3 stats that may loom large in the 111th Grey Cup
VANCOUVER — If football is a game of inches, the 111th Grey Cup may very well be a game of millimeters.
There will be no margin for error when the two teams left standing face off for the ultimate glory on Sunday, November 17 at BC Place.
By now you know all the clichés. Run the ball, take care of the football and pressure the quarterback. Well, they are clichés for a reason.
CFL.ca brings you three stats that may loom large in the 111th Grey Cup between the Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
111th GREY CUP
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158 – RUSHING FIRST DOWNS
The Argonauts moved the chains via their running game a total of 158 times in 2024. That’s the best mark among all teams, with the Blue Bombers coming in second with 153 rushing first downs.
It’s especially evident that both offences go as their running games go when you look at passing first downs. The Argos ranked seventh and the Bombers ninth in passing first downs, relying heavily on their tailbacks and pivots to run the ball to keep drives alive.
It makes it all a lot easier when you have Ka’Deem Carey and Brady Oliveira, two of the best running backs in the CFL, at your disposal. The duo was also first and second in first downs gained through the ground, with Carey at 72 and Oliveira 67, including playoffs.
39 – TAKEAWAYS
If the Argos are going to capture their second title in three years they’ll likely have to rely heavily on their defence taking the ball away from Winnipeg.
The Boatmen finished second in the CFL in 2024 in takeaways with 39, excelling especially in the fumble department with 20 forced and 10 recovered. A big part of that number is a pass rush that led the league in sacks with 48, creating the kind of havoc that usually leads to offensive mistakes.
The group that features Jake Ceresna, Robbie Smith, Folarin Orimolade and Ralph Holley forms one of the best quartets in the league and is more than capable of taking over a game.
40 – SACKS ALLOWED
Toronto was the best team avoiding sacks in 2023, but finished second last in 2024 with 40 quarterback takedowns allowed. With a new quarterback under centre for the biggest game of the year in Nick Arbuckle, it’ll be crucial that the protection holds up against a Blue Bombers pass rush that finished last in the league in sacks with 26.
Despite underperforming during the regular season, Toronto kept the Montreal Alouettes to only one sack in the Eastern Final, while Winnipeg was able to get to Saskatchewan’s quarterback Trevor Harris twice in the Western Final.
The duel between a pass-rushing unit led by All-CFL Willie Jefferson and an offensive line that features fellow All-CFL offensive lineman Ryan Hunter could go a long way in deciding who wins the 111th Grey Cup.
