British Columbia Lions wide receiver Justin McInnis of Pierrefonds, Quebec, shined on Sunday night during week five of the 2024 Canadian Football League regular season. McInnis had 10 catches for 144 yards and two touchdowns in a 44-28 Lions victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Tim Hortons Field. McInnis set career highs in receptions and receiving yards and caught two touchdowns for the second time in his career. The first came in a 41-37 Lions victory over the Ottawa Redblacks on September 16, 2023.
McInnis’ first touchdown catch on Sunday came in the first quarter. It was a converted five-yard touchdown catch from Vernon Adams Jr. that gave the Lions a 14-0 lead five minutes, 59 seconds into the second quarter. McInnis then caught a seven-yard touchdown catch from Adams Jr. one minute, 25 seconds into the second quarter that gave the Lions a 21-1 lead. In five games, McInnis has 31 catches for 482 receiving yards and four touchdowns. The Lions are second in the West Division with four wins and one loss.
Two other Canadians scored touchdowns against winning teams in Week Five. On Thursday in Regina, wide receiver Samuel Emilus of Montreal, Quebec, caught a converted 34-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Shea Patterson with five minutes and 48 seconds left in the second quarter, giving the Saskatchewan Roughriders a 10-9 lead at the time. The Roughriders beat the Toronto Argonauts 30-23. Emilus caught three passes for 54 yards. This season, he has 15 catches for 165 receiving yards and two touchdowns. The Roughriders lead the Western Division with four wins and zero losses.
The other Canadian with a touchdown in Week Five for a winning team was Kaion Julien-Grant of Toronto, Ontario. He caught a five-yard touchdown from Montreal Alouettes quarterback Cody Fajardo in the Alouettes’ 30-26 home win over the Calgary Stampeders on Saturday. Julien-Grant opened the scoring 8:18 into the first quarter. On Saturday, Julien-Grant had four catches for 20 receiving yards. In five games, Julien-Grant has 26 catches for 288 receiving yards and one touchdown. The Alouettes lead the East Division with five wins and zero losses.
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