TORONTO — The Toronto Argonauts are set to host the Edmonton Elks at BMO Field for an early kickoff to Week 16 in the CFL on Tuesday night.
The Argos remain undefeated when playing at home after their 31-12 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Week 15. With their victory over Hamilton, Toronto clinched the number one seed in the East Division and will host the Eastern Final on December 5.
Quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson played nearly perfect football when his team needed it the most. He 26 of his 34 passing attempts for 250 yards, while finding Kurleigh Gittens Jr. for his lone passing touchdown to solidify a first round bye in the playoffs.
Equally as impressive was the performance from the Argonauts defensive unit. Jeremiah Masoli and the Ticats offence managed over 400 yards of net offence, however the Boatmen defence held Hamilton to just 12 points.
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JAMES WILDER JR. RETURNS TO THE LINEUP THIS WEEK FOR THE ELKS AS HE AND HIS TEAM HEAD TO TORONTO (THE CANADIAN PRESS)
The Ticats pivot had totalled an impressive eight passing touchdowns and no interceptions leading up to Week 15, but the Argos held Masoli out of the end zone and forced him to throw his first two interceptions since Week 2.
Entering Tuesday’s matchup, the Double Blue have handed play-calling duties to back up quarterback Antonio Pipkin. The fourth-year veteran has thrown for 1,342 career passing yards and four touchdowns on 186 attempts, 1,121 of which were earned by Pipkin during his 2018 season with the Montreal Alouettes.
Pipkin has attempted just four passes for 47 yards for the Argos this season but has still been one their key offensive contributors. The Toronto quarterback been the focal point of red zone play calling, scoring four touchdowns around the goal line for his team since Week 12.
Despite Pipkins limited opportunities to throw the ball through the 2021 season, fans of the Argos can take comfort in the fact that he is surrounded by an offensive unit full of high-flying playmakers at the wide receiver position.
This week will see the debut of receiver Josh Huff, who was released by the Stampeders at the beginning of November and signed by the Argos shortly after. He’ll be looking to find chemistry with Pipkin as the team hopes to achieve their best record since their Grey Cup-winning season in 2017 and their first 10-win campaign since 2015.
The Elks will be looking halt the Toronto win streak as they prepare to play the first of their final two games of the season.
Edmonton is coming off a narrow 29-24 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Week 15. Despite the loss there is reason for optimism for the Elks and their fans, with several young players thriving in starting roles.
With James Wilder Jr., Greg Ellingson and Derel Walker all inactive in the game against the Riders, the youth of the Green and Gold was called upon to fill the voids in the offence and they did not disappoint.
Elks quarterback Taylor Cornelius played admirably, completing 20 of his 30 passing attempts for 224 yards and three passing touchdowns, giving the rookie five touchdown passes over his last two games.
Leading the way in the receiving game for Edmonton was first-year wide out Jalen Tolliver. Tolliver caught five of his six targets for 98 yards and two touchdowns. In the two games without Ellingson and Walker in the lineup, the Edmonton rookie had been one of the most targeted receivers, hauling in 173 yards and two touchdowns on eleven targets.
On the ground for Edmonton, first-year running back Walker Fletcher had been asked to fill in for Wilder Jr. The rookie has relished the opportunity, running for 166 yards on 34 carries in his last two starts.
The contributions of Fletcher aren’t limited to the run-game, the first year back has been equally as efficient in the pass game, catching 10 passes for 114 yards. Walker has proven to be a dual threat weapon for Edmonton, collecting 280 all-purpose yards on 44 touches since Week 14.
That being said, Wilder Jr. slots back into the lineup for the Elks.
AFI, Visaic and the CFL
American Football International is collaborating with Visaic and the Canadian Football League to present 2021 CFL games live. This is more than a livestream. This is a stream of the top flight TSN network television broadcast.