CFL Week 10 Recap: Elks, Alouettes and Argonauts win, Chad Kelly news, Rourke released

EDMONTON 33 AC 16

EDMONTON – Boris Bede kicked three field goals as the Edmonton Elks won their second straight game, and second of the season, by defeating the BC Lions 33-16 on Sunday at Commonwealth Stadium.

The Elks now have a 2-7 record. It was their first home win this season and just their third in their last 31 games dating back to Oct. 26, 2019.

The Lions are going in the opposite direction, losing their third straight game and falling to 5-4.

The Lions responded quickly and scored a touchdown on their first offensive series. In place of Vernon Adams Jr., who suffered a knee injury last week against Winnipeg, quarterback Jake Dolegala led the team down the field before David Mackie scored a powerful touchdown from the one-yard line.

Running back Javon Leake picked up where he left off last week for the Elks early in the second quarter, scoring a 12-yard rushing TD.

Elks quarterback Tre Ford made another big play to put Edmonton ahead 15-10, capped by a one-yard plunge by backup Dakota Prukop. They added another single on the ensuing kickoff.

Ford took a hard hit late in the second and was replaced for the rest of the game at center by McLeod Bethel-Thompson.

BC led 10-1 after the first quarter, Edmonton led 19-10 at halftime. The Elks took a 19-16 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

NEXT

Lions: will host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (3-6) on Sunday, August 18.

Moose: Visit the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2-7) on Saturday.

Montreal 33 Hamilton 23

MONTREAL – Two early turnovers set the tone for another solid performance from the Montreal Alouettes’ defence on Saturday night.

The Alouettes jumped out to an early lead, then held off a late comeback by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in a 33-23 victory at Percival Molson Stadium, beating their East Division rivals for the second straight week.

“Our defense came out to play from the beginning,” Maas said. “In a game where we know they’re hungry, they know they have to get it, but when you come out like that, it’s a good indication of what you’re going to get for the rest of the game.”

In his second straight start, Als quarterback Davis Alexander connected on 17 of his 24 passing attempts for 247 yards and two touchdowns.

Backup quarterback Dominique Davis, signed earlier this week following a season-ending injury to backup Caleb Evans, raced into the end zone from the one-yard line to give Montreal a commanding 26-9 lead with 13:35 remaining in the game.

Ticats starting quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell was removed from the game in the first quarter after throwing an early interception. Taylor Powell came in relief, completing 30 passes for 319 yards and two touchdowns, while also leading Hamilton in rushing with 52 yards on the ground.

NEXT

Tiger-Cats: They will host the Edmonton Elks (1-7) next Saturday.

Alouettes: Visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders (5-3-1) on Friday.

Toronto 39 Calgary 25

TORONTO – Once again, when the Toronto Argonauts needed a spark, Janarion Grant provided it. Grant and DaShaun Amos scored key second-half touchdowns as Toronto beat Calgary 39-25 on Friday night. The Argos erased a 15-7 halftime deficit by outscoring the Stampeders 32-10 in the second half.

Five nights earlier, Calgary outscored Toronto 21-0 in the fourth quarter for a 27-23 home win.

Grant’s electrifying 86-yard punt return for a TD at 6:35 of the third quarter put Toronto ahead 16-15 before Nick Arbuckle found David Ungerer III for the two-point conversion.

“We call him the life of the party, he’s our engine,” Toronto running back Ka’Deem Carey said of Grant. “When his heart starts beating, everyone’s heart starts beating and he brought it to the cradle.”

Grant has four return touchdowns this season: three on punts and one on a kickoff.

Calgary led 8-7 after the first quarter and 15-7 at halftime. Toronto took a 21-15 lead into the fourth quarter.

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Calgary (4-5) fell to 0-5 on the road and has just one win in its last 11 games away from McMahon Stadium. They return home Thursday to host Ottawa.

Toronto will have a bye week before hosting the Saskatchewan Roughriders (5-3-1) on Aug. 22.

SASKATCHEWAN 22 OTTAWA 22

OTTAWA – Rival teams rarely agree on things, but the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Ottawa Redblacks agreed Thursday’s matchup was the craziest game they’ve ever been a part of. The match ended in a 22-22 draw, but it was the events leading up to the tie that left players and coaches shaking their heads.

The Roughriders had taken a 22-19 lead into the second overtime on Brett Lauther’s 29-yard field goal and appeared to hold off Ottawa in its bid to secure the victory.

Fans had begun to enter the field, and players from both teams had begun heading to the locker room, when it was suddenly announced that Saskatchewan had been penalized for roughing the passer following a Command Centre review, and play resumed.

The Redblacks took advantage and were able to tie the game with a 14-yard field goal from Lewis Ward to extend their unbeaten streak to four games and improve to 5-2-1.

“I was in the locker room, so I thought it was over,” said Ottawa quarterback Dustin Crum, who came into action after Dru Brown was injured early in the second quarter. “They ran in and told me they called roughing the passer and we were playing.”

“So I said, ‘Okay.’”

Crum finished the game 21 of 32 passing for 211 yards and one interception. He also ran for 72 yards and scored a touchdown.

With the tie, Saskatchewan snapped a two-game losing streak and now has a record of 5-3-1.

“Craziest ending I’ve ever been a part of,” said Saskatchewan quarterback Shea Patterson, who completed 30 of 49 passes for 299 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. “I liked how we stuck together until the last minute and fought together as a family the whole game.”

“I was really proud of how hard the whole team played,” Roughriders head coach Corey Mace said. “The special teams were amazing… Everybody played really hard to help each other out, so I just wanted them to lean on that. It wasn’t a win, which is what we always go out to do, but it wasn’t a loss either. I guess it was something to build momentum off of.”

NEXT

Roughriders: Host the Montreal Alouettes on Friday, August 16.

Redblacks: They will travel to Calgary to face the Stampeders on Thursday, August 15.

CHAD KELLY ONE STEP CLOSER TO HIS RETURN

TORONTO – The CFL has initiated a review to determine the possible reinstatement of suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback. Chad Kelly.

The league announced Saturday that it has received Kelly’s confidential psychological evaluation, a requirement as part of his May 7 suspension, and will complete a review of the results with the help of experts before making a decision.

Kelly He was suspended from Toronto’s two exhibition games and at least its first nine regular-season contests for violating the CFL’s gender-based violence policy.

This followed an independent investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength and conditioning coach against both Kelly and the club.

The Argonauts played their ninth regular season game in a 39-25 victory over the Calgary Stampeders on Friday night.

KellyThe league’s most outstanding player last season, she had to undergo confidential evaluations by an independent expert and attend mandatory counseling sessions led by a gender-based violence expert. Both had to be completed to the satisfaction of the CFL, which could reinstate the player. Kelly but also modify the discipline.

“Yes sir! Thank you sir!” Kelly posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Saturday morning.

The former coach filed a statement of claim with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, alleging a pattern of harassment by Kellybeginning with unwanted romantic advances and escalating to instances of threatening language.

The manager said the Argos failed to act when they were informed of Kelly’s behaviour and that he was informed in January that his contract with the club would not be renewed.

The complainant had joined the franchise in 2018 and said her contract had previously been continuously renewed.

In June, two league sources told The Canadian Press that the lawsuit had been resolved through mediation involving all parties. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because no formal announcement had been made about the resolution reached.

There was also no indication of specific details of the agreement.

NATHAN ROURKE RELEASED BY THE FALCONS

ATLANTA – Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke has been removed from the NFL’s training roster for the second time this year.

The Atlanta Falcons released Rourke on Sunday, just 10 days after signing with the team.

Rourke He joined the Falcons on August 1, less than a week after he was cut by the New York Giants.

New York affirmed Rourke off waivers on May 7, but didn’t see much action during the first week of camp.

The 26-year-old from Victoria finished last season with New England. He was inactive for two games before coming off the bench in the Patriots’ regular-season finale against the New York Jets on Jan. 7.

Rourke He originally signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars after two seasons with the CFL’s BC Lions.

The six-foot-two, 209-pound center was named the league’s top Canadian in 2022 after completing 78.7 percent of his passes for 3,349 yards and 25 TDs in 10 regular-season games.

He also rushed for 304 yards (7.8-yard average) and seven TDs despite missing time with a Lisfranc injury.

(Canadian Press)