Different herd of Elks ready to welcome B.C. Lions to Edmonton on Sunday
It will be a different, much improved and more confident Edmonton Elks team awaiting the B.C. Lions on Sunday.
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Edmonton lost to the Lions 31-14 in Vancouver in Week 1 of the Canadian Football League season. But middle linebacker Nyles Morgan said that, five weeks later, the Elks are a different team.
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'We're night and day, a lot more together, a lot more locked in,' said Morgan. 'Been in the system a lot longer and everyone's a lot more comfortable playing with one another.'
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That showed last Sunday when Edmonton beat the Ottawa Redblacks 39-33 for their first win after three losses.
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'We're a completely different team, different attitude, different M.O., moving in a better direction,' said running back Justin Rankin, who had a 74-yard touchdown included in his 105 rushing yards against Ottawa.
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The Elks scored a season-high 39 points, Tre Ford had a perfect quarterback rating of 156.3, and the team had points in every quarter for the first time.
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Amazing what one victory can do for a team's morale.
'We're figuring out what we're good at and what we're not good at,' said wide receiver Steven Dunbar Jr. 'Guys are understanding the offence a little better, understanding their role. We've kind of got more security as far as the offensive line, they're more cohesive.
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'Overall, we're playing better in all three phases of the game.'
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Defensive tackle Jake Ceresna said that all Edmonton has to do now is go out on Sunday and prove it.
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To that end, part of the focus this week has been on how to deal with quarterback Nathan Rourke, whose arm and legs were a key part of the Lions success in Game 1.
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'It's really key to keep him in the pocket, but also get pressure on him so he feels uncomfortable because he is a great passer from the pocket too,' said Ceresna. 'We need to make him uncomfortable all night, make it easier on our DBs, and get some sacks. We need sacks.'
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There's not much difference between the two young Canadian quarterbacks who have shown they can beat defences via the air or by their own scrambling ability.
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Ford has completed 78 of 109 passes for 950 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. Rourke is 61 of 99 passes for 925 yards, five TDs and three interceptions.
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