Justin Rankin swallowed by Lions as Edmonton Elks suffer first defeat (& seven other thoughts)

Photo courtesy: Edmonton Elks

There are three certainties in life: death, taxes, and Nathan Rourke finding a way to beat the Edmonton Elks. Saturday’s battle between the CFL’s last undefeated team and the winless B.C. Lions in Kelowna left the home side in the win column, 36-24.

Here are my thoughts on the game.

Tough day up the middle

Edmonton has run into some injury issues early on, especially in the linebacking corps. Both Nick Anderson and Brock Mogensen have landed on the six-game injured list. That left 2026 third-overall CFL Draft pick Dariel Djabome as the starting middle linebacker. The Rutgers product had both the highs and lows in his first start in the league.

Djabome had positive plays to build on, including an early interception with a big fight for 17 yards after the catch. He posted seven total tackles with one tackle for a loss. The rookie showed why he was a high pick in the draft with some good movement and speed in pursuit.

With the good, though, come the learning moments. The Longueuil, Que., native wasn’t able to shed many of the blocks of the B.C. offensive line, and that left a lot of room for running back James Butler. The Green and Gold had the top run-stopping unit in the CFL going into this game. Djabome will have lots of tape to review to get them back there. Butler was able to run up the middle for big gains, including one for 54 yards. A total of 172 rushing yards for the Lions was a big reason for them to find their first win.

Defensive standout

Speaking of Canadian linebackers, Joel Dublanko continues to put on a show every week. I remember when he was the rookie making some of the mistakes we just talked about with Djabome. The 2024 first-overall pick is now a cornerstone of the Elks defence.

Another game, another seven tackles for the Cincinnati product. Add to that an interception, two knockdowns, and a hellacious hit to pop the ball out for Djabome’s interception. The 28-year-old continues to be all over the field and has visibly taken on more leadership. I knew he would be impactful when he was drafted, and he is now showing just how true that is.

Not the usual Cody

Through the first three games, Cody Fajardo had pulled some amazing drives out of his pocket. The veteran is known for his high completion percentage and great protection of the ball, but this game was an anomaly.

A completion rate of 66 percent is lower than his usual 70+ percent. Even more out of the ordinary was the three interceptions, which more than doubled his total for this season. It could have been four interceptions if not for a roughing the passer call. Credit to the B.C. defensive line, as they made it uncomfortable for Fajardo and forced some tough throws.

The game plan of throwing deep seemed sound with the difficulties the Lions secondary has had. Unfortunately, the connection wasn’t there as much as usual, and the final big drive just never came. I’m confident that will be corrected going into the next game.

Less running than usual

I need to give credit to the Lions front seven, as they had a plan to shut down Justin Rankin, and they executed it. The CFL’s top running back had not had a game under 100 yards on the ground prior to tonight.

Linebacker Darnell Sankey was tracking Rankin everywhere, and a big push from the defensive line left the speedy back with only 19 yards for the night. The holes were just not there for him to burst up the field.

In the second half, the Elks started to find a way to open up the swing pass, and Rankin put up 100 yards receiving through that. He is still on pace for a substantial season, but the offensive line will need to do some work to overcome teams keying on the third-year back.

One concerning trend is that this was the third game where Rankin has fumbled the ball. That’s not something that has been a regular occurrence before now. I’ll be keeping an eye on how he adapts to ensure the ball’s kept high and tight.

Penalties again

I had thought the Elks had turned the corner on penalties after last week’s game against Bombers. It seems there are still a few things to work on.

Seven penalties for 80 yards is never helpful, but it could have been so much less. There was objectionable conduct penalties from a player and from the bench at different times of the game. Offsides and procedures I can sometimes get my head around, but the after-the-whistle calls need to be halted.

I’m sure it’s not an easy fix with the emotions of the game, and it does not help when both teams are left questioning some of the calls. Early in the first quarter, an unnecessary roughness penalty came for a Kordell Jackson hit on James Butler. I understand their helmets collided, but Kordell was lower, and Butler had to bring his helmet down to connect. The hit was still inbounds. I’m not sure how that becomes a penalty to place B.C. on the one-yard line. For a second week with the same officiating squad, I’m left scratching my head a bit.

KJG soars again

With the emergence of T.J. Luther last week, the stellar game that Kaion Julien-Grant had was a bit overshadowed. The Canadian receiver made sure I noticed this week. Two touchdowns and two second-down catches had him leap off the stats page. A beautiful route had him wide open for his second major of the game.

The connection between Fajardo and Austin Mack continues to grow. The Fort Wayne, Indiana, native had his best yardage game by more than double. Mack found 141 yards against B.C. on eight catches. A magnificent toe touch on his first catch was something to behold. He also found his third touchdown in four games.

Back home

Edmonton now finds their way back home after their first loss. A short week means there is not much time to worry about it; only time to reset and get back out to their winning ways. Ottawa visits in Week 6 and is much improved from the team they played in Week 1. Home support may be the key to success and getting back on track.