CFL Pick 'Em Marquee Matchup: Does Toronto stay undefeated?

CFL.ca Staff

TORONTO — The Toronto Argonauts remain the CFL’s only undefeated team (3-0) and they’ll look to keep it that way on Friday night against the Alouettes.

In the rematch of last year’s Eastern Final, Montreal will look for a different outcome than that November contest where they fell to the eventual Grey Cup-winning Argonauts.

Toronto’s fresh off a bye and will look to the strength of their defence to hold Cody Fajardo and co. in check. Their league-best run defence (averaging league-lows in rushing yards allowed per game (57.7) and yards per rush allowed (3.6), and they lead the league with one rushing touchdown allowed) will hope to contain the ever-dangerous William Stanback.

Austin Mack will also be a point of focus for Toronto to slow down as the Als rookie receiver is leading the league in receiving yards (388).

Can Toronto stay in the win column or will the Als improve to above .500?

Game Notes:

Starting at 3-0 & 4-0? The Argos have a 3-0 record for the first time since 1991 and look to replicate their 1983 start of 4-0. In both of these 3-0 start seasons, Toronto went on to win the Grey Cup. Their modern record best start was 5-0 in 1960.
Looking for a Win Over Every Rival: Montréal’s two wins in 2023 came over Ottawa and Hamilton and with a win over Toronto with complete an early sweep of the East and level the wins count with the Argos at three.
Montréal Passing at BC Last Week: A play correction for Cody Fajardo from last week shifted a run to a pass play and his final numbers have been updated to … 40-25-297-0-0. He passed for a season-high 297 yards on 40 throws and extended his run to a career-best one interception in 112 pass attempts. He leads the CFL with 12 completions of 30+ yards.
Austin Mack No. 1 on Pace: Mack leads the CFL in receiving yards with 388. No first-year player with Montréal has ever led the CFL in receiving. Across 1958 to 2022, only four first-year players have led the CFL in receiving yards – Dalton Schoen 2022, Curtis Marsh 2000, David Williams 1988 and Hugh Oldham for Ottawa in 1970. Mack is on pace for 1,746 yards – the Year One record is 1,560 yards by Curtis Marsh in 2000.
Kaion Julien-Grant: Grant ranks No. 3 in the CFL in receiving yards with 351. In just four games he is already within 166 of his career-high of 517 yards set in 2022. Drafted in the second round of the 2019 CFL Draft, Grant is the leading Canadian receiver in 2023 and on pace for 1,579 yards – just ahead of Ben Cahoon’s Canadian club record of 1,561 in 2003.
Fajardo 149 Sacks: From his time in Saskatchewan and now with the Alouettes, Cody has been the CFL’s most frequently sacked QB (22 times in ’23). Since 2019, he has been sacked 149 times – far ahead of No. 2 McLeod Bethel-Thompson at 94 and No. 3 ranked Vernon Adams Jr. with 80.
Robertson Daniel: In Toronto’s last game he returned his three interceptions for a total of 170 yards (79, 62 & 29) – that was just two yards short of the all-time CFL record of 172 set by Barry Ardern for Ottawa on Nov 1/69 (88 and 84 yards). Daniel’s three picks were one short of the club record of four set by Art Johnson in 1961.
Montréal at BC Last Week: The Als visited BC where they now hold a record of just 9-31 since 1961. The Lions forced four Montréal turnovers and four Two-&-Outs in a 35-19 win dominated by seven BC sacks.
Recent Rivalry: Toronto has won three of the last five meetings with the most recent one a loss after they had clinched first place last season where they sat out 15 starters from the previous week’s clinching victory. Toronto’s 2-1 edge last season, however, was decided by a total margin of just seven points with differentials of just five, one and one point. Six of the last seven games have gone to the last 3:00.
Top 12 for Matte: Kristian Matte has now reached 170 career games with the Alouettes and that places him at No. 12 all-time – high for such a long running franchise. Leaders: Anthony Calvillo 269,, Scott Flory 241, John Bowman 230 and Chip Cox at 228 GP.
Toronto Off a Bye: The Argonauts come off a bye week for the second time in six weeks. They are 3-0 since 2022 after a week off but were just 1-4 across 2019-2021.
Leads by 20+ Pts: The last time that Toronto led by 20 or more points in three consecutive games was in July-August 2013.
Favourable Schedule: Montréal’s schedule begins with home games in four of their first six. The last time they had four of the first six at home was in 2016 but they started at 2-4 that year.
Boris Bede: Is 6-for-6 on field goals this year and at 82.3% for his career, moving into seventh all-time in field goal accuracy.
Strong third Quarters: The Argos have yet to allow a point in the third quarter outscoring opponents 18-0
No Challenges Yet!: With BC, the Argos are the only clubs yet to throw a challenge flag this season.
2nd Down Excellence: Toronto leads the CFL in second down conversions at 55% (they were at just 45% last week, however).
Nine Rushing TDs: The Argos already have as many rushing TDs as they had all last year – nine so far.

It’s anyone’s guess as to who will take this one in this week’s Pick ‘Em Marquee Matchup. Who are you siding with?

CFL Pick ‘Em Marquee Matchup: Does Toronto stay undefeated?

Walter Tychnowicz/CFL.ca

CFL.ca Staff

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