As Elks quarterback Tre Ford will start his post-game media schedule, Toronto Argonauts basic supervisor Mike “Pinball” Clemons jabbed his head right into the Edmonton gamers’ lounge.
He directed at Ford and called out, “I love you, man.”
Even Ford’s challengers appreciated exactly how the Canadian quarterback rallied Edmonton to a 31-30 overtime gain the Argos Friday atCommonwealth Stadium It was a video game that implied absolutely nothing in the CFL standings, yet, for Ford, the video game provided him an opportunity to display himself to the organization. The previous first-round draft choice is not under agreement for following period.
Ford masqueraded 325 backyards and 3 goals, and included 81 backyards entering just 3 quarters of job. Jarret Doege played the 2nd quarter in an intended turning.
“The fourth quarter was phenomenal,” statedFord “We were able to go down and get [three] crucial touchdowns that were huge. It gave us the opportunity to win the game.”
Jake Julien’s 54-yard punting cruised over completion area for an uncommon game-winning rouge.
Edmonton Elks’ Zach Mathis makes a goal catch versus the Toronto Argonauts throughout 2nd fifty percent CFL football activity in Edmonton, on Friday, October 25, 2024. (Larry Wong/The Canadian Press)
“I thought maybe we had a shot at catching it and kicking it back out,” stated Argos’ trainRyan Dinwiddie “We had a plan for it, but, yeah, he hit it long.”
“I looked at Jake and said, `Can you kick it out of the back of the endzone?”‘ stated Elks head trainJarious Jackson And the reaction? “Gotcha.”
“I trusted him, I believed in him, I see him kick it every day.”
The Elks profited from huge plays and an effective operating video game to get over an 11-point shortage in the 4th quarter throughout the normal period ending for both groups.
Ford led the Elks (7-11) on a 90-yard, two-play drive in the last min to finish a wild 4th quarter. After a 50-yard bomb to Eugene Lewis, he got in touch with Zach Mathis on a 40-yard goal play. It was Mathis’s initially CFL goal. After the added factor, the Elks had a 30-27 lead.
But Lirim Hajrullahu struck a game-tying basket for the Argos as the 4th quarter ran out, sending out the video game to overtime.
The Elks got in the last quarter tracking 20-9.
After a four-yard goal catch by Eugene Lewis brought the Elks to within 5, Ford led the Elks on a 98-yard drive, highlighted by a 71-yard pass play toJerminic Smith It was stressed by a 10-yard goal run by Justin Rankin.
Lewis ended up the video game with 88 backyards obtaining, enhancing him to 1,070 on the period. Lewis might have played his last video game as an Elk, as he ended up a two-year offer that paid him $320,000 a period.
Toronto Argonauts’ Dan Adeboboye, leading, is taken on by Edmonton Elks’ Kordell Jackson throughout 2nd fifty percent CFL football activity in Edmonton, on Friday, October 25, 2024. (Larry Wong/The Canadian Press)
Lewis additionally captured a goal for the 8th straight video game, a group document. The CFL document is 10, established by Calgary’s Terry Evanshen in 1967-68.
“I had to sit back and really think about it,” statedLewis “This is my football career. Even like in high school and college and stuff like that, it’s hard as a receiver to get three touchdowns in a row. To score in just three games in a row — that’s tough. To get eight? That’s amazing.”
But the Argos nabbed the lead back on Deonta McMahon’s 2nd goal of the video game, a nine-yard pass from quarterback Nick Arbuckle.
The Argos (10-8) obtained 122 backyards obtaining from Makai Polk and Jake Herslow captured his very first job goal pass.
For Polk, the huge evening enabled him to overshadow the 1,000-yard obtaining mark on the period. He ended up the project with 1,024.
Edmonton Elks’ Jerminic Smith makes a catch before Toronto Argonauts’ Mark Milton throughout 2nd fifty percent CFL football activity in Edmonton, on Friday, October 25, 2024. (Larry Wong/The Canadian Press)
Herslow outlined to capture a 29-yard goal pass from Nick Arbuckle in the 2nd quarter, and do with 55 backyards on the evening.
Arbuckle, a previous Elk, got in the video game in the 2nd quarter and tossed for 378 backyards. Second- stringer Cameron Dukes played the very first quarter for the Argos prior to injuring his ankle joint. Dinwiddie selected to remainderNo 1 quarterback Chad Kelly in advance of their Eastern semifinal day following week versus the Ottawa Redblacks.
With the video game having no bearing on the standings for the Argos, the group additionally relaxed its leading running back, Ka’Deem Carey.
They began Tre Ford at quarterback in spite of him not being under agreement for 2025. In the very first quarter, he averted a strike and tossed a 67-yard goal strike to running back Javon Leake, that snuck discovered out of the backfield.
Leake, that additionally had an 88-yard run early in the 3rd quarter, do with 128 hurrying backyards.
Toronto Argonauts’ Jake Herslow is taken on by Edmonton Elks’ Joel Dublanko throughout very first fifty percent CFL football activity in Edmonton, on Friday, October 25, 2024. (Larry Wong/The Canadian Press)
Dinwiddie can not relax every one of the Argo regulars, due to CFL lineup dimensions and salary-cap factors to consider. So, Argos followers will certainly sweat the problem of pass receiver Damonte Coxie, that hopped off in the 2nd quarter after taking a difficult hit to the hip from Elks’ linebacker Nick Anderson.
He did not return.
With 10 takes on, Anderson linked B.C.’s Barrin Simpson’s CFL document of 116 takes on by a novice.
While Ford is dissatisfied with an additional shed period for the Elks, he kept in mind that 7-11 is a whole lot far better than the 4-14 of 2023. And after that he offered Elks followers a twinkle of hope.
“I think it’s definitely a step in the right direction. And I can’t wait to see where things go.”
