The CFL’s Edmonton Elks have had their fair share of bad luck the past few seasons.
Edmonton came into Thursday night’s game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers sitting at 0-8 this year.
To make things worse, the Elks have lost a North American record 21 straight home games, spanning four years.
Despite the hard times, Edmonton’s fans have stayed as passionate and devoted as ever, still turning out to see the team play.
When Edmonton jumped out to a 22-0 lead in the first half, many heads were turned, particularly at one play.
Early in the second quarter, Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros was pressured as he dropped back to pass. Collaros scrambled around looking for anything before having to just get rid of the ball (and taking quite a hit), tossing it right to Elks defensive back Loucheiz Purifoy who ran it back for an easy touchdown.
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME! WHAT'S HAPPENING!" Dustin Nielson had a great call of a wild interception in Thursday's Edmonton Elks-Winnipeg Blue Bombers #CFL game: pic.twitter.com/hraBcta8da
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 11, 2023
The play looked eerily similar to one that Edmonton quarterback Taylor Cornelius made last month when the Elks lost to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, where Cornelius tried to avoid pressure, and saw his pass get intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Stavros Katsantonis.
Naturally, Thursday’s play led to plenty of reactions from CFL fans, ranging from comparing the two plays to hoping Edmonton’s streak may be coming to an end, to praising the call of play-by-play announcer Dustin Nielson.
Another very creative Pick 6 from the CFL https://t.co/J8xFOFkWgq
— Jeff Parles (@jeffparles) August 11, 2023
This was one of the most painful things I've ever watched. Edmonton has a 0-8 record mind you https://t.co/pNEwbXZssJ
— troy (@theonlytroyever) August 11, 2023
No one is gonna talk about this, but why did Collaros randomly roll out into pressure in a pretty solid pocket?#CFL https://t.co/RAhRlHK0JK
— CFL Fan. Fire Reynolds. (@CFLFan13) August 11, 2023
“ARE YOU KIDDING ME, WHATS HAPPENING”
Another electric CFL call from Dustin Nielson https://t.co/usvbdrwN1h
— Brando (@BrandanLee_27) August 11, 2023
