Game Thread: BC at Edmonton Friday September 22nd

**jerrym** · 09-21-2023, 08:57 PM

Can Tre Ford pull off yet another upset? Since BC is only 4-3 on the road compared to 5-1 at home, I will go against the odds and pick the Elks and the Canadian kid who keeps showing us he can do it.

**ArgoRavi** · 09-22-2023, 01:13 PM

While Edmonton is improved, BC is still the better team. I am going with the Lions in this one although Edmonton should be much more competitive against BC than they were earlier in the season and should finally score some points.

**Mocha** · 09-22-2023, 08:53 PM

I'm going to go with BC in this one, too. Teams have been getting better at slowing down Ford the past couple weeks. At least somewhat. I'm curious to see how the BC D will adapt their schemes.

**Mocha** · 09-22-2023, 08:55 PM

The PFF Preview:

I'm not sure I'd have Lewis as part of a matchup to watch. I'll be looking more at LBs vs Kevin Brown.

BRITISH COLUMBIA LIONS VS. EDMONTON ELKS

A win by BC in this game puts the Lions into a tie for first in the West Division. A win by Edmonton potentially pulls the Elks within a game and a half of a playoff spot. Both teams want this. BC has been the better team all season, there’s no doubt about that. QB Vernon Adams Jr. (87.3 overall grade) is one of the best quarterbacks in the CFL. The Lions have one of the league’s best pass-rushers and corners in EDGE Mathieu Betts (84.6 pass-rush grade) and CB Garry Peters (83.6 coverage grade). However, will they be able to stop the red-hot Elks? Edmonton is 4-1 in their last five games and playing like one of the top teams in the league. RB Kevin Brown leads the CFL in rushing yards in that span and ranks second with 24 missed tackles forced. Then there’s QB Tre Ford (84.9 overall grade), whose dual-threat ability has completely turned Edmonton’s season around. A win over BC would really cement them as a legitimate playoff threat.

MATCHUP TO WATCH:
WR EUGENE LEWIS, EDMONTON VS. CB GARRY PETERS, BRITISH COLUMBIA

This should be one of the most exciting individual matchups of the season. You have arguably the most talented receiver in the CFL against the top corner. Lewis has been the top-graded WR in the league since Week 12 at 82.6. An amazing 14 of his 17 receptions in that span have gone for first downs, and he’s caught all five contested targets he’s seen. The contested catch number is important because no CFL defender plays tighter coverage than Peters. It’s the reason he leads the CFL with 10 pass breakups on top of his four interceptions. If he is playing man on a receiver, a quarterback is better off throwing it away (39.6 QB rating) than trying to throw at Peters (37.8 QB rating). This really is two titans of the game matching up, the winner of which could very well decide the outcome of the game.

PLAYER TO WATCH:
EDMONTON OFFENSIVE LINE

This is cheating a bit but it’s not just one player on the Edmonton offensive line to watch, it’s the entire unit. Since Tre Ford took over at QB, they’ve completely turned things around up front. Prior to Ford, the offensive line had surrendered 13 sacks and 111 total pressures in eight games. In the six games with Ford, they’ve allowed zero sacks and just 32 total pressures. Their run game (designed runs only) doubled their yards before contact per carry, going from 1.4 to 2.8. While some of this is defenses having to respect the threat of Tre Ford, most of it is just the offensive line just playing better. RT Brett Boyko is the standout with just three hurries allowed in those six games, but C Mark Korte is the second highest-graded centre over that span as well.

**Mocha** · 09-22-2023, 09:14 PM

It's fun that the UBC - UofA game will be on at the same time as the Lions-Elks. It's a big one, to see who's first in Canada West.

**Mocha** · 09-22-2023, 10:03 PM

Nice catch and TD run from big Cottoy there.

And UBC is starting to pull away from UofA, 24-10 in 2nd Q.

**Mocha** · 09-22-2023, 10:56 PM

The Elks have been a second-half team over the past month or so . . . we could be in for a good finish.

In USports, late 3rd Q:

Alberta Golden Bears 29
UBC Thunderbirds 41

**Mocha** · 09-23-2023, 12:22 AM

And the Lions try a downfield target to Mackie, just for OV. Didn't work that time, though.

Can the Elks come back yet again?

**ArgoRavi** · 09-23-2023, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by Mocha

I'm going to go with BC in this one, too. Teams have been getting better at slowing down Ford the past couple weeks. At least somewhat. I'm curious to see how the BC D will adapt their schemes.

The Lions had an excellent gameplan for Ford and the Elks.