TORONTO — The last Friday Night Football of the year is a good final test for the two Eastern Semi-Final contestants.
The Ottawa REDBLACKS host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and their potent passing attack at TD Place to kick things off, with Bo Levi Mitchell set to challenge Ottawa’s secondary early and often.
The second matchup of the night pitches the Toronto Argonauts against the Edmonton Elks and young National pivot Tre Ford. The Elks have been a dangerous outfit over the second half of the season and will be looking to close out their season on a strong note against the Argos.
The Boatmen meanwhile will look to unleash their rookie sensation Makai Polk one last time as they prepare for their matchup against Damon Webb and the REDBLACKS in the Eastern Semi-Final.
CFL.ca brings you three matchups to watch on Friday Night Football.
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Tre Ford vs. Toronto’s defence
This is an intriguing matchup for two different reasons. The Argonauts are the second best offence limiting opponent’s yards (349.0 per game), mainly due to a unit that ranks first in rushing yards allowed per game (74.8). On the other hand, the Boatmen rank second to last in passing yards allowed (294.8 per game), something that Ford could exploit in his final game of 2024.
Ford’s coming off his second best passing grade of the season (84.0) against the Calgary Stampeders in Week 19, and is essentially playing to showcase he can be the full time starter in 2025 after coming in and out of the lineup the last two seasons.
Mitchell and the explosive Tiger-Cats’ passing offence will be an excellent test for Webb and the REDBLACKS defence going into the post-season. The Ticats lead the league in yards, yards per play, passing yards, pass attempts and completions. Ottawa meanwhile ranks middle of the pack against the pass (280.9) while allowing 27 plays of 30 or more yards, third worst mark in the league.
The Tabbies have shown they can be stopped via turnovers, however, with a minus-five ratio ranking them fourth worst in the league. Webb leads the REDBLACKS in interceptions with four and has allowed only three touchdowns all season. The defensive back is looking to rebound from a season-low 34.2 coverage grade in Week 20 as he prepares for a rematch with the Argonauts in the Eastern Semi-Final.
Makai Polk vs. Edmonton’s pass-defence
Polk has been a revelation for the Argonauts, hauling in 55 receptions for 902 yards and five touchdowns in 16 games on his way to being nominated by Toronto for the Most Outstanding Rookie award.
In search of his first 1,000-yard season, Polk faces an Elks pass-defence that is allowing a league-worst 307.3 passing yards per game. The six-foot-three receiver will have a chance to add not only to his total yardage but also to his 31 first downs and 16 contested catches that establishes him as an important piece of this offence.