They say defence wins championships. And while there’s still plenty of Canadian Football League football to be played before the Grey Cup, the Edmonton Elks have been getting the job done without the ball. Head coach Mark Kilam credited his team’s defence and special teams Tuesday, three days after a convincing win over the Calgary Stampeders. The Elks clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2019 with Saturday’s 53-16 rout of their provincial rivals, completing a sweep of the home-and-home Labour Day series. Stampeders turnovers, including two interceptions, two fumbles and a turnover on downs, played a major role, Kilam said. The Elks defence also held Calgary to three field goals over the final three quarters. “It’s a big win for sure,” the second-year coach told reporters at Clarke Stadium. “Anytime you can sweep that series, it’s big. That’s a game with a lot of hype around it, and I was proud of the guys for the way they played.” On offence, eight different receivers hauled in passes as the Elks topped 50 points for the first time in 22 years. Starting quarterback Cody Fajardo threw for three touchdowns, completing 14 of 21 passes for 232 yards. Backup Taylor Powell went a perfect five-for-five for 67 yards and a touchdown. Fajardo said the crowd of more than 31,000 at Commonwealth Stadium also made its presence felt. The Stampeders offence was flagged for delay-of-game and procedure penalties amid the noise. “That’s just credit to our fans,” he said. At 10-3 for 20 points, Edmonton sits four points ahead of the second-place Saskatchewan Roughriders (8-5) in the West Division and six clear of the B.C. Lions and Winnipeg Blue Bombers, both 7-6. The Stampeders are last in the West with a 5-8 record for 10 points. The Elks’ playoff drought from 2021 to 2025 was the longest in franchise history, surpassing a four-year stretch in the early 1960s. The CFL record for the longest playoff drought belongs to the Roughriders, who missed the postseason for 11 straight years from 1977 to 1987. Edmonton, meanwhile, owns the league record for the longest playoff streak at 34 consecutive seasons from 1972 to 2005.
