Alouettes take on Elks on Thursday night in Edmonton
The Montreal Alouettes will head into Thursday’s game in Edmonton against the Elks with a 2-0-0 record. Edmonton is 0-1 after their Week 1 loss in B.C. They were on bye last week, so this will be the second week in a row that the Als play a team during their home opener.
This will be the first time this season that the Alouettes will play on a short week. They’re coming off a 39-18 win over the Ottawa Redblacks on Friday night.
Please note that kickoff is set for 9pm ET from Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton. You can watch the game on RDS, TSN CBS Sports network (United States) or you can listen on 98.5FM or TSN 690.
Here’s what you need to know:
Charleston Rambo returns:
Receiver Charleston Rambo missed last week’s game because he and his fiancée got married over the weekend. Rambo wasn’t at practice on Monday but returned for Tuesday’s session.
The second-year receiver looked comfortable throughout the training session, as he made several catches on throws from starter Davis Alexander.
“It was great,” Rambo said of his wedding. “It brought a lot of people together and we just wanted to enjoy the day as best we can. We made some great memories with my family and friends.
“We planned (the date) before the season. We figured out a date and it just came to that. We had great weather because it was an outdoor wedding. We had a great time in Texas.”
The 25-year-old had three receptions for 36 yards in the opener against the Toronto Argonauts.
Stevie Scott III’s 2025 debut:
Travis Theis, who has impressed in two weeks with the Als, will miss Thursday’s game due to injury. Stevie Scott III, who had a strong training camp, will make his 2025 debut. The former Indiana running back started one game last year and had a solid showing in a loss in Vancouver.
Scott III and Sean Thomas Erlington will both be in the backfield on Thursday night.
Nick Callender still out:
Starting left tackle Nick Callender will miss a second consecutive game with a foot injury. Rookie Des Holmes, who made his CFL debut against the Redblacks last week, will be back in the starting lineup.
“Nick won’t be ready to go (for this week’s game). He’s still a ways away,” head coach Jason Maas said on Monday. “He’s improving every day and the hope is that he’s available sooner rather than later. The initial information we got was that it wasn’t good, but the situation has improved since then.”
Holmes had a solid first game at left tackle and he’ll get another opportunity to fill in for Callender this week.
“Des played very well,” added Maas. “He was physical right from the jump. Obviously, he’ll settle in. It was his first game playing and there is always room for improvement, regardless. But I thought he did a really good job for his first game, and I thought P-O (Lestage) played extremely well next to him. The communication was very good.”
Familiar Faces:
This will be the first time the Alouettes will see Cody Fajardo and Kaion Julien-Grant since both players left the organization this winter.
Fajardo, who was Grey Cup MVP in 2023, was traded to Edmonton for current backup quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson, and Julien-Grant signed with the Elks in free agency.
“It will be great to see Cody again and Kaion as well,” Davis Alexander said. “I’m actually staying the night over there after the game, so I think Cody and I are going to grab dinner.”
