Blue Bombers can clinch playoff spot for 8th straight season with win over Elks

Willie Jefferson doesn’t like to look too far ahead, but there is something he’d like to see happen after the Winnipeg Blue Bombers host the Edmonton Elks on Friday.

A victory by the Blue Bombers (8-6) in front of a third straight sellout at Princess Auto Stadium would clinch a playoff spot for the eighth consecutive season, one in which the team started 0-4.

“We don’t necessarily worry about standings and all that stuff,” Jefferson said Thursday after Winnipeg’s walk-through practice. “But after the game when we get to the locker room and we get the chance to think about everything that’s going forward, it would feel a lot better to win this game and have that playoff spot.”

The Bombers are riding a six-game win streak and lead the CFL West Division.

The Elks sit at 5-9, fourth in the division and still in the playoff picture.

Friday’s rematch comes after Winnipeg defeated Edmonton 27-14 last week in a game that was tied 10-10 heading into the fourth quarter.

That’s when Winnipeg veteran quarterback Zach Collaros helped engineer three touchdown drives, including running back Brady Oliveira’s first two majors of the season. He finished with 127 yards off 18 carries.

Collaros always follows the team’s one-game-at-a-time mantra and said clinching a playoff spot won’t be a notable achievement.

“I think we’ll be worried about the next game, honestly,” Collaros said. “I know that’s a cliché thing to say and it’s kind of coach-speak and you hear that from me all the time as well, but I’ll be thinking about the next opponent for sure because the goal is the goal.

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“You’ve got to start by getting to the playoffs, obviously, but we think we have bigger things ahead of us.”

Collaros was intercepted once last week by defensive back Darius Bratton, who will miss Friday’s match with a knee injury.

Edmonton will aim to cut down on its turnovers. It had six, including two interceptions and one lost fumble by starting quarterback Tre Ford.

Ford was replaced by McLeod Bethel-Thompson in the fourth quarter, who got the nod to continue under centre when Friday’s game kicks off.

“It’s consistency,” Edmonton interim head coach Jarious Jackson said of his reason for starting the veteran over Ford. “Just knowing what to do, where to go with the football, managing the guys, managing the huddle. Just giving the team a spark. I just feel like he’s been the more consistent guy this year in that position.”

Bethel-Thompson is 3-1 in starts this season and would love to add another one in the win column against the Bombers.

“I’m really excited for this opportunity to come in and beat the brakes off these guys,” he said. “They’re a great team and this is going to be a great atmosphere.”

Jefferson said Bethel-Thompson has a different style than Ford as he likes to stay in the pocket and use his experience to read defences and seize the opportunities.

Winnipeg’s defence, which leads the league in allowing only 20.6 points per game, needs tight coverage to give rush end Jefferson and his counterparts time to bring the pressure.

“If they can hold the receivers and then give us some time as the defensive line and front seven to get to the quarterback and make it hard for him and get him on the ground, that’s a win for us,” Jefferson said.

Bethel-Thompson said the game plan is to be efficient on first downs.

“When you put yourself in second and long, then they do their drop, match coverage and they’ve got nine (defensive backs) back there and Willie Jefferson is coming off the edge with a head of steam,” he said.

The Elks might rely heavily on their ground game, which was successful against the Bombers. Winnipeg ranks sixth in allowing an average of 106.1 yards per game.

Edmonton running back Justin Rankin used 14 carries to peel off 157 yards.

EDMONTON ELKS (5-9) AT WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS (8-6) Friday, Princess Auto Stadium.

LONGTIME ADVANTAGE: Winnipeg has won its past 11 games against Edmonton, dating back to 2019.

MAKING GAINS: The Elks’ offence averaged 24.9 points per game in this season’s first seven games. They improved to 32.1 points in the next seven, but last week’s 14 points matched a season low.

CLIMBING THE RANKS: Oliveira leads the league in rushing with 1,021 yards. He needs 15 more yards to reach 4,000 in his career and move into eighth place all-time for Winnipeg rushers.

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