Game Notes: What you need to know ahead of WestJet Thanksgiving Weekend

CFL

10 hours ago

WestJet Thanksgiving Weekend is here with it CFL.ca’s Game Notes, full of information about players and this week’s matchups, including:

Games are averaging 53.9 points per game – highest since 2008. Week 18 alone averaged 57.0 points per game.
Over the last five games, winning teams have made 23 Big Plays, compared to six by the losing teams. Teams with more Big Plays are 43-12 (.782) this season.
The Riders are 9-1 when leading at halftime and 10-0 when leading after three quarters.
Dedrick Mills leads the league with 1,120 rushing yards and 35 carries of 10+ yards.
Davis Alexander is looking to extend his perfect start to a career to 10-0. He is 2-0 against Ottawa and needs 52 passing yards for 3,000 in his career.

Check out all CFL.ca’s Game Notes for WestJet Thanksgiving Weekend below.

(Team | Remaining schedule | Combined record)

WEST DIVISION 

EAST DIVISION

MEET ME AT THE QUARTERBACK

Week 18 featured 18 sacks in three games (six per game), the highest in the past five seasons.
Hamilton registered nine sacks against Toronto – a league-high this season, with Julian Howsare setting a career-high with four sacks.
Three players have double-digit sacks: Mathieu Betts (14), Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund (11), and Howsare (11).
Betts has 10 sacks in his last four games with the Lions.

QUICK SLANTS

LEAGUE-WIDE

Games are averaging 53.9 points per game – highest since 2008. Week 18 alone averaged 57.0 points per game.
This season, there have been 21 games with 60+ total points scored.
51 per cent of games in 2025 have been decided in the final three minutes.
Seven of the top-20 receivers this season are Canadian.
This season, there are six 1,000+ yard receivers and six running backs on pace for 1,000 yards.
Over the last five games, winning teams have made 23 Big Plays, compared to six by the losing teams. Teams with more Big Plays are 43-12 (.782) this season.

TOR (5-11) at SSK (11-4)

Week 3: SSK 39 – TOR 32
The last four meetings at Mosaic Stadium between the teams have been split.
Toronto has made 91.1 per cent of its field goal attempts; Saskatchewan has made 68.9 per cent.
The Argos rank second in the league in points off turnovers (92).
Kevin Mital ranks second in the league with 87 receptions this season.
Tarvarus McFadden leads the league with seven takeaways.
A win this week would give the Riders their most home wins since 2019 (8-1).
The Riders are 9-1 when leading at halftime and 10-0 when leading after three quarters.
Corey Mace earned his 20^th win as a head coach in just 33 games – the third most by a Riders coach through their first two seasons, trailing Craig Dickenson and Ken Miller (22).
Trevor Harris recorded his sixth career 4,000+ yard passing season. He is 5-5 against Toronto.
AJ Ouellette‘s 222 carries are the most by a Roughrider since Kory Sheets (287) in 2013.

CGY (8-7) at HAM (10-6)

Week 1: CGY 38 – HAM 26
Vernon Adams Jr. is 6-4 against Hamilton. In his last three games, he has thrown 3 TDs to 6 INTs (after 15 TDs to 6 INTs in the previous 10 starts).
Erik Brooks registered 214 all-purpose yards last week and has 963 combined yards in his last five games.
Clarence Hicks has six sacks in six games.
Derrick Moncrief leads the league with nine tackles for a loss.
Dedrick Mills leads the league with 1,120 rushing yards and 35 carries of 10+ yards.
Bo Levi Mitchell needs 274 passing yards for his fourth career 5,000-yard season and four touchdown passes to set a new career high (35, in 2018).
Kenny Lawler has 13 TD receptions this season – the most by a Ticat since Brandon Banks in 2019. Tony Champion owns the franchise record with 15.
Greg Bell has 474 rushing yards on 70 carries over his last four outings (118.5 yards per game, 6.8 yards per attempt).
Stavros Katsantonis needs six defensive tackles for 200 in his career and is tied for the league lead with six interceptions. He made 13 defensive plays last week against Toronto.

WPG (8-7) at EDM (6-9)

Week 4: WPG 36 – EDM 23
Winnipeg is 3-5 against West Division foes – their first potential losing divisional record since 2018.
Since 2017, Winnipeg is 18-2 coming off a bye.
The Bombers are 0-5 when trailing at halftime, 8-2 when leading.
Brady Oliveira needs 29 rushing yards for his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard season, joining Normie Kwong (1955-58) as the only Canadians to do so.
Nic Demski needs four receiving yards for his third consecutive 1,000-yard season and seven catches to reach 500 career receptions.
Edmonton needs to win by 14+ points to claim the season series and to close within one win of Winnipeg.
Since 2022, the Elks are 1-8 coming off a bye.
The Elks lead the league in punt return average (13.5 yards) and Big Play kick returns (12).
Cody Fajardo is 3-9 against Winnipeg and has a combined record of 44-26-1 (.627) against all other teams. He needs five TD passes for 100 in his career.
Fajardo has not thrown an interception in his last 134 pass attempts.

OTT (4-11) at MTL (8-7)

Week 2: MTL 39 – OTT 18
The Alouettes first hosted a Thanksgiving Monday game in 1957. They are 15-14 on the holiday, including 5-4 against Ottawa.
The Alouettes have won nine straight games against Ottawa, whose last victory against Montreal came on Oct. 10, 2022.
Ottawa has allowed the fewest passing touchdowns this season (17) and the fewest rushing yards per carry in the league (4.6 yards).
The REDBLACKS are 0-7 when committing more turnovers.
Former Alouette and current REDBLACKS Eugene Lewis needs 47 yards to reach 1,000, and teammate Justin Hardy needs 63.
Hardy’s next catch will be his 300^th career reception.
Montreal averages the fewest penalties per game (6.1).
Davis Alexander is looking to extend his perfect start to a career to 10-0. He is 2-0 against Ottawa and needs 52 passing yards for 3,000 in his career.
Tyler Snead needs 20 receiving yards for his first 1,000-yard season.