Game: Edmonton (3-7) at Montreal (9-1)

Kickoff: August 25, 2024 at 5:00 PM MT/7:00 PM ET

Where: Percival Molson Stadium, Montreal, QC

Watch: TSN

Listen: CISN-FM

After beating the Roughriders, Lions, and Tiger-Cats well, the Edmonton Elks look to win their fourth straight game against the top team in the Eastern Division and reigning Grey Cup champions, the Montreal Alouettes.

Offence sparking at the right time

The Elks produced three straight wins, and their offence is in high form under interim head coach Jarious Jackson. 

This unit’s production has been awe-inspiring. During the winning streak, the Elks are averaging 40.7 points per game, 439 total net yards per game, a staggering 199.3 rushing yards, and a stable 251 yards passing per contest.

For Edmonton to get another road win, they must continue pounding the turf with their running game. Led by the tandem of Justin Rankin and Kevin Brown (subbing in for Javon Leake), the Elks can take advantage of the Montreal rushing defence, which is in the middle of the pack in the league, allowing 101.8 yards per game.

Montreal is the league leader with the fewest offensive points allowed, with 189.

Based on this production, the Elks are now the #1 scoring offence in the CFL, with 292 of their 296 points scored offensively. 

McLeod Bethel-Thompson will get the start behind centre for the Elks. Bethel-Thompson has been a steady hand as the team’s starting quarterback after Tre Ford went down with an injury a couple of weeks ago against BC.

Defence holding steady

In their three-game winning streak, the Elks’s defence has been a definition of “bend but don’t break.” On average, the Elks allowed 394.7 yards per game but only allowed 23 points per game. Those stats are daunting, but most of the yardage and point giving up was in the second half, where the Elks comfortably lead each game.

Through eleven weeks, the Elks’ defence is third worst in the league, averaging 28.5 points per game and last in offensive yards allowed with 391.5. The Alouettes offence is second among the league’s top three in the major categories – points scored (28.8), net offence (360), and passing touchdowns (291.5). 

But for the Elks to lock down the W, their defence has to play consistent football for 60 minutes, forcing the returning Cody Fajardo and company to make errors while playing hard but physically disciplined football.

Game Depth Chart & Injury Notes