THE CANADIAN PRESS
CFL.ca Staff
With files from Steve Daniel, Head Statistician
TORONTO — While the West has almost been settled and the Alouettes made a bold statement in the East, the final playoff bracket has not yet been settled entering 2014. The East Division title is still up for grabs as Montreal needs a win over Hamilton, while the Argos and Ticats remain in a battle for a playoff spot. Meanwhile, the BC Lions and Saskatchewan Roughriders will battle over who stays in the West and who crosses over for the playoffs. For some fans, this is the most nervous time of the year.
The action kicks off on Friday Night Football, as the Ottawa REDBLACKS look to close out their inaugural season with a win against a division rival. They’ll meet the Argos for just the second time this season, looking to play spoiler and end the Argos’ playoff hopes. Trevor Harris makes his first start for the Argos, who need a win on Friday combined with a Hamilton loss on Saturday to join the post-season dance.
A Friday night double-header caps off on the West Coast, as the Calgary Stampeders visit the BC Lions in a final dress rehearsal before their Nov. 23 Western Final at McMahon Stadium. The Lions, on the other hand, find even more importance in Friday night’s game, as they can lock up third place in their division, ensuring they’ll stay in the West for their first-round road playoff matchup. 
This week’s marquee matchup is in the Hammer, as the Ticats put on the line their perfect record at Tim Horton’s Field in a first-place battle against the Als. The Ticats can win the division by beating the Als by at least eight points, while a loss combined with an Argos Friday night win would eliminate them from playoff contention. High stakes for both teams indeed.
Finally, one of the CFL’s most intense rivalries resumes on Saturday evening, as the Edmonton Eskimos visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders in a potential playoff preview. Darian Durant could dress for the Riders but won’t start, meaning Kerry Joseph gets his third straight call under centre. Meanwhile, Matt Nichols will start for the Esks, who get one final tune-up before the Western Semi-Final on Nov. 16.
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Friday, 7:00 pm ET: Ottawa at Toronto
Friday, 10:00 pm ET: Calgary at BC
Saturday, 4:00 pm ET: Montreal at Hamilton
Saturday, 7:00 pm ET: Edmonton at Saskatchewan
By the Numbers:
CFL Scoring: In 2014, CFL games have averaged only 45.7 points per game as defences have dominated. Scoring is down almost exactly one touchdown per game from 52.4 combined points in 2013 (13%). Scoring on offence is down even further to 37.7 points per game from 48.7 last season. Defences have taken up the slack, as there have 31 interception/fumble return scores.
Montreal’s In-Season Turnaround: In 2014, the Alouettes have accomplished a feat that no other team has ever done in league history: before this year, NO TEAM HAD EVER FALLEN BELOW .500 BY SIX GAMES (Montreal was 1-7) and recovered to finish at .500 or better. They are the fourth CFL team to ever start as low as 1-7 and make the playoffs. Notable: All three of those previous clubs (BC 1969 at 1-10, Montreal 1981 at 1-10 & Ottawa 1982 at 1-8) were in pre-crossover playoff rule days.
5.5 QB Sacks per game: In both 2013 and 2014, QB Sacks have averaged 5.5 per game. The last time the CFL averaged as many in two consecutive seasons was back in 1987-1988.
Pass to Run Ratio Changing: This season, teams that have been able to run the ball have ranked at the top of the standings. The overall CFL pass-run ratio has shifted a full 2% toward the run in a single season (to 37% rushing plays). That kind of shift has not happened since 2000-2001. In 2014, the top three ranked rushing teams have a combined W-L record of 35-16 .686. The bottom two ranked rushing teams are 9-26 (.257).
17 Blocked kicks: In 2014, there have been a total of 17 blocked kicks in 77 games, compared to 10 all last season (50% increase) and only five in 2012. Here are the most recent totals – 2014: 17, 2013: 10, 2012: 5, 2011: 8, 2010: 13.
Fourth Quarter Comeback Wins: This season there have been 16 games won by a team that trailed after three quarters. That compares to only 12 in 2013, 11 in 2012 and only seven times in 2011.
One 1000-yard rusher: Unless John White or Anthony Allen rush for 150+ yards this week, there will be only a single 1,000-yard rusher in 2014 (Jon Cornish at 1,082). That will be the fewest in any year since 1993.
Potential crossover at 8 wins: In the history of the crossover rule, all occurrences have involved Western clubs travelling East to play in that Semi-Final. Including 2014, that has now happened eight times since 1997 but has never affected a team with eight wins before. Of the seven previous crossovers, the best record by a non-qualifying third-place East Division club has been 7-11 on four occasions, 6-12 once, and 4-14 twice (incl. Toronto in 2008). So, if both Hamilton and Toronto win
this week, it will mark the best record ever by a team affected by the cross-over.
Needing to reach 20 points — 27 straight losses: Last week’s loss at Montreal extended a rather unusual Argos’ streak. By scoring under 20 points for the 7th time this season, they fell to 0-7 when doing so. This streak has now reached 27 consecutive games without winning a game scoring less than 20 points. They are 3-49 since 2008 when scoring 0-19 points.
#3 in the CFL since Week #12: The Argos’ 4-2 record since Week 12 ranks behind only Montreal at 6-0 and Hamilton at 5-2 (level with Calgary & Edmonton at 4-2).
Closing out 2014: The REDBLACKS may sit at 2-15, but down the stretch they have been a problem for almost every opponent. Ottawa has built a 7-point or more lead in each of the last two games during this Division-only stretch of play. They have led at some point in 12 of their 17 games.
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414 yards of offence: Last week’s loss to Hamilton was the fourth time the REDBLACKS have outgained an opponent, all of which have come in their last seven games. It was their second-largest offensive yardage edge over an opponent.
Solomon Elimimian: Last week, Elimimian shattered the previous CFL record of 130 defensive tackles set by JC Sherritt in 2012. Now with 137, Solomon is 56 tackles ahead of second-ranked Brandon Smith (Calgary), the largest gap over second in CFL history. With eight special teams tackles as well, Elimimian’s total of 146 tackles overall has broken the old CFL record of 136 total tackles set by George White for Calgary in 2005.
Calgary Rushing Throwback: The Stampeders lead the CFL in rushing with 149.1 yards per game. That is the highest average per game by any Calgary club since 1965 (158.6 per game), and from what is clearly an entirely different CFL era. Calgary has not been out of the Top 2 in CFL rushing in the last nine years.
11-2 last 13 on the road: The Stampeders are 11-2 in their last 13 road games, and that includes a post-clinching loss at BC in their most recent visit (7-26, Nov. 1, 2013). The last CFL team before Calgary to win as many as 11 of 13 away games was BC across 1998-2000, also 11-2 in a 13-game away run.
First-place clash between the two hottest teams: In the second half of the 2014 season, Montreal has the best record in the CFL at 7-1. Hamilton is tied for second
with Calgary at 6-2 and ahead of Edmonton at 5-3 as the CFL’s hottest teams.
When scoring under 20: Hamilton’s defence has allowed it to win four times in 2014 when NOT reaching the 20-point mark. The Ticats have won the last four times they did not get to the 20-point mark; in their previous 90 games when were held under 20 points (2000-2013), their record was just 3-87. They are 4-2 in 2014 when scoring under 20 points.
Season-ending win streak: The Montreal all-time record for consecutive wins to end the regular season was set in 1949 and tied in 1996 at 5 straight wins. This year, the Alouettes enter the final week with a chance to have 7 wins a row to end the year.
Historic defensive run – best since 1965: The Alouettes have not allowed more than 17 points in each of the last six games. The last time that Montreal did that was in 1965, 49 years ago.
Fantasy Notes:
QB: Zach Collaros (33.1%), Jonathan Crompton (17.1%), Mike Reilly (14.0%), Ricky Ray (12.0%), Bo Levi Mitchell (8.9%)
RB: John White (25.4%), Nic Grigsby (14.7%), Steve Slaton (14.2%), Tyrell Sutton (12.5%), Matt Walter (6.9%)
REC: Adarius Bowman (42.2%), Duron Carter (40.3%), Chad Owens (33.8%), Luke Tasker (16.4%), Emmanuel Arceneaux (12.6%),
Flex: Chad Owens (17.1%), Duron Carter (12.9%), Adarius Bowman (9.9%), Emmanuel Arceneaux (5.5%), John White (5.1)
Kicker: Justin Medlock (49.2%), Swayze Waters (26.8%), Paul McCallum (5.8%), Hugh O’Neill (4.5%), Sean Whyte (3.3%)
Defence/ST: Edmonton (34.2), Toronto (14.3%), Saskatchewan (13.8%), Hamilton (12.8%), Calgary (9.4%)
