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It’s official, the Canadian Soccer League simply had its most CFL outcome ever.
Saturday’s Battle of Alberta noticed the Edmonton Elks win to separate the 2023 Labour Day Sequence.
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Meaning the Calgary Stampeders simply misplaced to the worst group within the league, because the Elks got here into this one a paltry 2-10. Sure, the identical Stampeders who beforehand handed the top-dog Toronto Argonauts their lone loss on the season, to date.
So, Calgary is 4-9, having crushed the most effective whereas additionally dropping to the worst. On the similar time, there is no such thing as a assure the Elks will end in final place, having improved to 3-10 with Saturday’s win.
These three victories have come previously 5 video games for the membership that started off 0-9 — a tough patch that noticed them get shut out twice, amazingly, by the identical opponent.
And whereas the Elks stay on the surface trying in at post-season positioning, there is no such thing as a time like the current in the event that they need to begin turning issues round.
Right here’s what we discovered from Saturday’s 25-23 win over their provincial rivals:
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1. OL’ FAITHFULL
Hoisted up on the shoulders of his teammates within the locker-room, post-game, what’s Dean Faithfull presupposed to do? In spite of everything, he simply scored the walk-off successful discipline objective in entrance of the house crowd.
It’s the second each kicker goals of, and the chance doesn’t come round almost as typically as they’d like. And whereas the season isn’t going as in response to plan because the 36-year-old rookie would really like, he positive put his stamp on this one.
He’s 17 of 20 via the uprights to take a seat 85 per cent on the season, which isn’t going to win him any awards. However it received him the sport Saturday. And in a sport the place he missed an additional level earlier that would have spelled catastrophe.
After a few fist pumps whereas being held excessive, the native of Southampton, England, regained his regal composure and flicked his hand, royal-style, for the TSN digicam.
2. GROUND GAINS
Calgary was dropping 9 again to make issues harder for second-year Elks quarterback Tre Ford, who had all of 21 passing yards to point out for the primary three quarters.
So, Edmonton took the cue and saved it on the bottom, dashing a few dozen occasions for 226 yards and a 9.4-yard common, in comparison with Calgary, who ran 27 occasions for a 4.6-yard common.
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Operating again Kevin Brown chased down a career-high 143 yards, together with a 45-yard landing to open the scoring, whereas Ford offered the opposite half of Edmonton’s one-two punch within the ground-and-pound offence, scampering 82 yards on eight carries.
3. PENALTY PROBLEMS
The Elks wanted to return to the air out of necessity, after falling behind 23-7 heading into the fourth quarter. And similar to what occurred to them in Calgary per week earlier with drawing a pair of pass-interference penalties that pushed the Stampeders to a 35-31 comeback victory, Edmonton was on the receiving finish of some calls this time round.
Go interference on Calgary security Nick Taylor led to an Edmonton landing to open the fourth quarter and one other pass-interference penalty in opposition to defensive again Brad Muhammad led to the successful kick.
In all, Calgary was penalized eight occasions for 156 yards Saturday in comparison with seven for 71 yards by Edmonton.
4. DOING IT ON DEFENCE
Penalties apart, the Elks wouldn’t have had an opportunity at mounting the comeback to kick the successful discipline objective with no time left on the clock had the defence not continued to get them the ball again ASAP with three straight two-and-outs.
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They usually did it with the identical urgency that Calgary’s defence had after they shut down any type of Elks momentum earlier than it may get going, forcing a vital two-and-out within the last three minutes.
On Saturday, Calgary received the turnover battle, 4-0, but Edmonton nonetheless received the sport.
5. GOING STREAKING
With one other streak damaged, the Elks beat a West Division opponent for the primary time in 10 video games on Saturday. The nine-game dropping skid started after beating the Saskatchewan Roughriders, 26-24, this similar week a 12 months in the past.
On the similar time, it was the second house win in a row for the Elks, who’ve taken that North American file 22-straight house losses that solely simply ended and at the moment are getting ready to probably turning it right into a successful streak.
E-mail: [email protected]
On Twitter: @GerryModdejonge
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