- With their loss last week, the Alouettes (5-10) have been eliminated from the Eastern playoff race. Their 5-10 record after 15 games is their poorest since re-entering the CFL in 1996. The Als’ current run of 19 consecutive years in the playoffs is the second-longest in league history and only Edmonton at 34 years in a row (1972-2005) has a longer one. They need to win one more game than BOTH BC and Winnipeg to extend their streak to 20.
- The Lions’ current run of 18 consecutive years in the playoffs is the 3rd-longest in league history and they currently hold onto third in the West even on wins at 5 with Winnipeg (and Montreal). BC must win at least once as Winnipeg holds the tie-breaker.
- In 2015, there have been 27 games decided by 4 points or less, 9 more than all of 2014, and this is a new all- time, single-season CFL record. The previous record for any season was 24 in 2010 and in 1996.
- In 2015, there have been 22 different starting QBs (Nichols & Glenn counted twice since they have started for two different teams).
Edmonton, Calgary, Hamilton, Toronto & Ottawa: 8QB Starters (1.6 per team)
- The season-ending Hamilton versus Ottawa back-to-back set will have a profound effect on the final Eastern playoff standings and who gets to host those Semi-Final and Final games. That means that CFL Week #18 will be one of jockeying for position only and no seedings or home game determinations can be made. Edmonton can pull effectively a game-and- a-half ahead of Calgary in the West with a win at Regina but that situation would still not yet be resolved.
Montreal - Toronto
- the Alouettes lost their fourth straight game to fall out of the Eastern playoff race. On offence they gained just 255 net yards, 82 of which came in the first half. They faced 2nd-&-long 15 times last week and were just 3-of-15.
- To keep their current playoff streak alive and extend it out to 20 years running, they MUST win at least one game and hope that BC and Winnipeg lose the their last 5 games combined. If Winnipeg wins both of their games, they can still travel to either Calgary or Edmonton for the West Semi-Final with a 3-0 finishing run.
- Toronto leads the 2015 season series versus Montreal by virtue of their 25-17 win on Oct 12/15 at Molson Stadium.
- Over the last three games, Als’ opponents have completed 84-of-101 passes for an 83.2% completion rate. Opponents completed passes at a 63.1% rate over the first 12 games.
- Montreal at 5-10 Their current record after 15 games is their poorest they have been since re-entering the CFL in 1996. They were 6-9 after 15 games in 2013.
- In 2015, the Argonauts have had 12 players start all 15 games for them and a remarkable 22 players start at least 11 times. Where they have made frequent changes however is at kicker. They have used 6 different punters, 6 different kickoff specialists and had 4 different players to attempt a field goal.
- In the last 4 games, Montreal has stopped opponents 10 times in the Red Zone out of 19 chances.
Hamilton at BC
- Ti-Cats have won 4 in a row on the road, their longest road streak since the end of 1981. They are 4-0 in their last 4 away games on the heels of a stretch from 2005-2015 in which they went 20-73 .215
- The Tiger-Cats have lost their last three visits to Vancouver
- Each club in this game is slated to start a QB that was not #1 when the season began. Travis Lulay and Zach Collaros have missed 7 games this year with Lulay having only just returned the past two weeks. Jonathan Jennings has averaged 312 passing yards in 4 starts while Jeff Mathews has rolled up 260 yards per game with 4 TD passes in his 3 starts.
- The Lions are just 3-6 when leading after three quarters in 2015. That compares to a record of 39-2 across the 2011-2014 seasons.
- Adam Bighill - Comes into this game needing just 1 tackle to reach 100 for the second time in his CFL career. He leads the CFL with 99, 4 ahead of Jeff Knox Jr. Bighill is on pace for 119 tackles this season.
- Chris Rainey - Since joining the Lions 7 games ago, Rainey has averaged 14.0 yards per punt return. That is the second-highest punt return average by any BC Lions player in club history (Leon Bright CFL record 16.8 in 1980), and the 13th highest average in CFL history (min. 30 returns). His kickoff return average of 27.6 yards is also #1 in the CFL and he leads the CFL in Combined yards per game with 167 (1,172 yards in 7 games).
- Hamilton sits at 10-5 .667 and has clinched a third straight year at .500 or better. That run under Coach Austin is their best since a 4-year stretch under Ron Lancaster (1998-2001).
- The Ti-Cats have now blocked 6 kicks in 2015, the most in the CFL by any team since 2001. The Hamilton club record is 7 in 2000, and that was one short of the CFL record of 8 set in 1986 by Edmonton.
- TJ Lee - Has put together an outstanding season and is now #6 in the CFL with 71 defensive tackles. He is the only CFL player to rank in the Top 10 in both tackles and interceptions as he is tied for #6 with 4 picks for 26 yards. He has added 3 sacks as well.
- Luke Tasker - Has now recorded four 100-yard games in 2015 after picking up 107 yards on a season-high 8 receptions last week. He is just 142 yards short a 1,000-yard season despite missing the first four games on the Injured List.
- Terrell Sinkfield - Two weeks ago was one of his finest CFL games leading the entire CFL with 163 receiving yards on 4 catches with two going for 30+ yards. He has recorded 6 games of 90+ receiving yards over the last 8 contests. Sinkfield is only 85 yards short of his first career 1,000-yard season despite sitting out three straight games earlier in the year.
- Andrew Harris - Edmonton’s defence last week focused on stopping Harris and in 6 carries he was held to 2 yards rushing. From scrimmage, Harris was limited to 10 yards on 7 touches, his lowest production of the season. He has 5 catches in the last 4 games.
- With their loss last week, the Alouettes (5-10) have been eliminated from the Eastern playoff race. Their 5-10 record after 15 games is their poorest since re-entering the CFL in 1996. The Als’ current run of 19 consecutive years in the playoffs is the second-longest in league history and only Edmonton at 34 years in a row (1972-2005) has a longer one. They need to win one more game than BOTH BC and Winnipeg to extend their streak to 20.
- The Lions’ current run of 18 consecutive years in the playoffs is the 3rd-longest in league history and they currently hold onto third in the West even on wins at 5 with Winnipeg (and Montreal). BC must win at least once as Winnipeg holds the tie-breaker.
- In 2015, there have been 27 games decided by 4 points or less, 9 more than all of 2014, and this is a new all- time, single-season CFL record. The previous record for any season was 24 in 2010 and in 1996.
- In 2015, there have been 22 different starting QBs (Nichols & Glenn counted twice since they have started for two different teams).
Edmonton, Calgary, Hamilton, Toronto & Ottawa: 8 QB Starters (1.6 per team)
Montreal, BC, Winnipeg & Saskatchewan: 14 QB Starters (3.5 per team)
- The season-ending Hamilton versus Ottawa back-to-back set will have a profound effect on the final Eastern playoff standings and who gets to host those Semi-Final and Final games. That means that CFL Week #18 will be one of jockeying for position only and no seedings or home game determinations can be made. Edmonton can pull effectively a game-and- a-half ahead of Calgary in the West with a win at Regina but that situation would still not yet be resolved.
Montreal - Toronto
- the Alouettes lost their fourth straight game to fall out of the Eastern playoff race. On offence they gained just 255 net yards, 82 of which came in the first half. They faced 2nd-&-long 15 times last week and were just 3-of-15.
- To keep their current playoff streak alive and extend it out to 20 years running, they MUST win at least one game and hope that BC and Winnipeg lose the their last 5 games combined. If Winnipeg wins both of their games, they can still travel to either Calgary or Edmonton for the West Semi-Final with a 3-0 finishing run.
- Toronto leads the 2015 season series versus Montreal by virtue of their 25-17 win on Oct 12/15 at Molson Stadium.
- Over the last three games, Als’ opponents have completed 84-of-101 passes for an 83.2% completion rate. Opponents completed passes at a 63.1% rate over the first 12 games.
- Montreal at 5-10 Their current record after 15 games is their poorest they have been since re-entering the CFL in 1996. They were 6-9 after 15 games in 2013.
- In 2015, the Argonauts have had 12 players start all 15 games for them and a remarkable 22 players start at least 11 times. Where they have made frequent changes however is at kicker. They have used 6 different punters, 6 different kickoff specialists and had 4 different players to attempt a field goal.
- In the last 4 games, Montreal has stopped opponents 10 times in the Red Zone out of 19 chances.
Hamilton at BC
- Ti-Cats have won 4 in a row on the road, their longest road streak since the end of 1981. They are 4-0 in their last 4 away games on the heels of a stretch from 2005-2015 in which they went 20-73 .215
- The Tiger-Cats have lost their last three visits to Vancouver
- Each club in this game is slated to start a QB that was not #1 when the season began. Travis Lulay and Zach Collaros have missed 7 games this year with Lulay having only just returned the past two weeks. Jonathan Jennings has averaged 312 passing yards in 4 starts while Jeff Mathews has rolled up 260 yards per game with 4 TD passes in his 3 starts.
- The Lions are just 3-6 when leading after three quarters in 2015. That compares to a record of 39-2 across the 2011-2014 seasons.
- Adam Bighill - Comes into this game needing just 1 tackle to reach 100 for the second time in his CFL career. He leads the CFL with 99, 4 ahead of Jeff Knox Jr. Bighill is on pace for 119 tackles this season.
- Chris Rainey - Since joining the Lions 7 games ago, Rainey has averaged 14.0 yards per punt return. That is the second-highest punt return average by any BC Lions player in club history (Leon Bright CFL record 16.8 in 1980), and the 13th highest average in CFL history (min. 30 returns). His kickoff return average of 27.6 yards is also #1 in the CFL and he leads the CFL in Combined yards per game with 167 (1,172 yards in 7 games).
- Hamilton sits at 10-5 .667 and has clinched a third straight year at .500 or better. That run under Coach Austin is their best since a 4-year stretch under Ron Lancaster (1998-2001).
- The Ti-Cats have now blocked 6 kicks in 2015, the most in the CFL by any team since 2001. The Hamilton club record is 7 in 2000, and that was one short of the CFL record of 8 set in 1986 by Edmonton.
- TJ Lee - Has put together an outstanding season and is now #6 in the CFL with 71 defensive tackles. He is the only CFL player to rank in the Top 10 in both tackles and interceptions as he is tied for #6 with 4 picks for 26 yards. He has added 3 sacks as well.
- Luke Tasker - Has now recorded four 100-yard games in 2015 after picking up 107 yards on a season-high 8 receptions last week. He is just 142 yards short a 1,000-yard season despite missing the first four games on the Injured List.
- Terrell Sinkfield - Two weeks ago was one of his finest CFL games leading the entire CFL with 163 receiving yards on 4 catches with two going for 30+ yards. He has recorded 6 games of 90+ receiving yards over the last 8 contests. Sinkfield is only 85 yards short of his first career 1,000-yard season despite sitting out three straight games earlier in the year.
- Andrew Harris - Edmonton’s defence last week focused on stopping Harris and in 6 carries he was held to 2 yards rushing. From scrimmage, Harris was limited to 10 yards on 7 touches, his lowest production of the season. He has 5 catches in the last 4 games.