Edmonton Elks focus on what they can control heading into Labour Day series against rival Calgary Stampeders

They may be on a modest winning streak, but the head coach of the Edmonton Elks isn't about to start getting cocky about his Canadian Football League team's chances heading into the annual home-and-home series against their provincial rivals.

Even if the Elks (2-9) are just two points behind the Calgary Stampeders (3-8) in the West Division standings.

"It's a big series going down there," head coach and general manager Chris Jones told media following Sunday's 30-20 win over the Ottawa Redblacks to break Edmonton's 22-game losing skid at home. "(Calgary is a) well-coached team. Dave Dickenson is a good coach and Huf (president and ex-GM John Hufnagel) is still down there. They've got a much better football team than what their record indicates ... It's going to be a tough match."

Although Jones spoke relatively glowingly about their Alberta rivals, he was just as effusive if not more so when talking about his own team, which started the 2023 CFL season with nine straight losses before winning their last two games, praising his players for sticking to preparations.

"They've never quit on us," Jones said. "They could very well have had six or seven wins. There are other teams that don't play with the energy we play with and, more importantly, prepare and practise with."

Jones singled out quarterback Tre Ford, who has started the last three Elks games, as a "spark" that's helped Edmonton reach the win column.

Ford, who started the season as the third-string signal-caller, completed 15 of 18 passes for 317 yards and one touchdown through the air, adding 74 yards and another TD rushing.

"He played really good football. He accounted for nearly 400 yards of offence. He's taken care of the football, didn't have turnovers. I think that's one of the biggest indicators."

Receiver Eugene Lewis, who shook off a Redblacks defensive back late in the second quarter Sunday to dash for a pivotal 66-yard touchdown, said the Elks offence has suddenly come to life because the players "trust in each other."

"It's about making the plays when the opportunities come our way," said Lewis, who was the Elks' prized free-agent signing heading into the season after an all-star performance in 2022 with 1,303 yards receiving and 10 TDs for the Montreal Alouettes. "Just to see guys going through the ups and downs of the season, it's a roller coaster, so it's just about us believing in each other. Everybody outside of these (dressing-room) walls, it doesn't matter. We've got to lock in for us. We've just got to worry about us and do the things that we do to win these games."