Minas Panagiotakis/CFL.ca
MONTREAL – Cody Fajardo returned to his former stomping grounds in style, leading a fourth-quarter comeback and his Edmonton Elks to a 23-22 win over the Montreal Alouettes at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium on Friday night.
Fajardo overcame an eight-point deficit and a suffocating Montreal front to secure the Elks’ first road win of the season and improve their record to 2-6. The Grey Cup MVP in 2023 with the Als connected on 27 of his 38 throws for 289 yards and two touchdowns — also tallying a team-high 14 rushing yards. For a second straight week, running back Justin Rankin led the team in the receiving game, notching 88 yards on four receptions.
Kaion Julien-Grant — another Elk making his return to Montreal — scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns, including the game-winner, redeeming himself after a late drop against Hamilton in Week 9.
McLeod Bethel-Thompson and Caleb Evans split quarterback duties for the Als, with Bethel-Thompson benched after a rushed throw led to a pick-six just before halftime. The veteran — also making his first start against his former team — completed 10 of his 15 passes for 79 yards and the interception, while Evans went 14-for-18 with 113 yards and a touchdown in relief.
Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund led a punishing Montreal defence with three sacks — pushing him over Toronto’s Andrew Chatfield for the CFL lead with seven — but it wasn’t enough as the Als fell to 5-4, and 1-4 without starting quarterback Davis Alexander.
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Fajardo’s return to Montreal started quietly, opening with just one first down before the Elks were forced to punt. Cody Grace’s booming kick rolled for a single, getting Edmonton on the board first.
Bethel-Thompson’s reply was sharper, with Tyler Snead slipping past defenders on a 13-yard catch-and-run to set up Jose Maltos’ 34-yard field goal and a 3-1 Alouettes lead.
Later in the first, the Elks found a spark with a second-and-12 conversion deep in their own end, but momentum vanished when Darnell Sankey burst through on a delayed blitz for a drive-killing sack on the next play. Rookie return man Travis Theis made them pay on the punt, racing 80 yards up the sideline for the contest’s first touchdown. Maltos’ conversion made it 10-1.
With a chance to answer, the Elks instead went backwards on their final snaps of the quarter. Shawn Lemon dropped Rankin in the backfield, and Adeyemi-Berglund followed with his fifth sack of the season — Montreal’s fourth tackle for loss in the frame.
Defences ruled the early second quarter, allowing just two first downs and forcing five punts by the six-minute mark. Montreal finally broke through after being gifted prime field position at Edmonton’s 44 on a short punt, but eventually settled for a Maltos field goal.
Looking for rhythm on offence, the Elks dialled up the aggression. Fajardo dropped back on five straight plays, finding Rankin in space for 43 yards on the third before Shawn Oakman’s sack stalled the drive. Vincent Blanchard trotted out for a 12-yard chip-shot to make it 13-4.
Not content with a nine-point lead, the Als raced downfield with a minute left before halftime. Under pressure near the red zone, Bethel-Thompson rushed a throw to the sideline and right into Tyrell Ford’s hands. The 2024 All-CFLer ran it back 87 yards untouched for his first pick as an Elk and the team’s first interception from a defensive back this season. Blanchard’s conversion to make it 13-11 emphasised the dramatic swing.
After the costly first-half mistake, Als head coach Jason Maas had seen enough of Bethel-Thompson and turned to Evans to start the third. It took him a drive to get going, but Evans adjusted quickly, completing six of his first eight passes for 72 yards. He made his mark with a 19-yard floater that Cole Spieker high-pointed for the major. Maltos was uncharacteristically off on the point-after, doinking it off the right upright to keep it a one-possession game at 19-11.
While the Als got on the board, they lost Sean Thomas Erlington, who — in his 100th career CFL game — left the drive and the game limping, further depleting an already injury-riddled Montreal offence.
To start the fourth, Edmonton’s defence stood tall to force a quick two-and-out with Montreal deep in their own zone. After a 20-yard punt return from the explosive Javon Leake, they were in instant scoring position. Instead, a sack and penalty pushed them backwards, and they had to line up for a 54-yard field goal. Blanchard pushed it wide left, but Snead coughed it up on the return after running into his own man.
Edmonton recovered to keep it alive and summarily got it into the end zone on a one-yard bullet to Julien-Grant. Fajardo looked for Steven Dunbar Jr. on the two-point conversion, but the pass was shut down, and the Als retained a two-point lead.
Nearing the three-minute warning, the Elks’ defence was back on the field looking to make another big play. Evans found Snead for a short gain, but an overeager Ford hit him late out of bounds. The unnecessary roughness call tacked on an additional 15 yards as the Elks’ frustration started to boil over. With the flag and a boost, Montreal worked into field goal range, where Maltos muscled a 53-yarder — his fifth make without a miss this season from beyond 50 yards — to give the Als a five-point cushion.
With a minute remaining and needing a touchdown, Fajardo went to work. He completed four of his six passes for 63 yards, capping it with a dart to Julien-Grant. The 29-year-old pass-catcher — who dropped the potential game-winner a week ago — made sure to make no mistake as he dragged a defender across the goal line for the go-ahead score.
Fajardo once again could not complete the two-point conversion, but with 15 seconds remaining, it was a formality. Montreal took its final snaps, and the result was ensured for the Elks.
The Elks’ East Division tour continues in Week 10, when they host the Toronto Argonauts on Friday, August 15. The Als, meanwhile, head west to BC to take on the Lions on August 16.
