The Edmonton Elks enter week 20 at home to complete their 2022 season vs the BC Lions.   

Both clubs began 2022 with high hopes of turning around their misfortune from their respective 2021 seasons. In that, the BC Lions have turned into a playoff team entering week 20 with an 11-5 record with still one game left in week 21 (the last game at Winnipeg). For the Edmonton Elks, it was been another back-to-back disastrous season in entering week 20 with a 4-13 record. 

BOTH CLUBS STILL HAVE SOMETHING TO PLAY FOR  

For the Edmonton Elks, week 20 will be the last call for players as a dress rehearsal for a roster spot in 2023. More importantly, it will be the last dance at home to break their current 16-game home losing streak that began on October 26th, 2019. 

The BC Lions however will want to win at least one out of the remaining two games to keep a one-game cushion against the Calgary Stampeders in order to host a playoff game.

EDMONTON ELKS DEPTH CHART

Due to the unfortunate news of Taylor Cornelius not being fit to play due to a spleen injury, rookie QB Tre Ford will get the start for the Elks in week 20. He will be backed up by Mike Beaudry.  

Changes were made to the offensive line. LT Martez Ivey is listed as out due to an unknown head injury. He will be replaced by David Foucault who has been slotted at LG previously. The LG position will now be occupied by Jesse Gibbon. No changes at C and to the right side of the offensive line from last week vs the Toronto Argonauts. 

Tre Ford will have to make the most of his disposal as far as the starting offensive talent is concerned. As bad as it was losing Kenny Lawler was for the season back in week 12, there are still a lot of offensive weapons that can put up points on the board with WR Dillon Mitchell, WR Danny Vandervoort, SB Derel Walker, SB Kai Locksley, WR Emmanuel Arceneaux, and RB Kevin Brown. 

On the defence, Matthew Thomas who has played mainly DE on the left side of the line will now be moved to MLB. The move seems like a wise one to counter the BC Lion’s running game in an attempt to halt the running game as much as they can. The run defence has not been good by any stretch in the 2022 season for the Edmonton Elks which sit last in the CFL in stopping the run.  

EDMONTON ELKS INJURY LIST 

The BC Lions have not submitted their depth chart as of now.

BC LIONS INJURY LIST

As every team goes through the injury bug, the BC Lions are no different in which most notably, both QB Nathan Rourke and WR Lucky Whitehead will be listed as out for week 20. With that said, the Edmonton defence will have to be on the ball in doing anything they can to grind out a win.

The only positive this season for the Edmonton Elks was that they increased their win total by 1 from last season. Moreover, with the number of man games lost, there has been a resurgence of newly discovered talent which will be a positive going into the 2023 season. This squad will be better in 2023 and quite possibly challenge for a playoff spot.

With that said, there is still a home game to be played at Commonwealth Stadium. So lets make it a good one. Give the green and gold faithful something to cheer about in closing out the 2022 season. Win at home, and break the losing streak.

Antler up Edmonton!

Stay with CFL News Hub for the 2022 season.