Elks use impressive comeback to edge Alouettes

MONTREAL — At the start of the fourth quarter, the Edmonton Elks were down 31-18. Chris Jones’ team was relying on quarterback Taylor Cornelius who had not had a start yet this season.

Kai Locksley made a two-yard rush to get the Elks (2-4) back in the game, but Edmonton missed their two-point conversion.

This didn't deflate the struggling Elks. Lockley added a second TD rush. Finally, Cornelius clinched a 32-31 comeback win over the Montreal Alouettes at Percival Molson Stadium on Thursday.

"When we got (the first touchdown) we went for two to try to go ahead and punch it in. That didn't work very well for us," Elks coach Chris Jones said. "Then we scored again. I knew that if we kicked the first one and if we kicked the second one then we'd be up by a point and then and I was hoping we could burn more clock.

"We ended up getting the ball back, we scored and ran the ball down to zero and were able to get off the field."

Cornelius spent five weeks watching games from the sidelines, pushed down the depth chart by Nick Arbuckle and Tre Ford. With Arbuckle traded to the Ottawa Redblacks and Ford on the injury list for a few weeks, Cornelius had to step up and didn't miss his opportunity to throw the winning touchdown pass.

The 26-year-old found Kenny Lawler with a 10-yard touchdown pass and the Elks clinched the win.

"It was everything you want in a game you know to have the ball in your hands on a play like that," Cornelius said. "And Kenny doing his job, it takes everyone. It wasn't just me making that play. It was everyone making that possible and then him coming up with a heck of a grab there in the end zone."

The Elks took advantage of two large pass interference calls by Alouettes defensive back Wesley Sutton. In