Elks-Lions showdown clash of teams on heaters

B.C. Lions' Keon Hatcher Sr. (4) is stopped by Edmonton Elks' Nyles Morgan (45) and Royce Metchie (9) during the second half of a CFL football game in Vancouver, on Saturday, June 7, 2025.

They’re aware of each other’s recent winning ways – and wary of what the other side is capable of ahead of Friday’s all-important late regular-season Canadian Football League clash in Vancouver.

Edmonton Elks head coach Mark Kilam knows the B.C. Lions’ offence is excelling.

Friday’s hosts of Game 17 of 18 on the schedules of both clubs boast the league’s most-prolific offence, run by quarterback Nathan Rourke, who has thrown for 4,584 yards and 27 touchdowns so far this season (second in the league in both categories) and has the CFL’s top QB rating (111.0).

Rourke has led the Lions to four straight victories, over which he’s completed 77.4 per cent of his passes and averaged 322 yards passing.

• The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App

Running back James Butler has accumulated 1,103 yards rushing, good for third in the league, and is second in touchdowns with 10 on the season.

Receiver Keon Hatcher is among the leaders in several categories, too, with the most receiving yards (1,516), second-most receptions (90) and targets (129) and the fifth-most TDs caught (seven).

The Lions’ offence leads the CFL in touchdowns (53), average net offence (428.5) and average yards per play (7.93), and are tops with a red zone touchdown conversion percentage of 66.7 per cent, scoring 40 TDs off a league-high 60 opportunities inside the 20-yard line.

And, as happens in football, the offensive unit’s success supports the others, as Kilam pointed out on Wednesday after Elks practice.

“They’re putting up points. Their yards per play is extremely high. They’re really good on first down, and that makes the other phases better,” Kilam told media. “Their defence has gotten better. They’ve changed some personnel and have really come together. Same thing on special teams. They’ve got their return game going a little bit.

“It’s going to be a battle.”

The Lions (9-7), who coming off a bye week, have clinched a West Division playoff spot – as have the Saskatchewan Roughriders (12-4), who have claimed first place in the West – but are not yet assured of their post-season slot. The race for second, third and fourth is tight, with the Calgary Stampeders (9-7), the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (8-8) and the Elks (7-9) all mathematically in the hunt.

A Lions win on Friday (8:30 p.m.) would eliminate the Elks but wouldn’t assure them of second place unless both the Stampeders and the Blue Bombers lose.

The Elks, winners of their last two games (importantly over division rivals,) need to win their final two regular-season matchups – the final one comes Oct. 24 at home to the Stampeders – and pray for Stampeders and Blue Bombers losses this week to stay in contention.

And Lions head coach Buck Pierce is on alert, knowing that not only are the Elks a desperate team heading into B.C. Place Stadium, it’s a different one from what he saw in July at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium when B.C. had their way in a 31-14 victory.

“They’re very confident, physical, executing at a high level, playing three-phase football,” Pierce told media after practice on Tuesday. “They’re getting plays from special teams, defence, taking the ball away. They’re doing a great job on the line of scrimmage.”

After a slow start defensively to the 2025 CFL campaign, Edmonton has given up more than 30 points just once in their last 11 games

More recently, the Elks’ secondary has forced nine interceptions over the last four games.

Some of the team’s success has come from the use of Cody Fajardo as starting quarterback over the last 11 games, in which the Elks have gone 6-5.

Fajardo, who sports a QB rating of 110.4 (good for third behind Rourke and Saskatchewan’s Trevor Harris with 110.5), has thrown for 12 touchdowns and just three interceptions all season.

Running back Justin Rankin is arguably the CFL’s top all-purpose running back at the moment, with 632 yards, four touchdowns and 505 yards after catch on the receiving side (B.C.’s Hatcher is first with 563). He has 976 yards and an average of 5.7 yards per carry to go with nine TDs while rushing.

Kick returner Javon Leake (first in combined yards with 2,171 and second in punt-return yards with 825) and punter Jake Julien (50.1 yards per punt average, good for third) also factor heavily in Edmonton’s special teams success.

“It’s always competitive. The CFL has always been that way,” Pierce said. “It’s exciting, you know? You look at each team and their journey to where they’ve gotten to at this point in the season has been fairly similar.

“It’s a league of, ‘if you don’t bring your best, you’re going to get beaten.’ That’s the reality of it.”