For the first time in almost 80 years, the province of Alberta won’t be represented in Canadian post-season football. Dating back to when Calgary joined the CFL’s predecessor in 1945, one of the Stampeders or Edmonton Elks (joined in 1949) have qualified for the playoffs every single season.
Until 2024.
Both teams were eliminated from this year’s playoff race upon Saskatchewan’s 28-24 win over the Elks on Saturday night. So, what comes next in Alberta’s two major cities?
The obvious first place to look is at quarterback.
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The Elks have a couple decisions to make on that front, and they’re very much tied together. The contracts of both McLeod Bethel-Thompson and Tre Ford expire at the end of the season, which means they can hit free agency when it opens in February. And knowing both have had successful stretches in 2024, it may not be a simple decision.
Entering week 19, Bethel-Thompson sits third overall at 3,748 passing yards and second with 24 touchdowns. His return to the CFL after a year away has been generally successful, especially when you compare it to Bethel-Thompson’s prior work.
Due to less playing time and injury, Ford’s numbers jump off the page a little less. But it was Ford at the helm as the Elks kickstarted their season in Week 9 before sustaining an injury the following week against BC. Without that injury, Ford may still have been starting now. We’ll never know.
Edmonton has plenty to determine as the team plays its final two games and then transitions to the off-season. Is Ford the quarterback of the future? Is Bethel-Thompson the right fit, being paid as a starter? Can both quarterbacks be on the roster again next year?
If it’s me, I believe the Elks owe it to themselves to find out exactly what they have in Ford. They can’t do that without giving him a legit shot to win the starter’s job out of training camp. Perhaps that can be accomplished with a returning Bethel-Thompson, maybe it can’t.
Edmonton used a first-round pick on Ford in 2022. They’ve seen him help get a season back on track in back-to-back years. And while Ford still has areas to round out in his game, he also possesses explosiveness and athleticism you don’t see very often. That’s why Edmonton is likely best served to find out precisely what Ford is while he’s wearing Green and Gold.
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Calgary’s situation is a little more cut-and-dried. The Stamps need to decide whether Jake Maier is their guy going forward or not.
This was Maier’s second season as Calgary’s full-time starter, and I felt it got off to a promising start. Maier looked more comfortable stretching the field and made early strides in raising his yards-per-attempt average. But at 7.6 yards-per-attempt, that number is only up nominally from where it was last year (7.3). That average is also the lowest among any quarterback with 200 or more attempts.
In saying that, we have seen Maier take strides. He’s bumped his accuracy by almost 10 per cent. His quarterback rating is up more than 10 points. And with 19 touchdown passes entering Week 19, Maier has already tied his total from last year with three games remaining. Is Calgary willing to be patient and hope for continued steps forward in 2025?
Both the Stamps and Elks have great pieces to build around. From Nyles Morgan and Nick Anderson in Edmonton to Mike Rose and Reggie Begelton in Calgary (just to name a few), a return to the post-season is fully realistic next year.
Knowing the proud traditions of both franchises, you know that will be the only thing driving them this winter.
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My favourite stat to track this year has been Winnipeg’s record when Brady Oliveira goes over 100 yards rushing. Well, after 147 yards and a touchdown in a 31-10 over Hamilton on Friday, that record is now up to 6-0. While there are numerous other reasons why the Bombers have rattled off eight straight wins, I think we all know how much things need to keep running through Oliveira.
Speaking of the Tiger-Cats, their margin for error no longer exists. As they enter a Week 19 bye, the situation is clear: Hamilton must win their final two games. The Ticats also need Toronto to lose out the rest of the way. That means the East Division’s final playoff spot might be decided as early as Friday night when the Argos visit Winnipeg.
The marquee matchup of Week 19 comes Saturday night, though, when the Lions visit Saskatchewan. While the Riders still have an outside shot of chasing down first overall, it’s the jockeying for second and third in the West Division that’s more relevant for me. Sask. and BC are likely to meet in round one of the playoffs, which means wrapping up home field advantage is what’s at stake down the stretch.