• QB Vernon Adams Jr., Most Outstanding Player so far: Adams Jr. has made the most big-time throws in the CFL this season (15) while also having the fewest turnover-worthy plays (one) and leads the CFL with a 93.9 overall grade
• Breakout game for Montreal WR Cole Spieker: The third-year receiver caught all eight of the targets he saw for 113 yards, six first downs and a touchdown. He was one-for-one on contested targets, had two explosive receptions and averaged 2.76 yards per route run.
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Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes
Week 4 was an absolute nail-biter with three of the four games decided by three points or less, including one going to overtime. There were plenty of individuals to highlight, like QB Vernon Adams Jr. continuing his case for top player in the league, or LG Pier-Olivier Lestage, who has been the top left guard for each of the last three weeks.
Despite losing their fourth-straight game, Hamilton was actually tied for the most players on this week’s ‘Team of the Week’ with five. They shared that with Calgary, who won their second game of the season. The 0-4 Winnipeg Blue Bombers, this season’s biggest disappointment, finished with just one player on the team, their kick returner Chris Smith.
OFFENSE
QB: Vernon Adams Jr., BC
RB: Ryquell Armstead, Ottawa
Outside WR: Jaelon Acklin, Ottawa
Slot WR: Cole Spieker, Montreal
Slot WR: Arkell Smith, Edmonton
Slot WR: Marken Michel, Calgary
Outside WR: Dillon Mitchell, Edmonton
LT: D’Antne Demery, Calgary
LG: Pier-Olivier Lestage, Montreal
C: Tyler Packer, BC
RG: Gregor Mackellar, Toronto
RT: Zack Pelehos, Ottawa
DEFENSE
DI: Trevon Mason, Hamilton
DI: Casey Sayles, Hamilton
Edge: James Vaughters, Calgary
Edge: Robbie Smith, Toronto
LB: DQ Thomas, Hamilton
LB: Wynton McManis, Toronto
Cover LB: Adarius Pickett, Ottawa
CB: Garry Peters, BC
CB: Richard Leonard, Hamilton
HB: Kobe Williams, Calgary
HB: Darrius Bratton, Edmonton
S: Stavros Katsantonis, Hamilton
SPECIAL TEAMS
K: Rene Paredes, Calgary
P: Jake Julien, Edmonton
Returner: Chris Smith, Winnipeg
QUARTERBACK OF THE WEEK: QB VERNON ADAMS JR., BRITISH COLUMBIA
It was yet another fantastic week for Adams, the CFL's clear top quarterback this season. He finished the day with a 75.0% adjusted completion rate and made three big-time throws while leading his Lions to victory. This was his third straight game without a turnover-worthy play and finished with a 90.4 passing grade. Adams has made the most big-time throws in the CFL this season (15) while also having the fewest turnover-worthy plays (one) in addition to leading the CFL with a 93.9 overall grade. He’s by far the early favorite for CFL’s Most Outstanding Player award.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: WR COLE SPIEKER, MONTREAL
Montreal continued its onslaught with a relatively sweat-free win over the Argonauts this past week thanks to the Spieker's play. The third-year receiver caught all eight of his targets for 113 yards, six first downs and a touchdown. He was one-for-one on contested targets, had two explosive receptions and averaged 2.76 yards per route run. Prior to this game, Spieker totaled just five catches for 49 yards. If this game was a sign of things to come for him, the Alouettes receiving group may be unstoppable.
OFFENSIVE LINE OF THE WEEK: TORONTO ARGONAUTS
Another week, another offensive line of the week award for the Argonauts. Toronto led the league this week with 84 designed rushing yards thanks to a league-high 2.4 yards before contact per rush average. In the passing game, the Argonauts allowed just one sack and six total pressures on 40 pass-blocking snaps. Their team 95.0 pass-blocking efficiency score led the league. They were led by RG Gregor Mackellar and RT Dejon Allen, neither of whom allowed a single pressure. In fact, Allen wasn’t beaten on a single pass-blocking snap. Through their three games this season, Allen has lost just two pass-blocking snaps.
PASS-RUSHER OF THE WEEK: DI CASEY SAYLES, HAMILTON
There hasn’t been a pass-rusher as good as Sayles this season, and that continued this week with another big performance. By the base numbers, Sayles’ one quarterback hit and two hurries don’t seem overly impressive, but he also contributed three additional pass-rush wins as well as two batted passes. One of those was with 10 seconds left in the game and almost led to a Hamilton victory. His 80.7 pass-rush grade led the league this week. Through the first four weeks of the season, Sayles ranks first in the CFL with an 85.5 pass-rush grade thanks to 22 total pass-rush wins and three batted passes.
RUN DEFENDER OF THE WEEK: LB ADAM BIGHILL, WINNIPEG
The Blue Bombers almost came away with their first win of the season and they could thank their run defense for that. They made Calgary completely one-dimensional, holding them to just 2.7 yards per carry (the second-lowest mark in the CFL). They can thank their 11-year veteran linebacker for that. Bighill was the architect behind that run-stopping effort, making a league-high six tackles and four solo stops in the run game. He’s struggled a bit this season as he’s worked his way back from a training camp injury, but this game looked like the Bighill that Winnipeg is used to. If he’s all the way back, that’s a huge plus for a defense that’s really struggled so far this season.
COVERAGE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: CB RICHARD LEONARD, HAMILTON
Leonard was one of the best coverage corners in the CFL last season but hadn’t been able to reach that level through his first three games this season. That changed in Week 4, as his 76.8 coverage grade led all qualified defensive backs. He was targeted four times and allowed just one catch for four yards. He made three tackles and one solo stop in the passing game. He also would’ve had an easy interception on one play if the ball wasn’t deflected by his teammate underneath. Leonard getting back to that 2023 season level may be just what Hamilton needs to get their first win of the season.
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