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Game Notes September 28, 2021

CFL.ca Game Notes: A look at Week 9

The Canadian Press

TORONTO — Week 9 kicks off on Tuesday as the Edmonton Elks visit the Ottawa REDBLACKS in the nation’s capital.

Friday Night Football features the Winnipeg Blue Bombers paying a visit to the BC Lions followed by a Saturday doubleheader that starts in Hamilton as the Tiger-Cats host the Montreal Alouettes.

And the final game of the week features a matchup between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Calgary Stampeders.

ACTIVE TACKLE LEADERS

  • Two active players are in the Top-21 in all-time tackles: Adam Bighill (714) is 10th and Simoni Lawrence (586) sits 21st – one tackle behind Dante Marsh for 20th.
  • Bighill needs nine tackles to surpass Kevin Eiben (722) for 9th.
  • At Lawrence’s current pace, he could reach as high as 17th on the list, passing his head coach, Orlondo Steinauer (18th – 604).
  • With 14 tackles, Lawrence would become the 20th player to reach the 600-mark.
  • Other players outside the Top-21 who are active include Toronto’s Charleston Hughes (512) and Henoc Muamba (508).

MIDWAY PROJECTIONS
*14-game season

  • BC’s Michael Reilly is on pace to throw for 3,720 yards.
  • Montreal’s William Stanback is on pace to rush for 1,442 yards. At his current pace, he would accumulate the most rushing yards in a season since 2013 when Jon Cornish ran for 1,813.
  • Despite the shortened season, Vernon Adams Jr. is on pace for 26 touchdown passes, which would surpass his personal best of 24 set in 2019.
  • On pace to eclipse 1K:
  • Ottawa’s Avery Williams is on pace for 112 tackles; his previous high was 69. His average of eight tackles per game is the same as Solomon Elimimian’s CFL record-setting performance in 2017 (144 in 18 games)
  • In his rookie season, Canadian Jordan Williams of the Lions is on pace for 98 tackles.
  • Saskatchewan’s Jonathan Woodard is on pace for 14 sacks.
  • Winnipeg’s Mike Miller is on pace to record a personal best with 30 special teams tackles. Dave Sapunjis set the record with 33 in 1991.

FIELD POSITION VS. TOUCHDOWN PERCENTAGE

QUICK SLANTS:

  • Ottawa’s Devonte Dedmon has 3 kick return TDs in 10 career CFL games after returning a punt 63 yards against Hamilton last week. The fastest to three career kick return touchdowns was Keith Stokes, who managed the feat in his first six games in 2002.
  • Taylor Cornelius began slowly in his first career CFL start with 3 straight incompletions. From there, he went 8-of-9 to finish the 1st half, before going 19-of-33 for 243 yards overall. He was especially impressive in mid-range (10-19-yard) passes, going 7-for-11 for 122 yards.
  • Since 2014, Edmonton is 8-5 following a bye week. Teams coming off a bye this year are 3-4.
  • Edmonton’s Greg Ellingson will be looking to extend his streak of games with a reception to 67 on Tuesday night, while matched up against his former team, the Ottawa REDBLACKS.
  • Last week, Saskatchewan scored on its long touchdown drive and on the ensuing kickoff by recovering a fumble and returning it. It was the two fastest touchdowns scored by the same team in league history.
  • Three teams remain undefeated at home this year:
    • Winnipeg (4-0)
    • Toronto (3-0)
    • Hamilton (2-0).
  • The last time Toronto started 4-0 at home was in 1997 – they went on to win the 85th Grey Cup that season.
  • Calgary and Saskatchewan have split their last six meetings. Calgary swept the series in 2019. Before these past six games, Calgary won 10-in-a-row and 17-of-19 since 2010.
  • Bo Levi Mitchell has a record of 9-3 against Saskatchewan, however, he only has two 300+ yard passing games against the Roughriders – his fewest against any opponent.
  • Ottawa’s Antoine Pruneau will be playing in his 100th game on Tuesday. He has played his entire career with the REDBLACKS.
  • Edmonton is the only undefeated road team this year at 2-0.
  • Following Toronto’s 30-27 victory over Montreal last week, each of Toronto’s victories has been decided in the final three minutes. They are 4-0 in those games.
  • When Saskatchewan is leading after three quarters of play this season, they are 5-0.
  • Including this year, the Ticats are 9-3 in their last 12 games against Montreal.
  • Winnipeg is the only team in the league that has a winning record when trailing after the first half, going 2-1 in those games.
  • Winnipeg has only allowed six points in the fourth quarter this year.
  • There have been 29 challenges this season with 14 (48 per cent) being successful.
    • Offensive teams: 16 times resulting in five successful challenges (31 per cent)
    • Defensive teams: 13 times resulting in nine successful challenges (69 per cent)
  • Winnipeg has 10 touchdowns in 15 red zone opportunities for a 66.7 per cent success rate – tops in the league.  Calgary is second at 10-for-19 (52.6 per cent)
  • Scoring by quarter this season:
    • 1st Quarter | 266 points | 20 per cent of scoring
    • 2nd quarter | 415 points | 32 per cent
    • 3rd quarter | 229 points | 18 per cent
    • 4th quarter | 388 points | 30 per cent
  • Alouettes running back, William Stanback, rushed for 133 yards against Toronto for his third consecutive game surpassing the 100-yard mark and his fourth this season.
  • Record When:
    • Teams with better field position are 24-6
    • Teams making fewer turnovers are 26-4
    • Teams taking fewer penalties are 22-7
    • Teams that make a big play long gainer on a drive have scored 55 per cent of the time; when they don’t, teams only score on 7 per cent of drives.
    • When teams draw a defensive penalty, they get scored upon 32 per cent of the time. When they don’t, it drops to just 9 per cent.
    • Only three teams have scored a touchdown when they have allowed a sack (3-of-121 drives).
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