• Tyrice Beverette is key to the Alouettes' defensive success: Beverette is one of just two players in the league with grades above 70.0 in all three defensive phases (run defense, pass rush and coverage).
• QB Jake Maier cooling off after hot two-game start to the season: In his last two games, Maier has put up a 65.9 passing grade and averaged just 5.3 yards per attempt, one big-time throw and two turnover-worthy plays.
• Ryquell Armstead is carrying Ottawa's rushing load: Armstead's 84.5 rushing grade leads the CFL, and so does his 4.3 yards after contact per carry.
Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
TORONTO ARGONAUTS VS. MONTREAL ALOUETTES
When these two teams met two weeks ago, they were both unbeaten and looking to claim the top spot in the East Division. Montreal won that game and then came away with a huge come-from-behind win against the Calgary Stampeders last week to keep the undefeated streak alive.
Toronto, meanwhile, followed up its loss to Montreal with another loss to the surprising Saskatchewan Roughriders. A loss this week would effectively put them five games back of the Alouettes for first place.
The Argos need better play from quarterback Cameron Dukes, who is currently the lowest-graded quarterback in the CFL, having recorded just a 59.4 passing grade and a league-high 5.0% turnover-worthy play rate.
Dukes won’t have an easy time trying to throw against the Alouettes' secondary trio of Kabion Ento (76.7 coverage grade), Nafees Lyon (76.2) and Dionté Ruffin (75.6), as their coverage grades rank third, fourth and fifth, respectively, among corners and halfbacks across the league.
MATCHUP TO WATCH: WR TYSON PHILPOT, MONTREAL VS. CB JONATHAN EDOUARD, TORONTO
Philpot is having a season for the ages for Montreal, as he is on pace to catch 144 passes for 2,030 yards. Both of those marks would rank second all-time in CFL history.
Philpot is as sure-handed as they come. He's yet to drop a pass and has caught four of his five contested targets. He’s also forced a league-high 16 missed tackles, with no other receiver having forced more than 10.
So, Toronto’s field cornerback Edouard will have his hands full. Edouard has played in only two games this season but hasn’t allowed a catch on two targets and has an interception. He spent the majority of 2023 as a special teams player and is now being thrust into a starting role. With a career missed tackle rate of 18%, he may struggle to stop Philpot if he gets the ball in open space.
PLAYER TO WATCH: LB TYRICE BEVERETTE, MONTREAL
While Montreal’s defense has so many solid pieces, none may be as important to them as Beverette in the middle. The linebacker is one of just two players in the league with grades above 70.0 in all three defensive phases (run defense, pass rush and coverage).
His six run stops rank eighth in the CFL. He has a sack, five pressures and two batted passes on 55 pass-rush snaps. His 73.8 pass-rush grade is the highest for any linebacker in the CFL. Finally, despite allowing 20 receptions in coverage (fifth-most in the league), he’s allowed only 167 yards and six first downs. Beverette is a true do-it-all linebacker, and his ability to excel in all phases of defense allows this Montreal defense to be so successful.
CALGARY STAMPEDERS VS. WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
The Blue Bombers finally got over the hump last week, earning their first win of the season in an uninspiring victory over the Ottawa Redblacks. The good news for them is that running back Brady Oliveira finally broke out last week, earning the highest PFF grade at the position in Week 5.
Oliveira should be a huge help to a returning QB Zach Collaros, who missed last week due to injury and is in the midst of a very slow start to the season.
Meanwhile, Calgary will have to bounce back from a fourth-quarter collapse against the Montreal Alouettes. The Stamps defense is currently allowing the most yards per game (396.0) but also ranks first in touchdowns allowed (nine). Will the bend-but-not-break defensive strategy work long-term?
MATCHUP TO WATCH: LT D’ANTNE DEMERY, CALGARY VS. ED WILLIE JEFFERSON, WINNIPEG
Calgary has fielded one of the best pass-blocking offensive lines this year. Demery has led that line, allowing just two total pressures all season for an 81.0 pass-blocking grade that ranks third among tackles.
He’ll be important when it comes to slowing down the ageless Willie Jefferson, who ranks second in the league with 21 total pressures this season. Jefferson may not have the finishing ability he once did, but he can still affect the quarterback with his hurries. He also has batted down two passes at the line and will be looking to add more this week.
PLAYER TO WATCH: QB JAKE MAIER, CALGARY
The biggest issue with Maier throughout his CFL career has been consistency. He’s capable of incredible games but is just as likely to follow them up with disappointment.
The same thing is happening again this season. Two games into the season, Maier boasted a 93.2 passing grade, a 9.9 yards per attempt average and four big-time throws to zero turnover-worthy plays. In the two games since, he’s put up a 65.9 pass grade with just 5.3 yards per attempt, one big-time throw and two turnover-worthy plays.
Calgary has typically gone as Maier has gone in recent seasons, so the team will need him to bounce back and have a good game for them to have a chance in this game.
SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS VS. BRITISH COLUMBIA LIONS
The Roughriders continued their impressive start to the season with a win last week and remain unbeaten at the top of the West Division standings. They secured the Week 5 win largely on the back of their defense, with players like halfback Rolan Milligan (86.3 overall grade) and interior defender Anthony Lanier II (79.2) grading near the top of the league last week.
That defense will be tested in a massive way against this historically good BC Lions offense. Quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. is on pace for one of the all-time best CFL seasons. They have elite players all across their offense, and if Saskatchewan can’t slow them down, it will be a long night for them.
MATCHUP TO WATCH: RB A.J. OUELLETTE, SASKATCHEWAN VS. LB BEN HLADIK, BRITISH COLUMBIA
The way to beat the Lions is to keep their offense off the field. The Roughriders can do just that by running the football heavily with Ouellette.
The problem with that is that Ouellette has not been the same player this season as he was last season. His 67.3 rushing grade ranks ninth among starting running backs in the CFL, and it’s not going to get any easier to run against a Lions defense led by Hladik.
Hladik's 77.4 run-defense grade ranks third among all linebackers in the CFL, and his eight solo stops rank second among all defenders. If he can keep Ouellette contained and not allow Saskatchewan to control the clock, the Lions could be in for a big game.
PLAYER TO WATCH: LB JAMEER THURMAN, SASKATCHEWAN
No linebacker has been better in coverage this year. Thurman has allowed just eight receptions for 68 yards and only three first downs across 156 coverage snaps. He also has an interception and a pass breakup.
Thurman’s 83.8 coverage grade ranks third among all defenders in the CFL, and he has now gone 36 straight games without allowing a touchdown in coverage, dating back to the 2022 season. In that span, he’s picked off four passes and broken up six.
OTTAWA REDBLACKS VS. EDMONTON ELKS
The Edmonton Elks have lost all four games they’ve played by an average of 4.25 points this year. The Redblacks have won two of their four games, yet they have been outscored by an average of 7.25 points across those four games.
The standings don’t mean everything when it comes to these two teams. The biggest difference here is the play of the two quarterbacks. Edmonton QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson has a 90.2 passing grade that ranks second in the league. Ottawa QB Dru Brown’s passing grade of 59.4 is tied for the lowest.
Edmonton has found ways to lose despite that strong quarterback play, while Ottawa has found ways to win despite their quarterback struggling. It’s fair to wonder how much longer that can happen, though, and if perhaps this is Edmonton’s time to get in the win column.
MATCHUP TO WATCH: LT MARTEZ IVEY, EDMONTON VS. ED LORENZO MAULDIN IV, OTTAWA
This matchup is the battle of the stats not exactly lining up with both players’ level of play. Ivey has yet to allow a sack this season, but he’s allowed 11 total pressures and has been beaten on eight other pass-block snaps. His pass-blocking efficiency score of 96.6 ranks 13th among tackles in the CFL.
He’ll see a lot of Mauldin, whose 18 total pressures rank fourth in the league, but his pass-rush grade of 64.9 ranks 25th. That’s because nine of those pressures have either been unblocked or clean-up pressures.
Both players are better than they’ve been playing this season, and this game could be the chance for one of them to showcase that.
PLAYER TO WATCH: RB RYQUELL ARMSTEAD, OTTAWA
The best running back in the CFL through five weeks wasn’t even supposed to be playing. Ottawa signed Armstead to hopefully make up for the loss of injured Devonte Williams, and Armstead has proven to be much more than just a replacement player, as his 84.5 rushing grade leads the CFL, as does his 4.3 yards after contact per carry.
Armstead has forced 20 missed tackles on his 50 carries, far and away the most in the league. Ottawa would be wise to keep leaning on Armstead while QB Dru Brown works to improve as a starting quarterback if they want to keep winning games.
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