WEEK 4 IN THE CFL
Stats and storylines heading into this week’s action
WEEK 3 IN HINDSIGHT
- 62.4 points per game – the highest so far this season
- Quarterbacks had 16 touchdown passes to five interceptions
- Six receivers with 100+ yards
- Kickers were 14-of-16 on field goal attempts (87.5 per cent)
- 23 big play (long gainers) – the most in one week this season
BEASTS OF THE EAST CLASH
- Montreal and Toronto meet in a rematch of the 2023 Eastern Final.
- Montreal has won eight straight regular season games – the most since 2006; including the 2023 postseason, the team has won 11 in a row.
- Toronto has won 11 straight regular season games at BMO Field. Their last loss came in Week 21 in 2022 – a 38-33 setback at the hands of the Alouettes.
- Toronto leads the CFL with 37.0 points per game. Montreal tops the league in points allowed – 17.7 per game.
- Toronto is first in rushing yards per game (153); Montreal is second (95).
OFF TO A FLYING START
- Saskatchewan’s Corey Mace is 3-0 as a first-time head coach.
- Since 2008, he is the seventh head coach to open his first season with at least a 3-0 run.
- Ken Miller (SSK 2008) – 6-0
- Kavis Reed (EDM 2011) – 5-0
- Chris Jones (EDM 2014) – 4-0
- Corey Chamblin (SSK 2012) – 3-0
- Mike O’Shea (WPG 2014) – 3-0
- Orlondo Steinauer (HAM 2019) – 3-0
- Dave Dickenson in 2016 and Steinauer in 2019 hold the record for most wins by a first-time head coach (15).
QUICK SLANTS
League-wide
- Average of four sacks per game – down 23 per cent from 5.2 in 2023
- Four quarterbacks are averaging 300+ passing yards per game
- Quarterback TD:INT ratio is 2.26:1
- Six Canadians sit in the Top-12 in receiving yards
- 160 rushing yards per game
- Average of 597 passing yards per game
- 50.6 per cent on second down conversions
- 20.5 per cent of drives have resulted in TDs
- Seven fourth quarter game-winning drives
- Half of the games have featured three or more lead changes
EDM at BC
- Each teams’ opening games have been decided in the final three minutes.
- In Week 3, Edmonton’s McLeod Bethel-Thompson tied a career high with four TD passes – a league season high. He is the only QB to throw for 300+ yards in each game this season.
- The Elks are tied for the league lead in sacks (eight). Noah Curtis is tied for first with three.
- Edmonton's Jake Julien leads the CFL with a 52.5-yard punt average.
- BC has won the previous seven matchups.
- Alexander Hollins leads the league with 402 receiving yards and he is tied for the most receptions (23). His 215 in Week 3 was the 13th most by a Lion in the past 70 seasons.
- Ben Hladik (25) and Josh Woods (24) sit atop the league in defensive tackles.
- Sean Whyte has been successful on his last 25 field goal attempts.
MTL at TOR
- 10 of the teams’ past 13 regular season meetings have been decided in the final three minutes.
- Montreal has opened the scoring in each of their games.
- The Alouettes are looking to start 4-0 for the first time since 2009.
- Cody Fajardo is in search of his 40th career victory (39-24). He is 3-4 vs. Toronto.
- Delta, B.C., native Tyson Philpot is tied for the league lead in receptions (23) and touchdowns catches (three), and he is second in receiving yards (340).
- Fajardo and Toronto’s Cameron Dukes have a combined 12 TD passes to one interception.
- In 2023, Toronto swept the season series 3-0.
- Dukes has an 81.3 completion percentage this season and an efficiency rating of 145.8.
- Last week, Ka’Deem Carey recorded his first 100+ yard game as an Argo; it was the seventh of his career. In two games, he has 226 yards from scrimmage.
WPG at CGY
- 11 of the teams’ past 13 regular season meetings have been decided in the final three minutes.
- Winnipeg has won six straight against Calgary.
- The Bombers have had the fewest penalties (5.7 per game).
- Winnipeg has not started 0-4 since 2012.
- Adam Bighill needs two more defensive tackles to reach 900 in his career.
- Calgary’s René Paredes (553) is currently tied with Sean Fleming for seventh all-time in made field goals.
HAM at OTT
- Last week, Hamilton’s Bo Levi Mitchell became the 13th player to reach 200 career touchdown passes. Dieter Brock sits 12th with 210.
- Mitchell (34,547) needs 259 passing yards to surpass Michael Reilly (34,805) for 14th all-time. He needs 284 to pass Dieter Brock (34,840) for 13th.
- Seven-year veteran Richard Leonard is slated to play in his 100th game this week.
- In his first CFL season, Shermar Bridges leads Hamilton with 22 catches and 270 receiving yards.
- Ottawa’s DeVonte Dedmon recorded the first kick-return TD of 2024 last week – a 101-yard kickoff return. He is the fastest player in CFL history (26 games) to reach six career kick-return majors (three punt and three kickoffs).
- Justin Hardy leads the league in average yards per catch (18.1).
Lucas Barrett
Associate Vice-President, Communications & Public Affairs, Canadian Football League