CFL.ca Game Notes: Close games to continue in Week 3?

CFL.ca Staff

TORONTO — It’s fair to say that very few sports leagues around the world provide the level of excitement that the CFL is capable of, with seven of the first eight games of the season decided in the final three minutes.

Week 3 features four more enticing matchups that could go down to the wire. First we have the current champions Montreal Alouettes opening their home slate against a new-look Ottawa REDBLACKS that started their season with a win. It’ll be Dru Brown’s first game against an East Division opponent, while veteran Cody Fajardo sports a 6-1 record against the REDBLACKS.

Friday features the two teams that have finished atop the West over the past two seasons in the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and BC Lions. This time they meet with a combined 1-3 record and want to avoid an early hole in the West Division standings.

The weekend starts with familiar faces meeting at BMO Field when the Edmonton Elks face the Toronto Argonauts. Quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson and receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr. are just two of seven Elks who were part of the 109th Grey Cup with the Double Blue. Toronto is coming off a bye and is hoping to replicate an offensive explosion led by pivot Cameron Dukes in Week 1.

The final game of the week features a red-hot Saskatchewan Roughriders going against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in a rematch of Week 2. The Riders took down the Tabbies 33-30 in one of the most exciting games of the season so far. Quarterbacks Trevor Harris and Bo Levi Mitchell combined for 770 yards and five touchdowns. How many yards will they throw for this time?

BACK ON THE BOAT

On Saturday, seven Elks who were part of the 109th Grey Cup champion Argonauts will return to Toronto. Their times with the team range from 25 to 74 games and several still hold Argos records.
- RB/RET Javon Leake (25 games)
  - Tied first: Punt return TDs in a season (four)
- DL Sam Acheampong (31)
- DB Josh Hagerty (31)
- OL Shane Richards (42)
- K/P Boris Bede (48)
  - 8 points (455)
  - 1 field goal percentage (85 per cent)
- WR Kurleigh Gittens Jr. (54)
- QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson (74)
  - 4 passing (13,261 yards)
  - 5 TD passes (70)

KEEP IT TWO HUNDRED

Hamilton’s Bo Levi Mitchell (198) needs two touchdown passes to reach 200 in his career.
He is currently tied with Kent Austin for 13th on the all-time list.
Dieter Brock (210) is No. 12.
Mitchell needs to reach 259 to tie Danny McManus for No. 10.
His 380 passing yards last week was his highest total since a 464-yard showing against Montreal in 2019.
Mitchell has thrown for 300 and 380 yards this season. He has not tallied three 300+ yard games in one season since 2019.

QUICK SLANTS

League-wide

7-of-8 games decided in the final three minutes and have featured comebacks
- Three teams trailing after three quarters have gone on to win
- Three teams have overcome 13+ point deficits to win
Current passer rating (103.3) would be the highest in league history (record: 98.3 in 2016)
QBs’ TD to INT ratio sits at 27:13
107 first-year players
Five of the Top-9 receivers are Canadian with BC’s Justin McInnis (194) at No. 1
Through two weeks in 2023, offences had scored 30 touchdowns. They have scored 40 this year.

Game Notes
Ottawa at Montreal	Download PDF
BC at Winnipeg	Download PDF
Edmonton at Toronto	Download PDF
Hamilton at Saskatchewan	Download PDF

OTT at MTL

Ottawa’s Dru Brown has never started against an East Division team.
RB Ryquell Armstead led all rushers in Week 2 with 95 yards.
Montreal holds a 16-14 edge in the all-time series, having won the past five matchups.
Cody Fajardo is a career 6-1 against Ottawa. Overall, he has won his last seven regular-season starts.

BC at WPG

Through two weeks, Vernon Adams Jr. leads the CFL in completions (nine) and attempts (20) of 20+ yard passes
Ben Hladik is first in defensive plays (22) and defensive tackles (20).
The Bombers have won eight of the past 10 matchups. They split the season series in 2023 with BC prevailing in Winnipeg.
Winnipeg was last two-games under .500 on July 28, 2016 at 2-4. They last started 0-3 in 2012.
As a Bomber, Zach Collaros is 6-1 against BC.
In 183 regular season games, Adam Bighill has 895 defensive tackles. He sits sixth all-time behind Barrin Simpson (955) at No. 5.

EDM at TOR

Edmonton leads the teams’ all-time series 54-47-1, but Toronto has taken the past three matchups.
McLeod Bethel Thompson has started the season with back-to-back 300+ passing yard games.
Kurleigh Gittens Jr. leads the Elks with 21 targets (No. 2 in the CFL) through two games. He had 52 last season.
The game will feature the CFL’s two active receiving leaders: Toronto’s DaVaris Daniels (5,606) and Eugene Lewis (5,330).
Toronto has won ten straight regular-season games at BMO field.
Toronto is coming off a bye. They have won five straight games on a week’s rest.

HAM at SSK

Through two games, Hamilton has allowed one sack.
Hamilton’s Bo Levi Mitchell is a career 12-4 against the Roughriders.
WR Kiondre Smith from Markham, Ont., had a league-high 119 receiving yards in Week 2, along with six catches and one touchdown
Saskatchewan’s Rolan Milligan Jr. is second in the CFL in total tackles (18) and tied for first with five special teams tackles. He also has three pass knockdowns.
Trevor Harris has opened the season with his career 44th and 45th 300+ passing yard games.
WR Jarreth Sterns sits second in the CFL in receiving yards (193) on 18 targets.

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