto or many others to throw off Edmonton as much as possible.

Game Details

Date / Location:  Friday, September 27th, 2024 / Princess Auto Stadium / Winnipeg, Manitoba

Kickoff Time:  8:00 pm EST

Channel:  TSN / TSN+ / CFL+ / CBS Sports Network

Weather Forecast:  13 Degrees Celsius.  It will feel like 12 Degrees Celsius.  Clear.

Wind Gust:  24 kilometres per hour.

Percentage of Precipitation:  0%

Odds

Spread:  Winnipeg Blue Bombers – 4.5 (-115) / Edmonton Elks + 4.5 (-105)

Money line:  Winnipeg Blue Bombers – 235 / Edmonton Elks + 190

Over / Under:  Over 49.5 (- 105) / Under (52.5 (-115)

Via FanDuel Sportsbook

Need to Know

The Series

Injury Report:  Edmonton Elks

The Edmonton Elks are without the services of DL Romeo McKnight, RB Javon Leake, OL Tomas Jack-Kurdyla, OL Phil Grohovac, FB Tanner Green, WR Gavin Cobb, and Darius Bratton.

The two areas of concern entering week 17 for the Edmonton Elks are depth on the offensive line, and at running back.

Injury Report:  Winnipeg Blue Bombers

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have the opposite in that of the Edmonton Elks. LB Brian Cole, DB Nick Hallett, and WR Lucky Whitehead are questionable.

Edmonton Elks Depth Chart

Winnipeg Blue Bombers Depth Chart

As of now, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have not unveiled their depth chart.

Players to Watch:  Edmonton Elks

Eugene Lewis

He will be a big target in the passing game if there is consistency in the Elks’ offence.  He is simply a game-changer.  With 53 receptions, 777 receiving yards, and 6 touchdowns, followed by an average of 14.7 yards per catch, McLeod Bethel–Thompson will be looking for a deep threat.  Eugene Lewis is a player that can win a lot of one-on-one battles against a secondary, and Winnipeg knows it.    

Loucheiz Purifoy

He is one of the best in the CFL whether he is slotted in as a linebacker or a defensive back, Loucheiz Purifoy can do it all on a defence. 

With 33 tackles, 4 interceptions, and 1 sack, Loucheiz Purifoy will be a key component for the Elks’ defence to stall a drive in either breaking up passes or a clutch hit to create an incomplete pass.

Players to Watch:  Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Tyrell Ford

What makes Tyrell Ford so special is his vision for the game.  It’s not often you see a rookie come in, and set the tone on a defence.  And Terell Ford does just that.  If we are witnessing this now, you can only imagine the level of play he will bring to the table four to five years from now when his game becomes even more polished.

Every quarterback in the CFL has a second look when arriving at the line of scrimmage after the huddle to see where Tyrell Ford is lining up on the defence which speaks volumes of his natural athletic ability.

Willie Jefferson

When you’re a defensive end like Willie Jefferson, only positives come to mind when dissecting his game and work ethic.  He is everything to want in a defensive lineman.  He has the speed, skill, strength, vision, and intuitive ability to become a one-man wrecking crew.

You might be able to contain his oncoming pressure at times but as the game goes on, he will wear down your offensive line. 

Keys to an Edmonton Victory

Match the Running Game 

The Elks know that they have a difficult task in keeping Brady Oliveira in check.  It’s a lot easier said than done.  Brady Oliveira is as good as they come in controlling the clock.  On that note, the Edmonton Elks have to have a good running game to have a chance of taking a victory away from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.    

Don’t leave points off the scoreboard.

Since we are now at the point with only four games left on each team’s schedule, it would be wise for the Edmonton Elks not to take too many chances.  Do not gamble too much where it would cost you points being lost.  If you can obtain points from the field goal unit, then do so.  The last thing you want is to gamble on a 3rd and short inside the Winnipeg 40-yard line and fall short of four attempts.

Prediction

Last week’s game in Edmonton was not off to a great start from the offensive perspective, as the Elks entered halftime with no points on the board.  On the positive side, the Elks’ defence did a great job holding off Winnipeg to a lone field goal.

Mathematically the Edmonton Elks did a lot of good things in the 2nd half when it came to time possession overall in the game (Winnipeg 33:39 to Edmonton 26:21).

However, it was an Elks team who shot themselves in the foot on multiple occasions which resulted in too many turnovers that sealed their fate.   

The defence played well enough for the Elks to beat Winnipeg.  Unfortunately, the offence sputtered on too many scenarios.

Final Score

Winnipeg Blue Bombers:  27

Edmonton Elks:  23

Edmonton plays a better game than it did last week.  This will be a game that will for the most part go down to the wire. 

The X factor in this game will be if Edmonton can close the game with a lead when It’s under the three-minute mark.  Winnipeg has been hot with a 6-game winning streak.  They might have started the 2024 CFL slow, but good teams like Winnipeg that have a lot of depth find ways to win.

Stay in tune with CFL News Hub for the 2024 season. 

Be sure to join Alt Football Reddit and connect with CFL and alt-football fans. 

Subscribe to our CFL News Hub YouTube Channel.  Get breaking news and the latest CFL news.  Plus, the CFL Week in Review Podcast.