CALGARY – Malik Carney will see familiar faces on the other side of the football Sunday.
asserted
Carney → see → football
The Edmonton Elks defensive end went up against the Montreal Alouettes’ offensive line in pursuit of Als quarterback Davis Alexander in last year’s Grey Cup game, which Carney won as a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
asserted
Carney → go → Roughriders
Carney will line up against most of the same Alouettes starters Sunday in Calgary with the same goal of hunting down Alexander.
asserted
Carney → line → Alexander
“He’s such a wild card.
asserted
He → ’ → ?
You don’t know what he’s going to do,” Carney said Saturday at McMahon Stadium.
asserted
Carney → know → Stadium
“He is mobile, he can create explosive plays in the pocket, outside of the pocket.
asserted
he → create → pocket
I can’t really give you our details and what our plan is, but we do have a plan for him and the only thing I can really say is that we have to do a great job of containing him and not letting him get going.”
asserted
him → give → him
The 31-year-old Carney from Alexandria, Va., ranked second in the CFL in sacks this season with 11 behind Calgary Stampeder Clarence Hicks (12) and ahead of his Elks teammate Noah Taylor (10).
asserted
Carney → rank → teammate
Carney, a West Division all-star this season, and Taylor will be a one-two threat against a stingy Als offensive line that allowed the least amount of sacks this season at 19, which was also a franchise record.
asserted
which → allow → 19
“Sonic and Knuckles,” declared the 27-year-old Taylor.
asserted
Taylor → declare → ?
“He’s the power, he’s a bruiser and I’m the speed guy.
asserted
I → ’ → ?
I’m a lot faster than him.
asserted
I → ’m → him
He’s a lot stronger than me.”
asserted
He → ’ → me
Added Carney: “We complement each other very well.
asserted
We → add → other
He’s a guy that has two ears and one mouth, and that’s a quote that I live by.
asserted
I → ’ → that
You listen twice as much as you talk.
asserted
you → listen → ?
He’s a great example of that.”
asserted
He → ’ → that
Carney is one of just 13 players on the Elks roster who bring previous Grey Cup experience into Sunday, with an opportunity to win his second championship ring in as many years, albeit with a different team.
asserted
who → bring → team
“It would mean a lot.
asserted
It → mean → lot
It would mean a lot, but I definitely want to see more of my teammates winning, just for them
asserted
more → mean → them
,” said the six-foot-three, 230-pound North Carolina alumni.
asserted
alumni → say → ?
“Cody, going back at his former team, some of the first-time guys who (are) in the Grey Cup, even playoffs.
asserted
who → go → Cup
It’s bigger than me and what I want.
asserted
I → ’ → what
It’s what I want for my team.”
asserted
I → ’ → team
When it was clear the Roughriders wouldn’t re-sign him, Carney enlisted the help of six-year-old daughter Myla in choosing his next team.
asserted
Carney → re → team
“I had watched a lot of film on a couple of the teams that were extremely interested in me,” he said.
asserted
he → watch → me
“It came down to the wire of me just letting my daughter pick a logo and she picked a logo that I was siding with for sure.”
asserted
I → come → that
Elks head coach Mark Kilam dubbed Carney “the alpha” of the defence.
asserted
Kilam → dub → defence
“Elevated the group as a whole, raised the level of, first and foremost, the defensive-line room,” Kilam said.
asserted
Kilam → elevate → room
“He’s a veteran guy that’s coaching and helping the young guys, giving them some tips and techniques.”
asserted
that → ’ → tips
Edmonton’s defence overall was the class of the CFL this season in allowing the fewest average points per game (24.3), net offence allowed (338.6 yards) and fewest average yards per play against (6.34), while forcing a league-leading 53 turnovers under defensive co-ordinator J.C. Sherritt.
asserted
defence → allow → Sherritt
Carney led the league in forced fumbles with four.
asserted
Carney → lead → four
“We carry a lot of swagger, confidence,” he said.
asserted
he → carry → swagger
“Since training camp, we knew exactly who we are.
asserted
we → know → camp
“Every week, we’ve just been putting out performances that represents exactly who we are as a defence.”
asserted
we → put → defence
The Elks spent Saturday’s walkthrough enjoying warm sun on their bare arms as the players took to the field wearing brown vests.
asserted
players → spend → vests
They played games with teammates and greeted their families on McMahon’s turf.
asserted
They → play → turf
“This is the relaxation before we bring the storm,” Carney said.
asserted
Carney → bring → storm
Edmonton has won 14 Grey Cups, with the last in 2015, in 26 all-time appearances.
asserted
Edmonton → win → appearances
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 14, 2026.
asserted
report → publish → Press
The Aporia
