Week 7 in the CFL

July 18, 2024

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Stats and storylines heading into this week’s action

CATCHING HISTORY

Through six games, Justin McInnis leads the league in targets (61) receptions (45) and receiving yards (725), and he is tied for first in touchdown receptions (five).
His pace of 2,175 receiving yards would surpass Allen Pitts (1994) for the best season in CFL history.
McInnis’s 243 receiving yards last week was the most since Kamar Jorden’s 249 in 2018. The Canadian single-game receiving yard record is 258 (Bob Simpson in 1956).
McInnis was 14-for-14 on targets last week. The single-game receptions record by a Canadian is 15 (Andy Fantuz in 2016).
McInnis and Tyson Philpot are eyeing Brad Sinopoli’s 2018 record for receptions by a Canadian (116). They are on pace for 135 and 132 catches, respectively.
They are also on pace to surpass Terry Evanshen’s 1967 record for receiving yards by a Canadian (1,662) – McInnis with 2,175 and Philpot with 1,806.

KICKING IT INTO HIGH GEAR

Kickers are 128-for-142 (90.1 per cent) on field goal attempts.
- <49 yards | 88-of-92 | 95.7 per cent
- 40+ yards | 40-of-50 | 80.0 per cent
- 50+ yards | 12-of-14 | 85.7 per cent
Two kickers are perfect this season – Sean Whyte (21-of-21) and René Paredes (16-of-16). Three additional players have a 90+ per cent success rate – Lewis Ward (94.4), Lirim Hajrullahu (93.3) and Marc Liegghio (91.7).
The best league-wide success rate was 88.3 per cent in 2018.
Whyte’s active 39 consecutive field goals is the second longest streak in league history behind Ward (69). His seven field goals in Week 6 tied Lui Passaglia (1985 and 1998) for second most in a game. The record is eight held by four players.
Sergio Castillo is on pace for 12 made field goals from 50+ yards. The record of eight is held by three players.

QUICK SLANTS

League-wide

Last week’s 259 points (64.8 points per game) was the highest total since Week 6 of 2017 (270 points and 67.6 ppg).
Ten games have been decided by four points or less; there were 19 last season.
From 2021-23, three players recorded 200+ receiving yard games. Three have reached the feat this season: Alexander Hollins (215), Ontaria Wilson (201) and Justin McInnis (243).
Of the 145 passes that have been thrown in the red zone, 40 have been caught for touchdowns and two have been intercepted.

EDM at OTT

Edmonton leads the all-time series 48-29-2.
Edmonton’s average margin of defeat this season is four points. All five of their games have been decided in the final three minutes, including the past three by walk-off field goals.
Nyles Morgan is two shy of 250 career defensive tackles.
Ottawa’s Dru Brown threw a career-high 480 yards in Week 6. It was his first career game with 400+ and his third with 300+.
Ottawa had three players with 100+ receiving yards last week: Kalil Pimpleton (153), Dominique Rhymes (131) and Justin Hardy (110). Hamilton was the last team to accomplish the feat in 2019.
Pimpleton’s 153-receiving yard debut was the most from a first-year player since Manny Arceneaux’s 158 in 2009.
Hardy has three 100+ receiving yard performances in five games. He had two in 18 games last season and none prior.

WPG at SSK

Winnipeg’s next victory will be Mike O’Shea 99^th as a head coach, tying Cal Murphy for 11^th all-time.
Zach Collaros (29,739) needs 261 passing yards to become the 20^th player to reach the 30,000 mark.
Adam Bighill’s next sack will be the 50^th of his career. He would join Willie Pless and Charleston Hughes as the only players with 500+ tackles and 50 sacks.
Brady Oliveira has recorded back-to-back 100+ rushing yard games in the regular season for the first time in his career.
Saskatchewan’s Rolan Milligan Jr. tops the CFL in defensive takeaways with his league-leading four interceptions. He is second in defensive plays (42) and he is tied for first in special teams tackles (nine).

TOR at HAM

Ryan Dinwiddie is 39-16 (.709). A win this week would make him the fifth-fastest to the 40-win mark.
Toronto has won six straight in the series. The Ticats’ last victory came on August 12, 2022.
Wynton McManis is two shy of 250 career defensive tackles.
Janarion Grant has two kick-return touchdowns (1 KO, 1 PR). Grant, Bashir Livingston and Henry Williams are the only players with at least one punt return touchdown in five straight years.
In his past two games, Hamilton’s Bo Levi Mitchell has 696 passing yards, five touchdown passes and zero interceptions.
Hamilton tops the CFL in pass knockdowns (21). Stavros Katsantonis is tied for the league-lead with five.
Shemar Bridges is on pace for 122 catches, which would break Derel Walker’s first-year record of 89 in 2015. His pace of 1,426 receiving yards would be the fourth most by a first-year player.

BC at CGY

BC has won the past four meetings at McMahon Stadium with each game being decided in the final three minutes. Calgary’s last home win against BC came on June 29, 2019.
Entering this year, Justin McInnis’s career-best 2023 season included 46 catches for 690 yards and four touchdowns in 18 games. Through six games, he has 45 receptions for 725 yards and five majors.
Ben Hladik is two defensive tackles shy of 200 in his career.
Josh Archibald is tied for the league lead with four sacks.
Vernon Adams Jr. is slated to play in his 100^th CFL game this week (58 starts).
At halftime, Wally Buono will become the 50^th member of the Calgary Stampeders Wall of Fame. Under his leadership, the team finished first eight times and played in six championships, winning three. He holds the franchise records for games coached (234), victories (153), playoff victories (12) and championships (three).
The Stampeders lead the league with six sacks allowed, with one in their past three games.
At this time last year, Calgary was last in the league in time of possession (27:35). This season, they are first (31:48). No other team averages more than 30 minutes.