Canadian football fans know when the words “Labour Day” are uttered, the Canadian Football Season season is ramping up.
For the Edmonton Elks and the Calgary Stampeders, both teams only have a combined five wins this season. However, both teams are very much alive in the CFL playoff picture.
Both teams will look to improve their chances when they battle one another in Monday’s Labour Day Classic from McMahon Stadium in Calgary.
Listen below: Elks head coach Chris Jones says the stakes are always high on Labour Day, and this year’s game is no exception.
https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=CORU4264959563
The Elks are on a two-game winning streak after last week’s 30-20 win over the Ottawa Redblacks, and will look for a third-straight win for the first time since the 2018 CFL season.
A win would pull the Elks even with the Stampeders, who have three wins, and put themselves very much in the conversation for the crossover playoff spot in the East Division.
The Elks are chasing the Redblacks who have three wins. The Elks could get some help from the Toronto Argonauts on Monday, and could pull to within a game behind the Hamilton Tiger-Cats who have four wins.
It’s an unusual Labour Day matchup between two teams who have struggled for most of the season for wins. But Elks head coach Chris Jones says both teams see their potential in making a run for the post-season.
Elks quarterback Tre Ford has led an explosive offensive attack over the last three games as the team has averaged 25 offensive points per game.
The Elks have been able to hurt opposing defences with the big play as Ford has seven completions of 30 yards or more.
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The rushing attack has improved greatly in the the last three games as well. The Elks are averaging 167 rushing yards per game, compared to 79.6 yards in the team’s first eight games.
Edmonton running back Kevin Brown has recorded a rushing average of 6.4 yards per carry in the last three games and has piled up 255 yards rushing in that time. Brown had only 342 yards rushing in the first eight games.
Listen below: Elks quarterback Tre Ford on the importance of back-to-back games with the Stampeders as he prepares for his first experience of the Labour Day series.
https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=CORU8434862541
On defence, middle linebacker Nyles Morgan has been busy. He leads the Elks in defensive plays with 77, and defensive tackles with 71. Both are good for second in the CFL behind Stampeders middle linebacker Micah Awe.
Morgan is on pace for 121 defensive tackles and has 25 tackles and three quarterback sacks in his last three games.
“We’re both in the same situation,” Jones said. “We’re both trying to fight, scratch and do what we can do to get ourselves into the playoffs.
“That’s what we’re both playing for, and so it’s going to be a good definition game.”
Offensive lineman David Foucault struggled during the practice week with a nagging back injury which will prevent him from playing on Monday. He’s been placed on the one-game injured list.
Josiah St. John will start at left guard for Foucault and will look to slow a Stampeders pass-rush that leads the CFL in quarterback sacks with 32.
Offensive lineman Phillip Grohovac will return to the lineup after being a healthy scratch last week.
The following are the projected offensive and defensive starters for the Elks:
Offence
Quarterback: Tre Ford
Running back: Kevin Brown Fulback: Tanner Green
Offensive line: Martez Ivey, Josiah St. John, Mark Korte, Tomas Jack-Kurdyla, Brett Boyko
Receivers: Eugene Lewis, Steven Dunbar Jr., Manny Arceneaux, Dillon Mitchell, Kyran Moore
Defence
Defensive line: Jake Ceresna, Cole Nelson, Kony Ealy, A.C. Leonard
Linebackers: Adam Konar, Nyles Morgan, Mark McLaurin
Defensive backs: Marcus Lewis, Ed Gainey, Marloshawn Franklin Jr., Darrius Bratton, Kai Gray
You can hear live coverage of Monday’s game between the Elks and Stampeders on 630 CHED, starting with Countdown to Kickoff with Brenden Escott at 3:30 p.m. T
The opening kickoff from McMahon Stadium will be at 5 p.m with Morley Scott and Dave Campbell calling all of the live action.
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