The Edmonton Elks have clinched a playoff spot, and the Toronto Argonauts are aiming to claim one next.
The Argonauts (7-6) will look to avenge a 30-point loss to Edmonton earlier this season when the two squads meet in the rematch on Saturday afternoon in Toronto.
The Argonauts can clinch a playoff spot by beating the Elks and having the Hamilton Tiger-Cats lose to the East Division-leading Montreal Alouettes on Friday night.
Of course, knocking off Edmonton (10-3) might be quite a challenge after Toronto was whipped 42-12 by the host Elks on Aug. 15.
“We let them get away from us the first time we played them,” Argonauts cornerback Tarvarus McFadden told reporters. “But we had a lot of uncharacteristic plays on our part. When they come in this week, I think it will be a lot better game.”
Toronto defeated the Ottawa Redblacks 26-23 last weekend when Lirim Hajrullahu kicked a 29-yard field goal as time expired.
Chad Kelly passed for 443 yards — two shy of his season high — for his fourth 400-yard game of the season. Kelly threw two touchdown passes and was intercepted twice.
Kelly leads the CFL this season with a career-best 4,404 yards. He also leads the league with 29 touchdown passes and 20 interceptions. The picks are a career high for Kelly, the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in 2023.
David Ungerer III caught seven passes for a season-high 175 yards and a touchdown against Ottawa. Tyler Kahmann had eight receptions for 105 yards.
Edmonton’s rout of the Argos last month started its four-game winning streak.
The Elks then edged the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and took a home-and-home set from the Calgary Stampeders. The second win over Calgary, 53-16 on Sept. 12, allowed Edmonton to clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2019.
“That’s just Phase One,” Edmonton quarterback Cody Fajardo told reporters. “We have more aspirations that we want to take care of. We’re drivers of our own bus and destiny rests in our hands and that’s a good spot to be in.”
Fajardo completed 14 of 21 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns in the most recent contest. Overall, he has thrown for 3,781 yards and 23 touchdowns against seven interceptions this season.
In the first meeting, Fajardo was 25-of-31 passing for 301 yards and one touchdown. Kelly completed 21 of 31 passes for 265 yards and one interception.
–Field Level Media
