REGINA – The 1-4 Edmonton Elks travel to Saskatchewan to face the 5-1 Roughriders on Friday Night Football.
Edmonton was on a Week 7 bye following a loss to the BC Lions and will now roll with Cody Fajardo at quarterback instead of Tre Ford.
Saskatchewan defeated BC, 33-27, to bounce back from its first loss of the season in Week 6.
Here’s three keys to the game for both teams ahead of Friday’s 9:00 p.m. ET kickoff, which can be watched on TSN in Canada and on CFL+ in the U.S. and internationally.
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EDMONTON ELKS
1. SCORE FIRST
Playing in front of a rowdy Mosaic Stadium crowd is going to be a challenge, and finding the end zone first would go a long way toward settling the game down.
2. EXTENDING DRIVES
It will be Cody Fajardo and Justin Rankin leading the charge for the Elks’ offence that needs to find a way to stay on the field. They currently sit last in time of possession (26:20) and the percentage of drives where they go two-and-out (43 per cent). Extending drives not only improves their own chances of scoring, but it also prevents the Riders’ talented offence from getting into a rhythm.
3. TIGHTER COVERAGE
The Elks have one interception and 10 pass knockdowns so far this season, totals that put them ninth and tied for eighth league-wide. Riders quarterback Trevor Harris doesn’t need a lot of space to make plays, so defensive back Tyrell Ford and company have to find a way to stick to their man.
SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
1. TREVOR HARRIS
Just put it on repeat; as Trevor Harris goes, so does the Riders’ offence. Harris is averaging 10.6 yards per completion, the highest of his career since his sophomore season in 2013. All signs point to another big game with the Elks giving up the most touchdowns with 13 and allowing 330 passing yards per game.
2. TREVOR HARRIS’ GROWING LIST OF WEAPONS
With an expectation that head coach Corey Mace is going to try to exploit a struggling secondary, Harris can turn a variety of ways when he looks downfield. KeeSean Johnson and Dohnte Meyers are his two top targets, combining for 58 receptions and 819 yards. But those aren’t the only two the Elks have to worry about, as Samuel Emilus returned last week, and Dhel Duncan-Busby and Joe Robustelli have both played well when called upon.
3. STOPS IN THE SECONDARY
Like the Elks, the Riders have questions in their pass defence – giving up 329.2 passing yards per game – and it’s going to take a complete effort to answer them. The pressure up front has to come from defensive linemen Habakkuk Baldonado and Malik Carney. If they can force Fajardo into tough decisions, defensive backs Rolan Milligan Jr. and Tevaughn Campbell have more than enough talent to make plays downfield.
NEED TO KNOW:
- Saskatchewan took the 2024 season series, 2-1, with wins in Weeks 1 and 18. In the Elks’ lone victory in Week 9, running back Javon Leake rushed for 169 yards and three touchdowns.
- Kickoff is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. ET and can be watched on TSN in Canada and on CFL+ in the U.S. and internationally.