TORONTO — CFL Football is back and there are already several players putting up impressive stats throughout the league.
Running back Dedrick Mills showcased his elusiveness by scoring a trio of majors and seemingly being unable to be taken down in the Calgary Stampeders win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Quarterback Nathan Rourke matched Mills with a hat trick of his own, but also impressed on the ground by forcing five missed tackles in the BC Lions triumph against the Edmonton Elks.
Who else did things that might not show up in the scoreboard in Week 1? CFL.ca brings you five Pro Football Focus stats that stand out.
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DEDRICK MILLS | CALGARY STAMPEDERS | 67 YARDS AFTER CONTACT
Mills rushed 17 times for 94 yards and three touchdowns and caught three passes for 30 yards to help the Stamps score 38 points against the Ticats.
Even more impressive is the fact that 67 of those 94 yards came after a Hamilton defender had made contact with Calgary’s running back, according to PFF, showcasing his ability to break tackles and be a dangerous weapon out of the backfield.
NATHAN ROURKE | BC LIONS | 5 MISSED TACKLES FORCED
Rourke started the season with an excellent performance in the Lions home opener against the Elks, commanding an explosive pass offence that scored four consecutive touchdowns in the second half.
Overall, the pivot finished with 324 passing yards and three touchdowns, but also added 54 rushing yards on five carries for BC. The ability to dodge incoming defenders (five missed tackles forced according to PFF) not only bought time for Rourke to throw the ball down the field but also helped him average 10.8 yards per carry in the win over Edmonton.
MATHIEU BETTS | BC LIONS | 9 PRESSURES
Another big factor in the Lions’ victory was defensive lineman Mathieu Betts. The pass rusher led the league in pressures in Week 1, totalling nine pressures according to PFF.
Despite not registering a sack, Betts opened the way for his teammates to get to Elks’ pivot Tre Ford twice and keep them to only 14 total points.
ADRIAN GREENE | CALGARY STAMPEDERS | 37.5 COMPLETION PERCENTAGE ALLOWED
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats wanted to test Adrian Greene often on Saturday, but the defensive back was up to the task.
Greene allowed only three of eight passes thrown his way to be completed, according to PFF, good for a 37.5 percent completion allowed against one of the most efficient passing offences in the CFL.
ALEXANDRE GAGNÉ | MONTREAL ALOUETTES | 0 MISSED SPECIAL TEAMS TACKLES
Speaking of efficiency, Alexandre Gagné had the most efficient special teams performance of Week 1.
The Als’ special teamer tied the single-game record for special teams tackles with seven, but didn’t do it just by volume. Gagné didn’t miss a single one of his seven tackle attempts according to PFF.