3 stats that may loom large on Thanksgiving Weekend presented by Purolator

TORONTO — There is plenty in play as teams take the field for Thanksgiving Weekend presented by Purolator.

We already know which teams will represent the West Division in the post-season, but where those games will be played is yet to be decided.

The red-hot Winnipeg Blue Bombers could solve one part of the equation by winning against the Toronto Argonauts on Friday Night Football and clinching the division title.

BC Lions and Saskatchewan Roughriders meanwhile battle for second place on Saturday, with a BC win pushing things to the final two weeks of the regular season.

Meanwhile over at the East Division the Argos are trying to stay ahead of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and catch the Ottawa REDBLACKS, who’ll face the East Division champs Montreal Alouettes.

What will be the deciding factor this week? CFL.ca brings you three stats that may loom large on Thanksgiving weekend.

THANKSGIVING WEEKEND PRESENTED BY PUROLATOR
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8 – STRAIGHT WINS BY WINNIPEG

Last year it was the Montreal Alouettes who went on a run that culminated in the 110th Grey Cup title. The Blue Bombers haven’t lost since Week 8 exactly against the Toronto Argonauts, their opponent on Thanksgiving Weekend.

The Bombers could clinch the West Division with a win on Friday Night Football, while the Argonauts are trying to catch up to the Ottawa REDBLACKS in the East Division and simultaneously fend off the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for the final playoff spot in play.

91.2 – PASSING GRADE BY TREVOR HARRIS

Harris leads all quarterbacks in passing grade (91.2) as the driving force behind the Roughriders offence. Saskathewan is also back in the post-season due to an explosive offence and a ball-hawking defence that has kept them in contention for the West Division all season.

The pivot has averaged 315 passing yards and two touchdowns over his last five starts and lacks no targets in the passing game with Samuel Emilus, Kian Schaffer-Baker and the emergence of KeeSean Johnson.

The other sideline will feature Nathan Rourke and the BC Lions who have struggled to produce on offence over the second half of the season. The Leos took down the Stampeders in Week 18 without scoring a single offensive touchdown, but if Harris performs like he has all season, BC will have to be dialed up on offence to match up the Green and White’s offence.

1,241 – RECEIVING YARDS BY JUSTIN HARDY

Justin Hardy ranks second in receiving yards (1,241) and first in receptions (90) after 18 weeks. He is 231 yards shy of Gerald Alphin’s team record (1,471) set in 1989. An Ottawa player has not led the league in receiving yards since Tony Gabriel managed the feat in 1977.

His challenge on Thanksgiving Monday will be to put up yards against a Montreal pass-defence that is second in passing yards allowed per game (257.3).

The REDBLACKS punched their ticket to the post-season without playing in Week 18 after the Ticats dropped their game against the Bombers, but will look to secure a home game by fending off the Argos in the East Division. The Als meanwhile have secured the East Division title but head coach Jason Maas has already said there’s no such thing as a meaningless game for his team.