With the help of a normal slate of preseason matchups in 2019, CFL teams flew out of the gates, averaging a combined total of 60.9 points per game through the season’s first eight contests.

In stark contrast, the offences in 2021 have sputtered and produced a mere combined total of 36.3 points per game over the first eight contests.

That’s a 40 per cent drop in scoring from the first two weeks in 2019 to the first two weeks of 2021 after the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

That number is staggering to say the least.

It’s been reflected in the CFL totals, as the under is a combined 7-1 to start the season.

While scoring in 2019 eventually regressed to the mean with a final average of 49.5 points per game, I would expect a similar effect to take place as this season progresses.

Offences will start to click and points will once again start to fill scoreboards across the country.

Just don’t expect it to happen this week as teams continue to knock off rust and regain their form following the 20-month absence of Canadian football.

Still, we haven’t seen a major adjustment from sportsbooks when it comes to setting the totals.

Thursday’s game between the Edmonton Elks and BC Lions currently features the highest total on the board for Week 3 at 47.

Meanwhile, Saturday’s contest between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Toronto Argonauts currently features the lowest total on the board at 43.5.

CANADIAN CONTENT

With Bo Levi Mitchell being placed on the six-game injured list due to a broken fibula, Canadian QB Michael O’Connor is expected to take the reins of the Calgary Stampeders offence this Friday night.

The Week 3 matchup against the Montreal Alouettes would be O’Connor’s first career CFL start, after he served as a backup for 11 games with Toronto and Calgary over the past two seasons.

While few, if any, signal-callers born north of the border can rival O’Connor’s resume, the odds of a successful debut are not in his favour.

Since the CFL was established in 1958, only 14 Canadians have managed to start a game at the quarterback position. That collection of Canucks has an overall record of 3-11 in their respective debuts.

In fact, the last time a Canadian QB won their first career start was 37 years ago – August 19, 1984, when Greg Vavra and the Stampeders beat Saskatchewan 32-11.

Combine that historical trend with an Alouettes defence that looked ferocious in their Week 2 dismantling of the Elks, and it could very well be a long day at the office for O’Connor.

The Als sacked Trevor Harris four times, forced two turnovers on downs and held the most prolific receiver in the CFL since 2015 (Greg Ellingson) to just one catch for a single yard in a 30-13 win over Edmonton in Week 2.

Montreal is a three-point favourite at Calgary this week.

O’Connor and the Stampeders will be in tough to cover getting just a field goal at home.  

FANTASY WATCH

Vernon Adams Jr., MTL at CGY: Big Play VA led all CFL QBs with 21.76 fantasy points per game in 2019 and didn’t miss a beat in his season opener against the Elks. Adams Jr. put up 19.3 points in a game that was well out of reach by half-time. This week in Calgary, the Als pivot has a mouth-watering matchup against a defence that has allowed a league-high 348 passing yards per game.

Kyran Moore, SSK vs. OTT: With Shaq Evans out for 6-to-8 weeks with a broken foot, Moore is sure to gain a greater share of targets. Moore currently leads all Riders receivers with 10 catches, 110 yards and two touchdowns entering Week 3.