- Last week, all four winning clubs outrushed their opponents, took fewer penalties, had more Time of Possession, ran more plays from scrimmage, were more successful in 2nd-&-long (combined 41% conversion rate versus 28% by the opposition), and held an edge in starting field position.

- The Tiger-Cats loss of Zach Collaros raised the count to 7 out of 9 clubs now having lost their #1 QB starter at some point this season. Only Ottawa and Calgary, a combined 17-8, have not lost their #1 quarterback for at least one game this season. Since 2012, only six times has any club had the same QB start all 18 games (out of 34 team seasons) – and Henry Burris has four of those having now made 66 straight starts (the others are Mike Reilly in 2013 and Bo Levi Mitchell in 2015).

- Week 14 contests averaged 53.8 points per game, the third consecutive week that scoring has increased over the previous 4-game set, and ended up as the fourth-highest of the season. Scoring was consistent across all four games and none had any less than 48 points for the first time in any week of the 2015 season. Net offence average 334 yards per team, the best average in the past six weeks of play.

- Last week’s games averaged 23.5 penalties reducing the season average to 24.4 per game, the lowest it has been all year. Over the last 11 CFL games, penalty totals have averaged only 22 per game.

- An in-depth look into Week 14 game rosters showed that BC’s 46-man squad averaged just 26.6 years of age, by far the lowest of any club. Of the 368 players declared eligible to play in Week 14, 137 were born in 1990 or later i.e. 25 years old or younger. Half of BC’s 46-man group were in that category while Montreal had only 12.

The reports of Hamilton's demise when Collaros went down seem to have been premature. They're still a very good team whose special teams and defence can win games for them as long as Mathews doesn't turn the ball over too often.

Honest to god, Cgy. has golden horseshoes up their ass.

Or they just believe to a man that they will never lose. I've been on teams like that. You just look down the bench & maybe focus on one or two teammates or players & say to yourself with those guys we just can't lose & then go out & play harder & win. It's pretty powerful stuff. Amazing how a team can find ways to win when they believe in themselves. There is no doubt in their minds. That & the fact the Stamps have been winning close games all season so being behind with 2 minutes left doesn't bother them... They don't panic. 

Hamilton, with Collaros, was going to finish in 1st place..no doubt.

Hamilton, without Collarus is still a top team..to an extent. The 1st place finish is no longer guaranteed. For that matter, any playoff win is not going to be easy. A lot will have to go their way.

I'd much rather have played Hamilton without Collaros, and with Nichols, instead of the Brohm fiasco...wouldn't you have?

Hamilton, with Collaros, was going to finish in 1st place..no doubt.

Hamilton, without Collarus is still a top team..to an extent. The 1st place finish is no longer guaranteed. For that matter, any playoff win is not going to be easy. A lot will have to go their way.

I'd much rather have played Hamilton without Collaros, and with Nichols, instead of the Brohm fiasco...wouldn't you have?

 

Hamilton has the defense to punch above it's weight and keep them in every game they play.   If Mathews can be effective as a game manager, and there's no reason to think he can't be successful given his history with Austin / Condell, they will still be a force .. 

Hamilton, with Collaros, was going to finish in 1st place..no doubt.

Hamilton, without Collarus is still a top team..to an extent. The 1st place finish is no longer guaranteed. For that matter, any playoff win is not going to be easy. A lot will have to go their way.

I'd much rather have played Hamilton without Collaros, and with Nichols, instead of the Brohm fiasco...wouldn't you have?

Hamilton's not as good without Collaros, but they're still a very good team. A lot of folks seemed to think that they'd fold when Collaros went down. The way they played Calgary would suggest otherwise.

Saskatchewan at BC - CFL notes

 

- The Lions won the season series with Saskatchewan very early with wins in Weeks #3-4, both by three point margins. Both games featured head-to-head QB matchups between Travis Lulay and Kevin Glenn – since then the veteran pair of QBs have missed a combined 9 starts.

- BC home games: The Lions will be looking to snap a two-game home losing streak and they are 2-3 thus far at B.C. Place this season. The last time BC lost 3 in a row at B.C. Place was in June-July 2004.

 

- BC last week: The Lions led for most of the game at Edmonton and by as many as 16 before giving up the final 22 points of the game. First-year QB Jonathan Jennings passed for 281 yards and led three TD drives in building a 23-7 lead. He threw his first two career TD passes and picked out Emmanuel Arceneaux 6 times for 94 yards.

 

 

- BC defence on the field: With an average Time of Possession of just 24:26 over the last 3 games, BC’s defence has been on the field for 35:34 per game and 184 plays versus the opponents at 150 plays.
 

- 30+ completions: After a 3-game run without a 30+ completion, the Lions deep game has returned with 3 in the last two games.

 

- Jerome Messam: Over the last 4 games, Messam has rushed 51 times for 278 yards and that total has included 16 runs of 10+
yards. In the previous 7 games, he averaged only 6.7 rushes per game (47 carries for 339 yards).

 

- Kevin Glenn: Has started the last two games and extended his streak to 6 straight with at least 200+ passing yards. Glenn led the Riders to 6 scoring last week, two for touchdowns and the other being 4 Paul McCallum field goals.
 

- Saskatchewan’s playoff chances: The Riders will need to go at least 4-1 to remain in the playoff chase as they do not hold the tie-breaker against either BC or Winnipeg. However, they are coming off their finest performance of the season and have a game against BC this week and an opportunity to be just one win behind. They end the season against cross-over threat Montreal so chances remain for the Riders.

 

-Red Zone Riders: Saskatchewan won last week despite cashing in on only one of four Red Zone chances. Over their last 5 games they have had 13 Red Zone opportunities and turned those into 5 TDs (38%).
 

- Two of the Lions' four wins this season have come against the Roughriders.

 

- Lulay returned to practice on Tuesday with a brace on his left knee and said he hopes to be available soon. ...

 

Riders : Road 0-5, vs West 1-6

Lions : Home 2-3, vs West 3-3

 

Rider Offense : Rush 1st Pass 6th Overall 3rd -

 

- QB Kevin Glenn is the CFL's 7th leading passer (66.2%, 1922 yds, 9 TDs, 7 INTs) ... RB Jerome Messam is the CFL's rushing leader (776 yds, 2 TDs) ... SB Weston Dressler leads the team and is 12th in CFL receiving (651 yds, 3 TDs) ... Riders are 5th in points scored and 8th in fewest sacks allowed.

Lions Offense : Rush 6th Pass 7th Overall 8th

 - QB Jon Jennings makes his 2nd pro start (56.9%, 533 yds, 2 TDs, 4 INTs) ... RB Andrew Harris is 2nd in CFL rushing (719 yds, 4 TDs) ... SB Emmanuel Arceneaux is 8th in CFL receiving (685 yds, 3 TDs) ... Lions are 7th in points scored and 1st in fewest sacks allowed.

 

Rider Defense : Rush 7th Pass 8th Overall 8th

- DE John Chick is 4th in CFL sacks (8) ... LB Macho Harris leads the team in INT (3) ... LB Jeff Knox Jr. is 2nd in CFL tackles (82) ... Riders are 9th in points allowed and 8th in sacks.

 

Lion Defense: Rush 9th Pass 7th Over 9th

- DL Craig Roh and Alex Bazzie lead in sacks (4) ... DB T.J. Lee leads in INT (3) ... LB Adam Bighill leads the league in tackles (84) ... Lions are 6th in points allowed and 9th in sacks.

 

Riders ST
- Paul McCallum is 5th in FG percentage (84.8%) ... P Ray Early is 3rd in punting average (45.2) ... Tristan Jackson leads in KR yards and Nic Demski leads in PR yards (1 TD) ... DE Dylan Ainsworth leads in ST tackles (11).

 

Lions ST
- K/P Richie Leone is 9th in FG percentage (76.0) and 1st in punting average (49.7) ... Shaq Murray-Lawrence leads in KR yards and Chris Rainey leads in PR yards (2 TDs) ... LB Bo Lokombo leads in ST tackles (15).
 

- Riders are 7th in turnover ratio (-6) while the Lions are 9th (-9) ...

- B.C. is favoured by 3.0-points ... The forecast calls for sunshine and 17 degrees Celsius.

 

 Who does MBB expect to win? or want to win….53.8% see Sask. as the winners.