After pulling off a comeback for the ages Saturday, the B.C. Lions will aim to clinch a playoff spot Friday night.
B.C. travels to Edmonton for a matchup with an Elks team that has suddenly figured out how to win at home.
Edmonton broke a 22-game home losing streak on Aug. 27 and has won its last two home games, as well as four of its last five games after an 0-9 start.
The Elks can play spoiler against the Lions, who trailed Ottawa 37-21 at the 3-minute warning in their last game before rattling off three touchdowns to pull off a dramatic 41-37 win. Vernon Adams supplied the winning score, a 16-yard strike to Lucky Whitehead in the final minute.
“Just so crazy,” Adams said. “We’re at the house, we’re home, I see fans leaving, giving up on us … it was amazing, man.”
Adams finished 26 of 37 for 327 yards, his fifth consecutive 300-yard game, and three touchdowns. He got help from Terry Williams, who returned a missed field goal 120 yards for a score that drew B.C. (9-4) within 37-34 at the 1:21 mark.
Meanwhile, the Elks (4-10) still harbor faint playoff hopes thanks to their recent surge. They’re coming off a 36-27 win on Sept. 15 at Saskatchewan, upping their scoring average to 29 points over the last six games since coach Chris Jones installed Tre Ford as the quarterback and Jarious Jackson as the offensive coordinator.
The difference has been a rushing attack that’s recently been one of the most potent in CFL annals. Edmonton is averaging 205 rushing yards in the last six games and has been over 200 in three straight games, the first time a CFL team has accomplished that since Saskatchewan did it in 2002.
Running back Kevin Brown has 318 yards in the last two games, but Jones says the mobile Ford has been a big key.
“He extends drives to give you more opportunities to run the football,” Jones said.
The Lions have won both previous meetings this year via shutout — 22-0 on June 17 and 27-0 in Edmonton on July 29.
–Field Level Media
