CFL Pick ‘Em Marquee Matchup: The battle of high-flying offences
Jimmy Jeong/CFL.ca
WINNIPEG — If you’re looking for offence, you’re going to want to tune into the first game of Week 3 in the CFL.
The league’s two highest-scoring offences will be going head-to-head on Thursday night as each try to remain the final undefeated team in the West Division.
Zach Collaros and his Blue Bombers hope to keep their point frenzy alive (they’ve scored 40+ in both games to start the season) but after holding the Elks to a score of zero last week, the Lions defence will hope that trend ends.
The Bombers lead the league in offensive touchdowns (nine), while BC is right behind with four. The teams are neck and neck in net offence, with Winnipeg sitting at No.1 with 437 yards per game while the Lions are at 426.
It’ll also be a battle of the top two pivots in the Canadian Football League. Collaros leads the league in passing yards (647) and Vernon Adams Jr. is just behind with 624. Collaros also leads the CFL in touchdowns thrown (five) and has yet to toss an interception, while VA has the highest completion percentage (74.6).
The league’s top rusher will also be featured in this game, as Taquan Mizzell Sr. (174 yards) continues to assert his dominance on the ground for the Leos. Brady Oliveira, the second-leading rusher, was listed as doubtful for the contest on the team’s injury report. Lions leading receiver Dominique Rhymes will miss the contest but the team will welcome back Lucky Whitehead into the lineup.
Who stays undefeated and who takes their first L of the season?
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Game Notes:
- Week 3 opens with a rematch of last year’s Western Final with the BC Lions visiting the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
- The winner will have a record of 3-0 and become the last undefeated team in the West.
- For the first time ever, Winnipeg has scored 40+ points in its first two games of the season.
- BC leads the CFL having only allowed 7.5 points per game.
- The game features:
- The two highest scoring offences.
- The Top-2 passing leaders (BC’s Vernon Adams Jr. and Winnipeg’s Zach Collaros are averaging 300+ passing yards this season).
- The Top-2 rushers (BC’s Taquan Mizzell Sr. and Winnipeg’s Brady Oliveira).
- The Top-2 in net offence.
- BC’s Mathieu Betts and Winnipeg’s Celestin Haba are looking for their third straight games with a sack. They sit one back of Ottawa’s Douglas Coleman who leads the league with three.
- The Bombers’ Dalton Schoen and Calgary’s Reggie Begelton are tied for the most targets this season (21). Schoen leads the league in receiving yards (205) and Begelton is second (182).
- Nic Demski is five receptions from 300 in his career.
- Zach Collaros (24,994) needs six more passing yards for 25,000 in his career. Thursday’s start will be the 100th of his career (63-36). He is 29-4 as a Blue Bomber.
It’s anyone’s guess as to who will take this one in this week’s Pick ‘Em Marquee Matchup. Who are you siding with?
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