THIS WEEK IN THE CFL – WEEK 16

THE LAY OF THE LAND
​(Team | Remaining opponents | Combined record)

West Division

• Winnipeg | Bye, SSK, EDM, @BC, Bye, BC | 28-24 (.538)
• BC | CGY, OTT, @TOR, WPG, @EDM, @WPG | 46-33 (.582)
• Calgary | @BC, TOR, Bye, HAM, @SSK, SSK | 32-33 (.492)
• Saskatchewan | Bye, @WPG, @HAM, CGY, @CGY | 32-21 (.604)
• Edmonton | Bye, MTL, @WPG, TOR, BC | 33-17 (.660)

East Division

• Toronto | @OTT, @CGY, BC, @EDM, @MTL, MTL | 34-41 (.453)
• Montreal | HAM, @EDM, OTT, @OTT, TOR, @TOR | 28-47 (.373)
• Hamilton | @MTL, Bye, SSK, @CGY, OTT, @OTT | 25-38 (.397)
• Ottawa | TOR, @BC, @MTL, MTL, @HAM, HAM | 34-40 (.459)

END OF SUMMER STRETCH: WEEKS 10-15

• Every team had at least one loss and none had more than three wins
• Toronto and Winnipeg had the best records (3-1)
• Ottawa went 2-2 and Montreal went 2-1, after finishing below .500 in the first half of the season
• Only Winnipeg has clinched a playoff berth; the remaining eight teams are all in playoff contention

LOCKING IT DOWN

• Only two starting quarterbacks hold a career winning record against Calgary.
  • BC’s overtime win in Week 15 improved Vernon Adams Jr. to 4-2.
  • Zach Collaros is 8-5.
• The league’s seven remaining starting quarterbacks are a combined 3-23-2 (0.143) in their careers against the Stampeders.

QUICK SLANTS

• The CFL is averaging 51 points per game – the highest since 2017.
• League-wide passing efficiency sits at 94.7 – the third highest in CFL history.
• Kickers this season have made 240-of-256 (93.8 per cent) converts. Last season, kickers finished at 91.8 per cent.
• Road teams are 32-26 (.552) this season. Road teams last finished at least six games above .500 in 2016 (43-37) and 1962 (35-29).
• Teams are 9-7 off the bye this year. Coming off byes this week are Toronto (2-0), Montreal (0-2) and Ottawa (0-2).
• The winners of the Tiger-Cats-Alouettes and Argonauts-REDBLACKS games will capture their season series.
• 2022 CFL Draft first round selections, Jalen and Tyson Philpot, are Top-2 in average kickoff return yards – Calgary’s Jalen has 14, averaging 28.7 yards, while Montreal’s Tyson has 12 averaging 28.5.
• Hamilton’s victory over Winnipeg in Week 15 represented one of the largest standings-gaps overcome – the Ticats with three wins defeated Winnipeg with 12.
• Dane Evans’ five touchdown passes last week matched Nathan Rourke for the league’s season-high.
• Montreal’s Trevor Harris needs three more touchdown passes to reach 150 in his career. His 147 are the second most among active players, trailing Bo Levi Mitchell’s 188.
• Harris is a career 8-4 against Hamilton.
• Eugene Lewis (954) is eyeing his second 1,000-receiving yard season; he notched 1,133 in 2019. He has 253 yards on 15 receptions against Hamilton this year.
• Toronto’s McLeod Bethel Thompson is coming off a season-high 365-passing yard performance in Week 14. He is a career 7-1 against Ottawa with five games over 300 yards.
• Kurleigh Gittens Jr. has 14 receptions for 245 yards against Ottawa this season.
• Wynton McManis has collected 16 tackles in two games versus the REDBLACKS in 2022. ​
• Ottawa is 3-3 (.500) following a 0-6 start.
• Ottawa’s Lorenzo Mauldin has four sacks in his last two games. He has three sacks in two meetings with Toronto this season.
• Ottawa’s Nigel Romick has 98 career special team tackles in 97 games. He is second among active players behind Mike Miller (222 in 186 games)
• Dave Dickenson will be helming the Stampeders for the 100^th time and holds a record of 69-28-2 (.707).
• Calgary’s Ka’Deem Carey (773) is 97 rushing yards from setting a new career-high. He has already equaled his personal-best of seven rushing majors set in 2021.
• Malik Henry (909) is looking to reach 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career.
• Rene Paredes leads the league with 39 made field-goals this season.
• Calgary’s Cody Grace and BC’s Stefan Flintoft lead the league in average net punt yards (39.71).
• The Lions are looking to sweep the season series against Calgary – a feat they have not achieved since going 2-0 in 2005.
• BC’s Dominique Rhymes (1,016) has notched his second season with 1,000+ receiving yards and is 41 away from surpassing his personal best of 1,056 set in 2019.
• Bryan Burnham has 15 receptions and 265 yards (17.7 yards per catch) in two games against Calgary this season.
• Sean Whyte leads the league in field-goals made percentage (91.3).