The Edmonton Elks took care of business Thursday night, dominating the fourth quarter to defeat the Ottawa Redblacks 40-17 at Commonwealth Stadium. The win improved Edmonton to 4-1 atop the West Division, while Ottawa fell to 0-5.
Elks avoid repeat of last week's letdown
After the B.C. Lions finally got into the win column with a 34-26 victory over the previously undefeated Elks, Edmonton rebounded strongly. The Redblacks could not make lightning strike twice, as they lost for the fifth straight time to start the season.
Elks quarterback Cody Fajardo completed 19 of 24 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns, improving to 11-1 all-time against Ottawa. Running back Justin Rankin had 107 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries, adding another touchdown and 43 yards on three catches. Austin Mack contributed six catches for 94 yards.
For Ottawa, Jake Maier completed 26 of 39 passes for 293 yards, a touchdown, and four interceptions before being replaced by McLeod Bethel-Thompson on the game's final possession. Bethel-Thompson completed three of four passes for 30 yards and could start next week against the Toronto Argonauts. Ayden Eberhardt had game highs of 11 catches for 155 yards and a touchdown, while Justin Hardy added 10 catches for 114 yards.
First-half scoring
Rankin bounced outside and slipped a tackle before walking in for a 19-yard touchdown to cap Edmonton's opening drive, which went 70 yards on eight plays to post the only seven points of the first quarter. The 40 yards Rankin earned on three carries in the drive more than doubled his rushing total from the previous week's loss.
Vincent Blanchard hit a 36-yard field goal to put the Elks ahead 10-0 in the second quarter. Short-yardage quarterback Bryson Barnes punched it in from the one-yard line, ending a nine-play, 70-yard drive to cut the lead to 10-7. A 90-yard catch and run by Brendan O'Leary-Orange set up the first of two Edmonton field goals, as the Elks took a nine-point lead into halftime, 16-7.
Third-quarter response
Ottawa closed the gap to 16-14 with the only score of the third quarter, a 21-yard catch at the back of the end zone by Ayden Eberhardt, ending a four-play, 46-yard drive.
Fourth-quarter explosion
Kaion Julien-Grant caught a four-yard pass in the end zone to re-establish a two-score cushion, 23-14, capping a seven-play, 80-yard drive. Brett Lauther hit a 27-yard field goal to pull Ottawa within 23-17. But Rankin's second touchdown of the day, a 33-yard catch-and-run to end a five-play, 70-yard drive, made it 30-17 with six minutes remaining. Rankin then zig-zagged 31 yards into the end zone capping a three-play, 54-yard drive to lead 37-17 and surpass the 100-yard rushing mark for the fourth time this season. Blanchard added a late field goal to seal the 40-17 victory.
