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

TORONTO — WestJet Canada Day Weekend is upon us and that means Game Notes is back with plenty of information about this week’s matchups, including:

Road teams have won the past seven games – one off the league record set in 2017.
Montreal has won seven straight against Hamilton with the Ticats’ last claiming victory on July 28, 2022 but last year off a bye, the Ticats were 3-0.
Each of Saskatchewan’s three victories have been comebacks, they have been decided in the final three minutes, and they have been by no more than seven points.
Nathan Rourke is a career 2-2 against Saskatchewan, while Jeremiah Masoli is 2-6.
Ottawa sits second in turnover ratio (+5), while Toronto is ninth (-5).

Check out all CFL.ca’s Game Notes for WestJet Canada Day Weekend below:

JUST LIKE HE DRU IT UP

Dating back to last season, Dru Brown has passed for 400+ yards in his past three games.
Only four QBs in CFL history have managed the feat: Warren Moon, Kent Austin, as part of a three-game stretch, and Doug Flutie, whose streak reached five contests.
During that three-game run, Brown has amassed 1,258 passing yards and nine touchdowns.

IT’S A-ME, MARIO

In Week 3, Mario Alford’s 99-yard kickoff return TD propelled Saskatchewan to the victory and a 3-0 start to the season.
He has four career kickoff return TDs in 67 games. Harvey Wylie holds the all-time record of five in a career that spanned 139 matches.
Alford’s by distance:
- 92 and 98 yards | 2022
- 99 | 2025
- 101 | 2024
He currently has the third highest kick return TD frequency: 1 in 5.6 games.
Alford’s 12 career kick return TDs put him in a four-way tie for fourth all-time, behind Brandon Banks (13), Bashir Levingston (15) and Henry “Gizmo” Williams (31).

QUICK SLANTS

LEAGUE WIDE

Road teams have won the past seven games – one off the league record set in 2017.
Year-over-year offensive big plays are up 33 per cent (56 vs. 42).
The top four teams (WPG, SSK, MTL, CGY) in average rushing yards are a combined 10-1 (.909); the remaining five are 2-11.
This week’s possible milestone game(s):

EDM (0-2) at WPG (2-0)

In their first game (Week 1), the Elks recorded 248 net yards and 14 first downs; in their second game (Week 3) against Montreal’s league-best defence, they had 412 net yards, 24 first downs and five big plays.
Last week, Tre Ford passed for 308 yards – the third 300+ yard game of his career – while adding 31 rushing yards.
Nick Anderson is third in the CFL with 18 defensive tackles.
Last week, Kurleigh Gittens Jr. and Steven Dunbar Jr. combined for 192 yards and 12 catches.
Winnipeg has won the teams’ past 12 matchups with the Elks’ last victory coming on November 3, 2018.
Winnipeg has a league-best 12 pass knockdowns led by Deatrick Nichols and Terrell Bonds with three each.
Zach Collaros is a career 15-6 against Edmonton, including victories in the past 11 (with 10 coming with Winnipeg).
Sophomore Keric Wheatfall leads the CFL with four 30+ yard receptions.

MTL (3-0) at HAM (0-2)

Montreal has won seven straight against Hamilton with the Ticats’ last claiming victory on July 28, 2022.
Montreal is 9-0 in June over the past three seasons.
The Alouettes are 8-2-1 in their last 11 road games.
Montreal leads the league with a completion percentage of 75.6 per cent.
The Alouettes lead the league with six interceptions, each by a different player.
Montreal is tied for the league lead in sacks (10), led by Dartmouth, N.S., native Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund who has one in each game.
At 7-0 as a starter, Davis Alexander has tied Jeff Garcia and Bo Levi Mitchell for the second-best start to a career. Danny McManus holds the record at 8-0.
If McLeod Bethel-Thompson starts, it will be hist 61^st (27-33), including 6-5 vs. Hamilton.
Tyson Philpot needs 44 receiving yards for 2,000.
Last year off a bye, the Ticats were 3-0.
Mitchell is looking for his 100^th victory as a starter. He is a career 7-6 against the Alouettes.
Mitchell also needs 337 passing yards to become the 11^th player to reach the 40,000 mark. He has collected 300+ passing yards in his past four games, dating back to last season.
Kenny Lawler has 23 targets and 14 receptions for 249 yards.
Marc Liegghio is one of two kickers who have not missed a field goal this season. Dating back to last year, he has made 21-in-a-row.

BC (1-2) at SSK (3-0)

Keon Hatcher Sr. leads the league in receiving yards (294) and targets (26).
Justin McInnis needs 48 receiving yards to reach 3,000.
The Lions’ Dewayne Hendrix has recorded a sack in each game this season.
Nathan Rourke is a career 2-2 against Saskatchewan, while Jeremiah Masoli is 2-6.
Jameer Thurman leads the league with 22 defensive tackles, while BC’s Micah Awe sits second with 19.
The Riders are looking to start 4-0 in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1969-70 under Ron Lancaster.
Each of Saskatchewan’s three victories have been comebacks, they have been decided in the final three minutes, and they have been by no more than seven points.
Saskatchewan is tied for the league lead in sacks for (10) and allowed (two).
In two games, AJ Ouellette has rushed the ball 30 times for 187 yards and two TDs.
Trevor Harris needs 46 passing yards to reach 34,000 in his career. He has won a career-high seven straight starts.
If Jake Maier starts, it will be his ninth against the Lions (3-5).

TOR (0-3) at OTT (1-2)

As a head coach, Ryan Dinwiddie is 8-2 against Ottawa, including 4-1 at TD Place.
Last week, Nick Arbuckle went 7-for-7 for 48 yards and a pair of TDs in the red zone. He is 8-for-8 on the season inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
Last week, Kevin Mital collected his first career regular season touchdown, while registering career highs in receptions (seven), targets (eight) and receiving yards (98).
Andrew Chatfield, a former REDBLACK, has recorded a sack in each game this season.
Ottawa sits second in turnover ratio (+5), while Toronto is ninth (-5).
Last week in a victory over Calgary, Ottawa rushed for 239 yards – the team’s highest output on the ground since a 245-yard effort also against the Stampeders on July 16, 2005.
Justin Hardy needs 74 receiving yards for 3,000 in his career.
Daniel Adeboboye, a former Argo, notched 96 rushing yards on ten carries last week.