The biggest single difference between CFL ball and NFL ball is three downs versus four.
With fewer downs to make your 10 yards, more offensive aggression is necessary, which usually means more passing and a lot less settling for plays that might only get you a couple yards.
Plays running out of the shotgun are far more common as a result, pass patterns full of eligible receivers are encouraged, and when you run the ball, you need to have a play set up that is designed to get you half the distance to the first down marker.
Going for it on third and short is also far more common. Going two and out is no way to win, so you need to take a shot at it if the odds work. CFL rules require the defense to set up a yard off the line of scrimmage—that extra yard of space between the offensive and defensive lines also means that there's really no excuse for not getting your first down on a QB keeper, so teams tend to go for it.
The most utterly boring play in the NFL is a punt followed by a fair catch.
With a situation that lame, where no play is actually made by the receiving team, wouldn't it be easier for them to just request a ball placement 40 yards from the line of scrimmage and be done with it?
There's none of this sissy stuff in the CFL.
When a punt is made, the receiving team is obliged to make a play. The kicking team must give the kick returner five yards or suffer a "no yards" penalty, but once the ball hits the receiver's hands, all bets are off, so he better be ready to start running.
More return attempts equals more opportunities for big plays equals more excitement.
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