Edmonton Elks quarterback Cody Fajardo (7) hands the ball off to Justin Rankin (5) during CFL action against the Toronto Argonauts at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton on Aug. 15, 2025. Photo by David Bloom /Postmedia

Article content

Words I wasn’t sure I’d ever write: The Edmonton Elks are sitting atop the Canadian Football League’s West Division standings.

Article content

That’s right, you read it here. Those poor, no good, sorry saps that would have been better off going by no name at all, instead of rebranding themselves into oblivion, have not only come back from the brink, but are taking names along the way.

Article content

Article content

Article content

Names such as the Montreal Alouettes, who sit first in the East Division, and the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who were breathing down their neck atop the West standings.

Article content

Article content

So much for the notion the Elks had it easy to open the schedule. They are now 6-1 following a showdown between the best in the West, coming out on top, 36-34, on the road over the reigning-champion Roughies, who are 4-2.

Article content

Just don’t expect any breathing room, with Saturday’s rematch at Commonwealth Stadium (5 p.m., TSN, 880 CHED). It’s hard enough to beat a team in a landscape of parity, let alone to try and turn around and do it again right away.

Article content

But as least it’s spelled parity this year, and not parody like in years past.

Article content

The team that spent the past five years as the butt of the joke in the Edmonton sports scene is starting to turn heads and raise eyebrows in the city. Sure, some paper bags had to be removed first, but this team is in the midst of separating themselves from their former selves, and starting to look at least a little like their old-old selves. You know, what I mean. (Heck, if they’re not careful, people around here might even begin calling them the Eskimos again.) And as much as political correctness and cancel culture might not approve, the thought of one day earning back the Evil Empire tag is exactly what Mark Kilam and Co. are striving toward.

Article content

Article content

A long list of head coaches, general managers and club presidents before him toiled unsuccessfully to get this organization back on the same playing field as their pre-COVID-19 predecessors. You know, the double-E teams that routinely made playoffs and never found themselves even remotely in danger of losing 22 home games in a row.

Article content

Article content

All of a sudden, punching their ticket to the post-season seems like it’s setting the bar too low. Could a rare home playoff game be in the cards? There have only been three in the past 20 years:

Article content

• 2011 West semi-final — Edmonton 33, Calgary 19

Article content

• 2014 West semi-final — Edmonton 18, Saskatchewan 10

Article content

• 2015 West final — Edmonton 45, Calgary 31

Article content

Perhaps a better question is if there could be even more in store this year?

Article content

Elks. Eskimos. Evil Empire. Call them what you will. What this team is looking like right now is every bit the Little EEngine that Could.

Article content

Article content

At this point, let’s just assume every other team is following the B.C. Lions’ blueprint for how to shut down star double-E running back Justin Rankin.

Article content

He rocketed out of the gates as the hands down yards-from-scrimmage leader in the CFL thanks to a sure set of hands and a pair of legs that make would-be tacklers feel anything but sure.