THIS WEEK IN THE CFL - WEEK 19

With playoff positions and the East Division title up for grabs and milestones on the horizon, Week 19 has plenty to offer.

Friday Night Football showcases a double-header. First in Ottawa, the REDBLACKS play their final game of the season against their Eastern Division rivals the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. With a win, Ottawa will enter the final week of the CFL season as the East Division leaders. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET.

At 10 p.m. ET eyes will be on the quarterback position when the Montreal Alouettes visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Darian Durant looks to make his first start back in Regina after playing for the Roughriders for 11 seasons and holding several franchise records. Saskatchewan will be looking to chase Edmonton for third spot in the West Division.

Saturday also features a doubler-header. Beginning at 4 p.m. ET the BC Lions will travel to play the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. With a victory, Winnipeg can punch their first home playoff date since 2011.  A pair of BC Lions receivers – Bryan Burnham (997) and Emmanuel Arceneaux (984) – are knocking on the door for 1,000-yard seasons.

The final regular season installment of the Battle of Alberta in Edmonton at 7 p.m. ET rounds out the week. Calgary has booked their ticket to the Western Final at McMahon Stadium. Depending on the outcome in the Winnipeg game, Edmonton has a chance to host a playoff game and fend off the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Playoff Scenarios for Week 19

PLAYING BOTH WAYS AND SCORING

• Last week Duron Carter, who has 72 catches and 1,037 receiving yards, played as a defensive back.  Carter recorded his first interception and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown.
• Since 1997 three players have recorded a receiving touchdown and an interception return touchdown in the same season.

• In 1999 Joe Hagins recorded a rushing touchdown and an interception return touchdown.
• This season there have been 16 interception return touchdowns – Saskatchewan and Winnipeg lead with four each – and 16 fumble recovery touchdowns.

TIC TAC TOE FOUR IN A ROW

• Hamilton’s Brandon Banks has recorded four 100+ yard receiving games in row. His past four game totals are 129, 115, 104 and 100.
• In the last 22 seasons the accomplishment has only occurred eight times by seven players:

• The longest streak of 100+ receiving yard games is eigh,t held by two players: Hal Patterson during the 1956 season and Terry Greer in the 1983 season.
• Only seven players have recorded 5+ games of 100+ receiving yard games: Patterson, Greer, Joey Walters (two times), Jamel Richardson, Brian Kelly, Allen Pitts and Mac Cody.
• Since June Jones has been head coach for the Tiger-Cats, Banks has recorded 690 yards on 39 receptions in eight games. Prior to Jones, in eight games he had 52 yards on eight receptions.
• Banks also recorded his 11^th career kick return touchdown (seven punt returns, three field goal miss returns and a kickoff return).

QUICK SLANTS

• Bye Weeks: Teams coming off a bye this year are 9-7 (.563). The Ottawa REDBLACKS are coming off a Week 18 bye when they play the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Friday night.
• Jeremiah Masoli has recorded three straight 300+ yards passing games, the longest in his career. Masoli has also thrown only one interception in his last six starts (169 pass attempts).
• Calgary Stampeders defensive lineman Charleston Hughes is three sacks away from 100 for his career, which would also eclipse Will Johnson’s current franchise mark.
• Home vs. Away: Kevin Glenn has a rating of 86.5 and has 18 TDs to seven INTs at home. On the road he has a rating of 55.9 with five TDs and seven INT.
• Saskatchewan’s kicker Tyler Crapigna has booted 18 consecutive field goals in a row.
• 5,000 Yards: Mike Reilly (5,252) and Ricky Ray (5,205) have eclipsed the 5,000 yard barrier. With two games left, Matt Nichols (4,442) is 558 yards away and Bo Levi Mitchell (4,393) is 607 yards away from joining Reilly and Ray.
• 1,000 Yard Receivers: Entering Week 19 there are seven receivers that need 100 yards or fewer to get to 1,000. Bryan Burnham (997), Emmanuel Arceneaux (984), Jalen Saunders (977), Bakari Grant (969), BJ Cunningham (960), Luke Tasker (926) and Armani Edwards (911).
•  1,000 Yard RBs: A pair of Canadian running backs are looking to crack the 1,000 yards plateau. Jerome Messam (951) needs 49 yards and Andrew Harris (903) needs 97. 
• Tackle Race: Solomon Elimimian continues to lead the league in defensive tackles with 128. Following him is Calgary’s Alex Singleton with 115 and Montreal’s Kyries Hebert (103).
• Sack Race: This might be the most heated race of them all. Currently there is a four-way tie for first at nine each between Ja’Gared Davis, Charleston Hughes, Victor Butler and Micah Johnson. There are another eight players who are two sacks or fewer behind the leaders.
• Close Games: 60% of games have been decided in the final 3:00 minutes with 25 games decided by four points or fewer and three overtime games.