Around the CFL -

You know what can happen this year? A first ever East-to-West crossover. Montreal sits in a position right now to cross over and get the West's 3rd playoff spot position. Since 1996, the first year, the West has "crossed over" 8 times, but never the East.

- In inter-divisional play, the East leads 15 wins to 9.

- For the 1st time in the CFL, the Labour Day games will feature a pair of battles for 1st place in both divisions - Toronto @ Hamilton and Edmonton @ Calgary.

- No first year player is even close to Derel Walker's 3 game total of 31 catches for 472 yards. Only one player (vet) has as many yards in the first 3 games of any season - the Bombers Alfred Jackson -1994.

- Walker's pace could net him 1888 yards. The first year record is 1530 yards by Matt Clark. Walker would have to average 118 yards per game to match this. This seems unlikely to me.

- Games continue to have more points than last year's 45.5 per game. This year is at 49.9. I want to mention that the Bombers are at least a little bit responsible for this - unfortunately, at the receiving end.

- Defensive TDs are at a record pace - 22 in 40 games. Could beat the record of 43 in 2004 by 2 (45)

- third down gambles' success rate have dropped from an 84% in 2013 to 67% this year so far.

- kickers have now made 85.9% of their attempts of 1 pt. converts, compared to 99.4% last year.

- the year-to-date average of penalties per game fell for the 8th straight week.

- there were 18 close games last year (within 1-4 points) There are already 18 close games this year - out of 40. Sask is within 3 of the Bombers record of 9 in 2010.

- Close games? 63% (25 of 40) have not been settled until the final 3:00 - compared to 47% in 2014.

a night where 114 yards and 2 ints wasn't the worst quarterbacking on the field.... that's like watching Marve last game but the other qb be worse! how is that possible?

lol, I fell asleep before it ended, just brutal but that is why these guys are backups. BC played a good road game, limited their mistakes and scored on Montreals.

you know what came into my head when I watched this game: The Blue Bombers aren't totally screwed. They still have a chance.

 

 Montreal's defensive backfield had some familiar names on the jerseys. 

 

I saw Bighill fall down on a running play when the runner gave a little deke. Before I saw the name I said to my wife "that guy is going to have a hard time sticking on the team playing like that." Just wow. He spun around, did a curtsy and sat down.  

 

There are a lot of bad teams out there this year. 

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you know what came into my head when I watched this game: The Blue Bombers aren't totally screwed. They still have a chance.

 

 Montreal's defensive backfield had some familiar names on the jerseys. 

 

I saw Bighill fall down on a running play when the runner gave a little deke. Before I saw the name I said to my wife "that guy is going to have a hard time sticking on the team playing like that." Just wow. He spun around, did a curtsy and sat down.  

 

There are a lot of bad teams out there this year. 

Funny, Elemimian and Bighill have looked very ordinary this year. The premier teams seem to be Toronto, Calgary and Edmonton, and at the other end of the scale are the Riders. Everyone else is strung out between- mediocre on good days.

Mid up the dle

 

Edmonton at Calgary:

 

Calgary and Edmonton meet on Labour Day for the 34th year in a row and the 45th time in the last 47 years (only the 1973 and 1981 CFL schedules did not have this classic holiday matchup). Since 1949 they have played on Labour Day Weekend 54 times with Edmonton winning 29 of them, Calgary 23, and one tie.

- Grant Shaw out (injured)- Sean Whyte in.

- There was still no sign of recently acquired American OL Brian Simmons (for the conditional Winnipeg 7th round pick), who is expected to arrive on Saturday ... Canadian DT Eddie Steele continued to work at right guard with the first-team offensive line for the second day in a row Friday.

- Dan Federkeil (Stamps) said he'd sit down and view the practice film to evaluate his mobility before making a final decision, with the Coach, about Monday's tilt.

- The Stamps have signed 36 year old Ken-Yon Rambo to a contract. A one day pact…to enable him to retire a Stampeder.

- The Esks will also have this added motivation: they haven’t beaten the Stamps in 11 games (10 regular season, one playoff) since Nov. 13, 2011. That’s four years of futility against one opponent.

- James Franklin will start on Labour Day against the Calgary Stampeders and will likely get another start a week Saturday in the Canadian Football League rematch in Edmonton while veteran QB Mike Reilly gets up to game speed. Mr. Reilly moved well in his first full day of practice since blowing out his left knee in the season opener at the end of June and got a fairly even share of the repetitions with his substitute, Mr. Franklin.

 

 

 

Toronto at Hamilton:

 

- Hamilton and Toronto at 6-3 will face off for first and with a win the Tiger-Cats would capture the season series. They start a set of back-to-back games this week, their first since October 2013 when Hamilton swept the pair of contests. It will be their 45th Labour Day Weekend meeting since 1950.  The rematch is next Friday night in Toronto, but so much will be based on what plays out on Labour Day. A win by Hamilton gives the Ticats the season-series edge in the event of a tiebreaker. A win by Toronto sets the stage for the tiebreaking differential.

- will Hamilton try an onside kick again?

- look for Cha Owens to play on Monday.

- same with starting L. tackle Bruce Campbell.

- R.Ray is back practising.(third-teamer)

 

Coaching Changes: In their first game replacement coaches have gone 26-31 (.456). This week’s change by Saskatchewan is the 9th in-season head coaching change in the CFL since 2006 and the first with more than one in a year since 2008. 

First Career Game Coaches: For the 30 coaches (like Bob Dyce) who took over with it being their first game as lead man their record has been just 9-21. No first-time head coach has won taking over in mid-season since Don Sutherin in 1994.

Roughriders: Are making their 5th mid-season change since 1956. They have won their next game after the coaching change on 3 out of the previous 4 occasions (2011, 1991 & 1978). It is the first time they have installed a first-time coach since 1983. In the previous four years after their changes the Roughriders have gone – 1978: 4-5-1, 1983: 4-6, 1991: 5-6 & 2011: 4-6.

 

And goodbye $1.5 million after the dismissal of both GM and Coach.

 

Player Highlights

- Eric Rogers: 9 receiving TDs in his first 11 career games - #2 all-time behind Curtis Mayfield’s 12 in 1994.
- Boris Bede: Has made 22 of his first 24 career FG attempts thus far to lead the CFL.
- Paul McCallum: Capped an incredible streak of consecutive converts made at 802 missing only from the new 32-yard distance.
- Andrew Harris: Leading the CFL in rushing and yards from scrimmage despite playing only 8 games thus far before last night.
- Trevor Harris: A 6-3 mark for Toronto and the highest passer rating in the CFL at 112.7; he leads with a 74.4% completion rate.
- Zach Collaros: #1 among QBs in Net offence, TD% and Points per drive led.
- Emmanuel Davis: Three interception returns for a TD and 153 return yards in total.
- Henry Burris: On pace for 5,008 passing yards and now ranks #5 in all-time QB wins as a starter leading Ottawa to a 5-4 record.
- Adam Bighill & Deon Lacey: Lead the CFL in tackles with 61 defensive and 12 special teams stops respectively before last night.
- Kendial Lawrence: #1 in combined yards with 1,446 and on pace for almost 3,000 yards in 2015.
- Rakeem Cato: Stepped in for an injured Jonathan Crompton and as a rookie has led Montreal to a 4-4 mark in 8 starts.

Special Teams Units Overall: Eight blocked kicks in 40 games.

 

 

you know what came into my head when I watched this game: The Blue Bombers aren't totally screwed. They still have a chance.

 

 Montreal's defensive backfield had some familiar names on the jerseys. 

 

I saw Bighill fall down on a running play when the runner gave a little deke. Before I saw the name I said to my wife "that guy is going to have a hard time sticking on the team playing like that." Just wow. He spun around, did a curtsy and sat down.  

 

There are a lot of bad teams out there this year.

Funny, Elemimian and Bighill have looked very ordinary this year. The premier teams seem to be Toronto, Calgary and Edmonton, and at the other end of the scale are the Riders. Everyone else is strung out between- mediocre on good days.

 

Elemimian is hurt and Bighill shares the lead league in tackles...what games have you been watching?