Winnipeg Blue Bombers' Justin Medlock pumps his fist after kicking the winning field goal during the second half of a CFL football game against the B.C. Lions in Vancouver, B.C., on Friday October 14, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
TORONTO (November 4, 2016) – The Canadian Football League (CFL) released today the updated league-wide leaders in several key special teams stats categories as the 2016 CFL regular season comes to a close.
With the best team in the CFL’s regular season, the Calgary Stampeders, on a bye week, Winnipeg’s Justin Medlock has an opportunity to break the current tie with Rene Paredes for most successful field goals this season. Each player currently has 56, while Ottawa’s Chris Milo sits in third with 47.
Medlock is also on the verge of making history: with three more successful field goals this season, he’ll tie David Ridgway’s 1990 record of 59 in a single season; with four more, he’ll set his own record of 60.
Ticat Brandon Banks (1,205) comes back from his two-game suspension trailing BC’s Chris Rainey (1,310) by 105 kickoff return yards. Not far behind is Montreal’s Stefan Logan (1,182) who would need a spectacular individual performance this weekend to leapfrog both players into first.
If Logan (987) fails in that category, he very likely could surpass Calgary’s Roy Finch (993) for the most punt return yards this season. With the Stampeders on a bye week, Logan needs just seven yards to take over first place. Rainey is not far behind at 896.
The season punt return averages are incredibly close: less than a yard separates the top three players. The final order of Kevin Fogg (14.2), Roy Finch (14.0) and Chris Rainey (13.8) is still up for grabs, even with Calgary’s bye week.
On the special teams tackles front, Edmonton’s Michael Miller (27) leads Ticat Frédéric Plesius (23) by four, while two players sit in third with 21. Montreal’s Nicolas Boulay, who is in action this week against Hamilton, could challenge for one of the top two spots.
Here are the CFL’s league leaders in five key special teams categories:
Field Goals:
- Rene Paredes, CGY 56
- Justin Medlock, WPG 56
- Chris Milo, OTT 47
Kickoff Return Yards:
- Chris Rainey, BC (1,310)
- Brandon Banks, HAM (1,205)
- Stefan Logan, MTL (1,182)
Kickoff Average:
- Justin Medlock, WPG 66.8
- Rene Paredes, CGY 66.4
- Richie Leone, BC 65.2
Punt Return Average:
- Kevin Fogg, WPG 14.2
- Roy Finch, CGY 14.0
- Chris Rainey, BC 13.8
Punt Return Yards:
- Roy Finch, CGY 993
- Stefan Logan, MTL 987
- Chris Rainey, BC 896
Total Kick Return Yards (Punt Returns, Kickoff Returns, & Field Goal Miss Returns):
- Stefan Logan, MTL (2,300)
- Chris Rainey, BC (2,289)
- Roy Finch, CGY (2,251)
- Brandon Banks, HAM (2,023)
Tackles (special teams):
- Michael Miller, EDM 27
- Frédéric Plesius, HAM 23
- Glenn Love, CGY 21
- Nicolas Boulay, MTL 21
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers clash with the Ottawa REDBLACKS in front of another sold-out crowd in the nation’s capital on Friday Night Football, and a rare CFL triple-header on Saturday caps off Week 20. Montreal visits Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton in front of what will likely be a capacity crowd, Toronto will make a trip west to Edmonton, and Saskatchewan and BC will close the 2016 CFL regular season campaign in front of one of the largest crowds this season at BC Place.
