Week 4 in the CFL

June 27, 2024

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Stats and storylines heading into this week’s action

WEEK 3 IN HINDSIGHT

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

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 13^th 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 40^th 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 13^th player to reach 200 career touchdown passes. Dieter Brock sits 12^th with 210.
Mitchell (34,547) needs 259 passing yards to surpass Michael Reilly (34,805) for 14^th all-time. He needs 284 to pass Dieter Brock (34,840) for 13^th.
Seven-year veteran Richard Leonard is slated to play in his 100^th 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).