Elks head coach says team ‘needs to grow’ as it continues to search for 1st win of CFL season – Edmonton

After mounting a second-half comeback to tie a game against the Blue Bombers (3-0) in Winnipeg last week, the Edmonton Elks (0-3) ended up losing their third-straight game of the young CFL season on Thursday by a score of 36-23.

After a team practice on Tuesday, Elks head coach Mark Kilam was asked about his team’s ability to play a full 60 minutes each game.

“It’s really where this football team needs to grow,” he said. “Someone’s got to step up to make the plays.

“We kind of stalled out. I thought offensively, early, we were moving the ball well.”

In the game before their matchup against the Bombers, the Elks lost 38-28 to the Montreal Alouettes but managed to score 22 points in the fourth quarter, a display that Kilam had hoped would serve as a catalyst for more success going forward.

“We’ve got to find ways to keep our offence on the field, especially when our defence is holding us in the game,” he said Tuesday.

The Elks are the only CFL team that has yet to earn a win this season and are preparing to host the Ottawa Redblacks at Commonwealth Stadium on Sunday.

In the last three seasons, the team has started 0-2, 0-9 and 0-7. Edmonton finished fourth in the West Division last season and last made the CFL playoffs in 2019.

On Tuesday, the CFL named Elks defensive lineman D.K. Bonhomme to its Week 4 Honour Roll for his play on special teams. He had two special teams tackles and a fumble recovery against the Bombers.

Bonhomme said he is grateful to Kilam for putting him in a “position to be able to make plays” this season, and that while the team lost, he feels players gained some confidence after the game in Winnipeg.

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“It was a good step forward,” he said. “(We’ve) just got to lock in — all together — and just not let the moment be too big.

“Just execute our game plan and then everything will end up working out.”

Kilam said Tuesday’s workout was helpful as the team prepares for its next game against Ottawa.

“(It) was exactly what we needed,” he said, adding his team is focused on staying positive and trying to improve. “It was high-tempo — it wasn’t very long.

“Win or lose, you’re trying to get better every week.”

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