The Edmonton Elks travel to southern Alberta to lock horns with their arch-rivals the Calgary Stampeders at McMahon Stadium.

In an ironic affair, the Calgary Stampeders and the Edmonton Eskimos / Elks will not participate in the postseason.  This marks the first time in CFL history that no Alberta-based teams will compete in the CFL playoffs.

With both squads experiencing a losing season, this also is the first time that the Calgary Stampeders will not be entering the postseason since 2004.  It was a remarkable span in which the Stampeders have held the longest active playoff streak that spanned 18 straight seasons.

Regarding the Edmonton Elks, their play on the field was a lot better than the 0-7 start.  They still played well enough to win 3-4 of those games.  Unfortunately, costly errors sealed their fate which kept them away from achieving any victories.

Game Details

Date / Location:  Saturday, October 12th, 2024 / McMahon Stadium / Calgary, Alberta

Kickoff Time:  3:00 pm EST

Channel:  TSN / TSN+ / CFL+

Weather Forecast:  14 Degrees Celsius.  It will feel like 13 Degrees Celsius. Sunny.

Wind Gust:  20 kilometres per hour in a southeast direction.

Percentage of Precipitation:  0%

Odds

Spread:  Calgary Stampeders – 1.5 (-106) / Edmonton Elks + 1.5 (-114)

Money line:  Calgary Stampeders – 120 / Edmonton Elks + 100

Over / Under:  Over 50.5 (- 115) / Under (50.5 (-105)

Via FanDuel Sportsbook

Injury Report:  Edmonton Elks

The Edmonton Elks will be without the services of DL- Sam Acheampong (knee), LB – DK Bonhomme (thigh), WR – Gavin Cobb (thigh), WR – Vincent Forbes-Mombleau (thigh), and DL – Noah Taylor (shoulder).

Injury Report:  Calgary Stampeders

The Calgary Stampeders enter week 19 with the following injuries: OL- Cam Echols (head), and DL- Hyman Ismael (calf).

Edmonton Elks Depth Chart

Calgary Stampeders Depth Chart

As of now, the Calgary Stampeders have not unveiled their depth chart.

Players to Watch:  Edmonton Elks

Elliott Brown

With 40 defensive tackles and a team-leading 6 sacks, Elliott Brown has been a workhorse for the Elks’ defence this season.  He will be a thorn in Calgary’s offensive line with his quickness off the snap of the ball at the line of scrimmage.

Expect Elliott Brown to be an impact player in this game at Calgary where he can quite possibly collect 2 sacks in this game, along with contributing with big tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

Eugene Lewis 

He has been exceptional in this league since becoming a starter in 2018 when he was a member of the Montreal Alouettes.

When the Elks acquired his services via free agency in 2023, they knew they had a gem that could change your franchise around.  Even with an injured-riddled season with only playing 12 games last season, Eugene Lewis was still capable of collecting 844 receiving yards.

With 3 games left (including tomorrow), Eugene Lewis currently sits with 936 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns.  He is fully capable of breaking the 1,000 plateaux along with double digits in touchdowns.

Players to Watch:  Calgary Stampeders

Demerio Houston

He was a hot commodity during the 2024 free agency period and rightly so.  His game speaks for itself in which Winnipeg fans know all about Demerio Houston and what he brings to the table on game day.

With 65 tackles and 4 interceptions this season, quarterbacks know his vision for the field and his natural ability to change the game.

Reggie Begelton

Even though Calgary won’t make the playoffs this year, there is no denying that they have been a staple in how to build a franchise for long-term success.  Great wide receivers have donned the red and white of the Calgary Stampeders for generations, and Reggie Begelton is no different.

With 80 receptions, 994 receiving yards, and 4 touchdowns, his consistency in the CFL speaks volumes about his athletic ability.  It will be a long night for the Edmonton secondary if they let Reggie Begelton take control of the offence and work the clock.

Keys to an Edmonton Victory

Run the ball

The Elks’ have had great success this season when it comes to the running game that is anchored by a three-headed monster withJustin Rankin (577 yards), Kevin Brown (522 yards), and Javon Leake (522 yards).  The fact that all three running backs are part of the 500 club is amazing to see this season.  Expect the Elks to approach this game with a run-heavy offence.

Win the line of scrimmage battle

This goes for both the offence and the defence.  Both teams will have players battling for jobs next season.  On that note, make it a difficult decision for the coaching staff with your play this season, along with the last three regular-season games on the CFL calendar.

For the most part, the Elks’ have played a lot better this season than the last 3 seasons although the losing record is still on display.  The Elks are playing with a lot more pride as is the opposite with the Stampeders.  Go all out as if this was a playoff game.

Prediction

Even though both teams will not qualify for the playoffs for the 2024 edition of the CFL season, there is more hope for the Elks next season as it appears not to be the case with the Stampeders.

The Elks have been putting up more of a fight at a better pace than the Stamps.

Final Score

Edmonton Elks:  33

Calgary Stampeders:  29

Expect a close and entertaining game for both teams.  It is hard to go against Edmonton in this one as the sense of urgency from Calgary has not seemed to present itself at a consistent level in the latter half of the season. 

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