Latest news with #CFL-best
Toronto Star
3 days ago
- Sport
- Toronto Star
Montreal Alouettes aiming to continue their winning ways versus Ottawa Redblacks
There has been no place quite like TD Place for the Montreal Alouettes. Montreal (1-0) visits the Ottawa Redblacks (0-1) on Friday night. The Alouettes have not only won their last eight head-to-head meetings with their East Division rival but are riding a 10-game win streak at TD Place. And there's the matter of Montreal quarterback Davis Alexander sporting a 5-0 record as a CFL starter. Bo Levi Mitchell, currently of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, was the last quarterback to start 5-0 when he was with the Calgary Stampeders. Alexander, in his first full season as Montreal's starter, was 19-of-26 passing for 205 yards with a touchdown and interception in last week's season-opening 28-10 home win over Toronto. He also ran four times for 50 yards. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Montreal converted on 14-of-24 second-down opportunities while rushing for 163 yards on 26 carries (6.3-yard average). That's noteworthy as last week all four opening-week winners were not only at home but also rushed for more yards than their opponents. A stout Montreal defence did its part, holding Toronto to 276 net offensive yards while forcing three turnovers (two interceptions, fumble recovery) in the contest. Ottawa opened its season with a 31-26 road loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Redblacks quarterback Dru Brown threw for 413 yards and two touchdowns, becoming just the fourth player ever to have 400 or more yards passing in three straight regular-season games, dating back to 2024. Brown is the first to do so since Calgary's Doug Flutie in '93 but has been limited in practice this week with a hip ailment. Justin Hardy (eight catches, 133 yards, TD) and Bralon Addison (eight catches, 112 yards) were Brown's favourite targets. Veteran Eugene Lewis had five receptions for 57 yards and a touchdown in his first game with the Redblacks. Lewis has recorded TD grabs in nine straight games dating back to last season with Edmonton. If he can do so versus Montreal, Lewis would tie Terry Evanshen's CFL record of 10 consecutive contests with a touchdown reception. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Ottawa was a CFL-best 7-1-1 last season at TD Place. Pick: Montreal. —- B.C. Lions versus Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Thursday night) At Winnipeg, the Bombers open their season minus starter Zach Collaros, who will serve the one-game suspension he received last month from the CFL for failing to respond to an off-season drug-testing request. Veteran QB Chris Streveler starts but guard Pat Neufeld remains a game-time decision. Nathan Rourke was the league's offensive player of the week after passing for 324 yards and three TDs in leading B.C. (1-0) past Edmonton 31-14 but he's 0-3 lifetime versus the Bombers with three TDs and five interceptions. Lions head coach Buck Pierce returns to Manitoba, where he spent 10 seasons as an assistant and won two Grey Cups before being hired by B.C. Pick: B.C. —- Calgary Stampeders versus Toronto Argonauts (Saturday afternoon) At Toronto, the Argos (0-1) are 27-7 at BMO Field under head coach Ryan Dinwiddie, including 16-2 the past two seasons. But Calgary (1-0) is the only team Dinwiddie has a losing record against (3-4) and Stamps head coach/GM Dave Dickenson is 12-3 all-time versus the defending champions. Nick Arbuckle is expected to make a second straight start for Toronto ahead of Chad Kelly (leg). Stamps' starter Vernon Adams Jr. is 2-5 versus the Argos but has 14 TD passes in those matchups. He threw for 284 yards in last week's 38-26 home win over Hamilton with two interceptions. Pick: Toronto. —- Saskatchewan Roughriders versus Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Saturday night) At Hamilton, Mitchell again chases his 100th career regular-season win. He was 31-of-50 passing for 304 yards and a TD last week in Calgary. Over his last six starts, Mitchell is averaging 346 yards passing and is 12-6 versus the Riders. But last week the Ticats defence had no answer for the Stampeders' ground game (158 yards on 31 carries, three Dedrick Mills' TDs). Trevor Harris threw for 277 yards and two TDs in leading Saskatchewan (1-0) past Ottawa last week and is 9-5 versus Hamilton. This week, the club signed veteran running back Ka'Deem Carey, who ran for 1,060 yards last season with Toronto before surprisingly being released after training camp. Pick: Saskatchewan. NOTE — Last week's B.C.-Edmonton game marked just the 12th time in 5,395 CFL games that both teams started Canadian quarterbacks (Rourke for the Lions, Tre Ford for Elks). Last week: 3-1. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2025.
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Montreal Alouettes aiming to continue their winning ways versus Ottawa Redblacks
There has been no place quite like TD Place for the Montreal Alouettes. Montreal (1-0) visits the Ottawa Redblacks (0-1) on Friday night. The Alouettes have not only won their last eight head-to-head meetings with their East Division rival but are riding a 10-game win streak at TD Place. And there's the matter of Montreal quarterback Davis Alexander sporting a 5-0 record as a CFL starter. Bo Levi Mitchell, currently of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, was the last quarterback to start 5-0 when he was with the Calgary Stampeders. Alexander, in his first full season as Montreal's starter, was 19-of-26 passing for 205 yards with a touchdown and interception in last week's season-opening 28-10 home win over Toronto. He also ran four times for 50 yards. Montreal converted on 14-of-24 second-down opportunities while rushing for 163 yards on 26 carries (6.3-yard average). That's noteworthy as last week all four opening-week winners were not only at home but also rushed for more yards than their opponents. A stout Montreal defence did its part, holding Toronto to 276 net offensive yards while forcing three turnovers (two interceptions, fumble recovery) in the contest. Ottawa opened its season with a 31-26 road loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Redblacks quarterback Dru Brown threw for 413 yards and two touchdowns, becoming just the fourth player ever to have 400 or more yards passing in three straight regular-season games, dating back to 2024. Brown is the first to do so since Calgary's Doug Flutie in '93 but has been limited in practice this week with a hip ailment. Justin Hardy (eight catches, 133 yards, TD) and Bralon Addison (eight catches, 112 yards) were Brown's favourite targets. Veteran Eugene Lewis had five receptions for 57 yards and a touchdown in his first game with the Redblacks. Lewis has recorded TD grabs in nine straight games dating back to last season with Edmonton. If he can do so versus Montreal, Lewis would tie Terry Evanshen's CFL record of 10 consecutive contests with a touchdown reception. Ottawa was a CFL-best 7-1-1 last season at TD Place. Pick: Montreal. —- B.C. Lions versus Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Thursday night) At Winnipeg, the Bombers open their season minus starter Zach Collaros, who will serve the one-game suspension he received last month from the CFL for failing to respond to an off-season drug-testing request. Veteran QB Chris Streveler starts but guard Pat Neufeld remains a game-time decision. Nathan Rourke was the league's offensive player of the week after passing for 324 yards and three TDs in leading B.C. (1-0) past Edmonton 31-14 but he's 0-3 lifetime versus the Bombers with three TDs and five interceptions. Lions head coach Buck Pierce returns to Manitoba, where he spent 10 seasons as an assistant and won two Grey Cups before being hired by B.C. Pick: B.C. —- Calgary Stampeders versus Toronto Argonauts (Saturday afternoon) At Toronto, the Argos (0-1) are 27-7 at BMO Field under head coach Ryan Dinwiddie, including 16-2 the past two seasons. But Calgary (1-0) is the only team Dinwiddie has a losing record against (3-4) and Stamps head coach/GM Dave Dickenson is 12-3 all-time versus the defending champions. Nick Arbuckle is expected to make a second straight start for Toronto ahead of Chad Kelly (leg). Stamps' starter Vernon Adams Jr. is 2-5 versus the Argos but has 14 TD passes in those matchups. He threw for 284 yards in last week's 38-26 home win over Hamilton with two interceptions. Pick: Toronto. —- Saskatchewan Roughriders versus Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Saturday night) At Hamilton, Mitchell again chases his 100th career regular-season win. He was 31-of-50 passing for 304 yards and a TD last week in Calgary. Over his last six starts, Mitchell is averaging 346 yards passing and is 12-6 versus the Riders. But last week the Ticats defence had no answer for the Stampeders' ground game (158 yards on 31 carries, three Dedrick Mills' TDs). Trevor Harris threw for 277 yards and two TDs in leading Saskatchewan (1-0) past Ottawa last week and is 9-5 versus Hamilton. This week, the club signed veteran running back Ka'Deem Carey, who ran for 1,060 yards last season with Toronto before surprisingly being released after training camp. Pick: Saskatchewan. NOTE — Last week's B.C.-Edmonton game marked just the 12th time in 5,395 CFL games that both teams started Canadian quarterbacks (Rourke for the Lions, Tre Ford for Elks). Last week: 3-1. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Montreal Alouettes aiming to continue their winning ways versus Ottawa Redblacks
There has been no place quite like TD Place for the Montreal Alouettes. Montreal (1-0) visits the Ottawa Redblacks (0-1) on Friday night. The Alouettes have not only won their last eight head-to-head meetings with their East Division rival but are riding a 10-game win streak at TD Place. And there's the matter of Montreal quarterback Davis Alexander sporting a 5-0 record as a CFL starter. Bo Levi Mitchell, currently of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, was the last quarterback to start 5-0 when he was with the Calgary Stampeders. Alexander, in his first full season as Montreal's starter, was 19-of-26 passing for 205 yards with a touchdown and interception in last week's season-opening 28-10 home win over Toronto. He also ran four times for 50 yards. Montreal converted on 14-of-24 second-down opportunities while rushing for 163 yards on 26 carries (6.3-yard average). That's noteworthy as last week all four opening-week winners were not only at home but also rushed for more yards than their opponents. A stout Montreal defence did its part, holding Toronto to 276 net offensive yards while forcing three turnovers (two interceptions, fumble recovery) in the contest. Ottawa opened its season with a 31-26 road loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Redblacks quarterback Dru Brown threw for 413 yards and two touchdowns, becoming just the fourth player ever to have 400 or more yards passing in three straight regular-season games, dating back to 2024. Brown is the first to do so since Calgary's Doug Flutie in '93 but has been limited in practice this week with a hip ailment. Justin Hardy (eight catches, 133 yards, TD) and Bralon Addison (eight catches, 112 yards) were Brown's favourite targets. Veteran Eugene Lewis had five receptions for 57 yards and a touchdown in his first game with the Redblacks. Lewis has recorded TD grabs in nine straight games dating back to last season with Edmonton. If he can do so versus Montreal, Lewis would tie Terry Evanshen's CFL record of 10 consecutive contests with a touchdown reception. Ottawa was a CFL-best 7-1-1 last season at TD Place. Pick: Montreal. — B.C. Lions versus Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Thursday night) At Winnipeg, the Bombers open their season minus starter Zach Collaros, who will serve the one-game suspension he received last month from the CFL for failing to respond to an off-season drug-testing request. Veteran QB Chris Streveler starts but guard Pat Neufeld remains a game-time decision. Nathan Rourke was the league's offensive player of the week after passing for 324 yards and three TDs in leading B.C. (1-0) past Edmonton 31-14 but he's 0-3 lifetime versus the Bombers with three TDs and five interceptions. Lions head coach Buck Pierce returns to Manitoba, where he spent 10 seasons as an assistant and won two Grey Cups before being hired by B.C. Pick: B.C. — Calgary Stampeders versus Toronto Argonauts (Saturday afternoon) At Toronto, the Argos (0-1) are 27-7 at BMO Field under head coach Ryan Dinwiddie, including 16-2 the past two seasons. But Calgary (1-0) is the only team Dinwiddie has a losing record against (3-4) and Stamps head coach/GM Dave Dickenson is 12-3 all-time versus the defending champions. Nick Arbuckle is expected to make a second straight start for Toronto ahead of Chad Kelly (leg). Stamps' starter Vernon Adams Jr. is 2-5 versus the Argos but has 14 TD passes in those matchups. He threw for 284 yards in last week's 38-26 home win over Hamilton with two interceptions. Pick: Toronto. — Saskatchewan Roughriders versus Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Saturday night) Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. At Hamilton, Mitchell again chases his 100th career regular-season win. He was 31-of-50 passing for 304 yards and a TD last week in Calgary. Over his last six starts, Mitchell is averaging 346 yards passing and is 12-6 versus the Riders. But last week the Ticats defence had no answer for the Stampeders' ground game (158 yards on 31 carries, three Dedrick Mills' TDs). Trevor Harris threw for 277 yards and two TDs in leading Saskatchewan (1-0) past Ottawa last week and is 9-5 versus Hamilton. This week, the club signed veteran running back Ka'Deem Carey, who ran for 1,060 yards last season with Toronto before surprisingly being released after training camp. Pick: Saskatchewan. NOTE — Last week's B.C.-Edmonton game marked just the 12th time in 5,395 CFL games that both teams started Canadian quarterbacks (Rourke for the Lions, Tre Ford for Elks). Last week: 3-1. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2025.
Hamilton Spectator
03-06-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Veteran receiver Lewis opens CFL season chasing CFL touchdown receptions record
Eugene Lewis will resume his quest to land in the CFL record book. Lewis and the Ottawa Redblacks open the 2025 campaign Thursday night, visiting the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Lewis, 32, joined Ottawa in free agency following two seasons with the Edmonton Elks. The six-foot, 200-pound Lewis finished 2024 on quite a roll. The three-time CFL all-star had TD catches in Edmonton's final eight regular-season contests, breaking the club record of seven and tying the franchise mark for consecutive games with any type of touchdown. Lewis needs touchdown catches in Ottawa's first two games to tie Hall of Famer Terry Evanshen's CFL mark for consecutive matches with a TD grab (10). The former Penn State star has recorded 398 catches for 6,261 yards and 41 TDs in 97 regular-season contests. He was the East Division's outstanding player in 2022 after recording 91 receptions for 1,303 yards and 10 TDs with Montreal. Lewis won't be the only CFL player worth watching this season. Others include: — Edmonton defensive linemen Jake Ceresna and Robbie Smith, who helped Toronto earn a CFL-best 48 sacks last season. Ceresna and Argos teammate Ralph Holley both had eight sacks to finish in a five-way tie for the league lead while Smith, of Brampton, Ont., recorded six for the Grey Cup champions. — Winnipeg running back Brady Oliveira. The five-foot-11, 222-pound Oliveira was the league's top Canadian and outstanding player last season after claiming a second straight CFL rushing title (1,353 yards). The Winnipeg native also led in yards from scrimmage (1,829) for a second consecutive season. — Montreal linebackers Tyrice Beverette and Darnell Sankey. Beverette was the East Division's top defensive player with a CFL-high 137 defensive plays — including 102 tackles — and second overall in tackles for a loss (eight) while adding five sacks, four forced fumbles and two interceptions. Sankey recorded 107 tackles with a sack and an interception. — Ottawa linebacker Adarius Pickett. The 28-year-old was an East Division all-star despite playing only 13 games in 2024 before suffering a season-ending ruptured Achilles tendon. Pickett had 52 tackles, 14 special-teams tackles, a sack, an interception and a forced fumble. — Edmonton Elks linebacker Nick Anderson. The five-foot-11, 242-pound Anderson was the CFL's top rookie last season after finishing tied with teammate Nyles Morgan for most defensive tackles (111). He was also second in total tackles (116) and defensive plays (130). — Roland Milligan Jr., Saskatchewan Roughriders. The five-foot-11, 200-pound defensive back was the league's top defensive player after leading the CFL in interceptions and defensive takeaways (both eight) and registering 111 defensive plays (fifth overall). He was also third in special-teams tackles (20) and helped the Riders rank first in forced turnovers (49), forced fumbles (17) and fumble recoveries (14) and second in interceptions (24). — Folarin Orimolade, Calgary Stampeders. After helping Toronto win a second Grey Cup in three seasons, Orimolade was dealt back to Calgary, where he began his CFL career in 2018, for Canadian linebacker Cam Judge. Orimolade, who earned a Grey Cup ring in 2018 with the Stamps, had 17 tackles, six sacks, one interception and a forced fumble last season. — Judge, a Montreal native, begins his second stint in Toronto, playing there in 2022 before being traded to Calgary. Judge joins veteran Wynton McManis to solidify the Argos' linebacking corps. Judge had 73 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble in 18 regular-season contests last season with the Stampeders. — Mathieu Betts, B.C. Lions. The veteran defensive end was the CFL's top defensive player in 2023 with 18 sacks _ the most by a Canadian. He rejoined the Lions last season after being released by the NFL's Detroit Lions and had two sacks in seven regular-season games. A full '25 campaign should help the 30-year-old Montreal native regain his '23 form. — Greg Bell, Hamilton Tiger-Cats. After platooning last season with veteran James Butler, the six-foot, 200-pound Bell has the starting job in 2025, as Butler was released in January and re-signed with B.C. Bell ran for a team-high 625 yards (6.6-yard average) and six TDs in just eight games last season and added 29 catches for 230 yards and a touchdown. — William Stanback, Ottawa. The veteran running back joined the Redblacks after rushing for 1,175 yards (5.1-yard average) and three TDs last season with B.C. It was the 30-year-old's first 1,000-yard campaign since posting a career-high 1,176 yards with Montreal in 2021. Ottawa was last overall in CFL rushing last season (83.7 yards per game). — Janarion Grant, Toronto Argonauts. Grant led the CFL in punt return yards (989), average (14.8 yards), and touchdowns (three) en route to being named its top special-teams player. Grant was also second in kick-return average (24.4) and fourth in kick return yards (1,000) while recording a 103-yard TD return. — Joe Maltos, Montreal. The Mexican-born Maltos opens the season as the club's starting kicker with the off-season retirement of Canadian David Cote. Maltos made 33-of-36 field goals (91.7 per cent) over 14 regular-season games in 2024 in place of the injured Cote. At one point, he made 20 consecutive field goals while also handling kickoffs (45 for 2,880 yards) to earn a two-year extension. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Toronto Star
03-06-2025
- Business
- Toronto Star
Veteran receiver Lewis opens CFL season chasing CFL touchdown receptions record
Eugene Lewis will resume his quest to land in the CFL record book. Lewis and the Ottawa Redblacks open the 2025 campaign Thursday night, visiting the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Lewis, 32, joined Ottawa in free agency following two seasons with the Edmonton Elks. The six-foot, 200-pound Lewis finished 2024 on quite a roll. The three-time CFL all-star had TD catches in Edmonton's final eight regular-season contests, breaking the club record of seven and tying the franchise mark for consecutive games with any type of touchdown. Lewis needs touchdown catches in Ottawa's first two games to tie Hall of Famer Terry Evanshen's CFL mark for consecutive matches with a TD grab (10). ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The former Penn State star has recorded 398 catches for 6,261 yards and 41 TDs in 97 regular-season contests. He was the East Division's outstanding player in 2022 after recording 91 receptions for 1,303 yards and 10 TDs with Montreal. Lewis won't be the only CFL player worth watching this season. Others include: — Edmonton defensive linemen Jake Ceresna and Robbie Smith, who helped Toronto earn a CFL-best 48 sacks last season. Ceresna and Argos teammate Ralph Holley both had eight sacks to finish in a five-way tie for the league lead while Smith, of Brampton, Ont., recorded six for the Grey Cup champions. — Winnipeg running back Brady Oliveira. The five-foot-11, 222-pound Oliveira was the league's top Canadian and outstanding player last season after claiming a second straight CFL rushing title (1,353 yards). The Winnipeg native also led in yards from scrimmage (1,829) for a second consecutive season. — Montreal linebackers Tyrice Beverette and Darnell Sankey. Beverette was the East Division's top defensive player with a CFL-high 137 defensive plays — including 102 tackles — and second overall in tackles for a loss (eight) while adding five sacks, four forced fumbles and two interceptions. Sankey recorded 107 tackles with a sack and an interception. — Ottawa linebacker Adarius Pickett. The 28-year-old was an East Division all-star despite playing only 13 games in 2024 before suffering a season-ending ruptured Achilles tendon. Pickett had 52 tackles, 14 special-teams tackles, a sack, an interception and a forced fumble. — Edmonton Elks linebacker Nick Anderson. The five-foot-11, 242-pound Anderson was the CFL's top rookie last season after finishing tied with teammate Nyles Morgan for most defensive tackles (111). He was also second in total tackles (116) and defensive plays (130). ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW — Roland Milligan Jr., Saskatchewan Roughriders. The five-foot-11, 200-pound defensive back was the league's top defensive player after leading the CFL in interceptions and defensive takeaways (both eight) and registering 111 defensive plays (fifth overall). He was also third in special-teams tackles (20) and helped the Riders rank first in forced turnovers (49), forced fumbles (17) and fumble recoveries (14) and second in interceptions (24). — Folarin Orimolade, Calgary Stampeders. After helping Toronto win a second Grey Cup in three seasons, Orimolade was dealt back to Calgary, where he began his CFL career in 2018, for Canadian linebacker Cam Judge. Orimolade, who earned a Grey Cup ring in 2018 with the Stamps, had 17 tackles, six sacks, one interception and a forced fumble last season. — Judge, a Montreal native, begins his second stint in Toronto, playing there in 2022 before being traded to Calgary. Judge joins veteran Wynton McManis to solidify the Argos' linebacking corps. Judge had 73 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble in 18 regular-season contests last season with the Stampeders. — Mathieu Betts, B.C. Lions. The veteran defensive end was the CFL's top defensive player in 2023 with 18 sacks _ the most by a Canadian. He rejoined the Lions last season after being released by the NFL's Detroit Lions and had two sacks in seven regular-season games. A full '25 campaign should help the 30-year-old Montreal native regain his '23 form. — Greg Bell, Hamilton Tiger-Cats. After platooning last season with veteran James Butler, the six-foot, 200-pound Bell has the starting job in 2025, as Butler was released in January and re-signed with B.C. Bell ran for a team-high 625 yards (6.6-yard average) and six TDs in just eight games last season and added 29 catches for 230 yards and a touchdown. — William Stanback, Ottawa. The veteran running back joined the Redblacks after rushing for 1,175 yards (5.1-yard average) and three TDs last season with B.C. It was the 30-year-old's first 1,000-yard campaign since posting a career-high 1,176 yards with Montreal in 2021. Ottawa was last overall in CFL rushing last season (83.7 yards per game). ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW — Janarion Grant, Toronto Argonauts. Grant led the CFL in punt return yards (989), average (14.8 yards), and touchdowns (three) en route to being named its top special-teams player. Grant was also second in kick-return average (24.4) and fourth in kick return yards (1,000) while recording a 103-yard TD return. — Joe Maltos, Montreal. The Mexican-born Maltos opens the season as the club's starting kicker with the off-season retirement of Canadian David Cote. Maltos made 33-of-36 field goals (91.7 per cent) over 14 regular-season games in 2024 in place of the injured Cote. At one point, he made 20 consecutive field goals while also handling kickoffs (45 for 2,880 yards) to earn a two-year extension. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2025.
