Steven Chang/BCLions.com
TORONTO — Usual suspects were at it again in Week 7 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers passing offence and BC Lions defence earning high grades once more in their winning efforts.
The REDBLACKS offence is starting to come alive under Dustin Crum and once again has been highlighted here after the rookie led his team to a second consecutive win. Finally, the defending champions Toronto Argonauts continued their undefeated streak in 2023 and earned solid grades on both sides of the ball.
These grades and more you can find here on our weekly Team Grades Powered By PFF for Week 7:
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PFF utilizes extensive review of game footage to provide additional context for every action on the field. Highly-trained PFF staff break down every game, player and play to provide over 200 unique data points, which are used to compile Player Grades – a numerical representation up-to-100 of performance at their specific position.
For more information on PFF, Player Grades, the Grading Scale and more, please visit pff.com/grades.
*All player grades required a minimum of 15 snaps played in Week 7 of 2023
Winnipeg Blue Bombers (79.8 offensive grade, 72.4 defensive grade)
Key area: 86.1 passing grade
We talked last week about how the Bombers had an uncharacteristic performance offensively and they reminded us why in Week 8. Winnipeg once again led the league in passing grade and had two big-time throws and zero turnover-worthy plays while also netting an 87.0 adjusted completion percentage according to PFF.
Zach Collaros and co. did so by pushing the ball down the field with an average depth of target of 13.1, highest mark of the week across the league.
Edmonton Elks (68.4 offensive grade, 59.5 defensive grade)
Key area: 70.7 run blocking grade
Edmonton is still searching for their first win of 2023, but there were some positives to draw from the game against the Blue Bombers in Week 8. One of them is the play of the offensive line opening up holes for the running game.
Quarterback Taylor Cornelius finished with 57 yards on the ground in only four carries and running back Kevin Brown added 51 more on 11 carries for a 7.2 average for Edmonton.
Toronto Argonauts (64.4 offensive grade, 68.5 defensive grades)
Key area: 68.8 coverage grade
Toronto had solid grades all around, especially on defence. The Argos secondary kept Hamilton to only 10.3 yards per reception, second-best in Week 8 while also forcing an interception on quarterback Taylor Powell.
Defensive back Royce Metchie finished with a 78.6 individual coverage grade after allowing only six yards over two targets.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats (57.9 offensive grade, 75.3 defensive grade)
Key area: 82.8 run defence grade
The Ticats earned a good grade for their run defence against a fierce Argonauts’ rushing attack. The grade is a product of a defence that finished with 10 stops* on the ground, stopping Toronto from moving the ball through their running backs for most of the game.
Hamilton also finished with four tackles for loss or no gain, second best mark of Week 8.
*Solo tackle or sack that leads to an offensive failure
BC Lions (67.5 offensive grade, 83.4 defensive grade)
Key area: 78.5 pass defence grade
BC’s defence dominated on the ground against the Roughriders in Week 8. Star running back Jamal Morrow could not find any gaps against a defensive line that allowed only 16 rushing yards.
The Lions had 11 stops on the ground and six tackles for loss or no gain against Saskatchewan’s runners, stopping them in the backfield before they could get anything going. They were led by linebacker Ben Hladik with the second-best individual run-defence grade of Week 8 with 80.8.
Saskatchewan Roughriders (58.3 offensive grade, 68.9 defensive grade)
Key area: 19 stops*
Saskatchewan was able to keep the game close despite not finding a lot of room to operate on offence. A reason for that was a defence that was second in the league in stops in Week 8, with 19.
Defensive linemen DeMarcus Christmas and Micah Johnson combined for six stops as the Lions struggled to get anything going on the ground with only 34 yards over 13 carries.
*Solo tackle or sack that leads to an offensive failure
Ottawa REDBLACKS (73.3 offensive grade, 74.4 defensive grade)
Key area: 82.2 passing grade
Quarterback Dustin Crum continues to impress after taking over for the REDBLACKS. A Crum-led offence finished with the second highest passing grade of Week 8 in the win against the Stampeders.
PFF marked Ottawa with an adjusted completion percentage – accounting for dropped passes and throwaways – of 92.6 per cent, best mark of the week.
Calgary Stampeders (69.0 offensive grade, 63.8 defensive grade)
Key area: 74.9 pass rushing grade
Calgary’s defence pressured Crum all game, tallying five sacks, four hits and 15 hurries in total. The Stamps defensive line had second-best pressure percentage of Week 8 with a 39.0 mark.
Linebacker Cameron Judge and Defensive lineman Mike Rose finished with the top-2 individual pass rushing grades of the week with 90.0 and 80.1 respectively and combined for two sacks, a hit and four hurries on Saturday.
| TEAM | OFFENSIVE GRADE* | DEFENSIVE GRADE* | OVERALL OFFENSIVE GRADE** | OVERALL DEFENSIVE GRADE** |
| Toronto Argonauts | 64.4 | 68.5 | 80.1 | 82.1 |
| BC Lions | 67.5 | 83.4 | 77.4 | 90.1 |
| Montreal Alouettes | Bye | Bye | 70.8 | 78.1 |
| Saskatchewan Roughriders | 58.3 | 68.9 | 67.4 | 84.8 |
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 79.8 | 72.4 | 81.5 | 80.3 |
| Calgary Stampeders | 69.0 | 63.8 | 68.4 | 80.6 |
| Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 57.9 | 75.3 | 65.3 | 73.3 |
| Ottawa REDBLACKS | 73.3 | 74.4 | 65.5 | 84.3 |
| Edmonton Elks | 68.4 | 59.5 | 61.4 | 56.2 |
*Grades based on team-performance in Week 7 of 2023
**Cumulative grades based on team-performance in Weeks 1-7 of 2023
