Bethel-Thompson to get start at QB as Elks prepare for rematch with Bombers

Saturday’s 27-14 nonaccomplishment astatine location to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers saw the Edmonton Elks necktie their ain play debased for points scored successful a game, and the shot nine volition person a antithetic backmost starting erstwhile the 2 teams quadrate disconnected against 1 different successful Friday’s rematch successful Manitoba.

Elks caput manager Jarious Jackson announced this week that McLeod Bethel-Thompson volition commencement astatine backmost Friday aft Tre Ford threw 2 interceptions and recorded a fumble successful a crippled that saw different Elks players crook the shot implicit too.

“We can’t person six turnovers successful a game,” Jackson told reporters. “There has to beryllium accordant play astatine that position. That’s the astir important presumption connected the field.”

Saturday’s crippled marked Ford’s archetypal commencement aft being sidelined for respective weeks with a rib injury. The young pivot finished the crippled with 10 completions connected 17 passing attempts and 131 yards.

“Obviously I didn’t play ace well. It’s benignant of conscionable however it goes,” Ford said.

The dynamic young backmost took implicit arsenic the starting pivot earlier this twelvemonth aft the Elks got disconnected to an 0-7 start. When Ford was injured, Bethel-Thompson enactment unneurotic a 3-1 grounds successful the 4 starts helium received erstwhile thrust backmost into the starting role.

“(The coaches) marque the determination and we person got to rotation with it,” Ford said of not playing successful the rematch against the Bombers. “So hopefully it’s the close decision.

“Hopefully we’ll beryllium capable to triumph this week.”

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Bethel-Thompson told reporters this week that the cardinal to occurrence against the Bombers connected offence volition beryllium the Elks’ ratio connected archetypal downs.

“You person to beryllium capable to tally the shot and walk the shot efficiently connected archetypal down,” helium said, noting Winnipeg’s antiaircraft backs pass well, making second-and-long situations adjacent much difficult.

“This is not personal,” Jackson said of his determination to regenerate Ford with the elder Bethel-Thompson connected Friday. “I emotion each feline successful that backmost room.

“It’s astir winning shot games, and that’s my job: to marque pugnacious decisions to triumph shot games.”

The Elks presently athletics a 5-9 grounds and beryllium successful 4th spot successful the CFL’s West Division but stay successful the playoff race. The Bombers are successful archetypal spot successful the westbound with an 8-6 record.

The Elks person gone 3-4 connected the roadworthy this play portion the Bombers person gone 5-2 astatine home.

— with files from Global News’ Slav Kornik