Canadian Press
Berg vs. Ferg returns for another season on CFL.ca as columnists Pat Steinberg and Marshall Ferguson debate over some of the league’s most contentious storylines. This week they argue over which quarterback has been more valuable to his team: Mike Reilly or Matt Nichols?
One of the most remarkable storylines this first half of the CFL season has been the resilience of the Edmonton Eskimos. The Esks have managed to start their season 7-0 despite major injuries at virtually every position — save for one, of course.
Mike Reilly is one of the few Eskimo regulars who’s been able to stay healthy and therein lays a big part of the reason Edmonton has been able to overcome so many moving parts throughout the lineup.
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Reilly’s value can’t be overstated, making him an obvious candidate, at this point, to pick up his first Most Outstanding Player honour at year’s end. But he’s not the only quarterback who’s been valuable to his team.
Matt Nichols is quickly earning a reputation for his ability to come through in the clutch. And it’s hard not to forget how the Bombers were fading in the West before Nichols was named the starter last season. Since then, we should add, he’s 15-5 as a starter.
Watching Nichols lead the Bombers from two scores down against the Als was simply miraculous. Yet it was the way he followed it up on the road in Ottawa that really stands out.
Where would the Eskimos and Blue Bombers be without Mike Reilly and Matt Nichols? And which quarterback is more valuable to his team?
Steinberg and Ferguson weigh in:
| BERG VS. FERG: LAST WEEK’S RESULTS |
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CFL.ca |
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Steinberg – 172 (64%) Ferguson – 98 (36%) |
Steinberg – 329 (52%) Ferguson – 304 (48%) |
Steinberg – 501 (55%) Ferguson – 402 (45%) |
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FERG (3-6): THE ESKS ARE DEFINED BY REILLY’S CHARACTER
Marshall Ferguson, CFL.ca
@TSN_Marsh
The Edmonton Eskimos could not be 7-0 heading into Thursday night against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers without Mike Reilly.
That is all I need to know that he is the most valuable quarterback and player in the CFL right now.
He doesn’t have stats like Trevor Harris, or the ‘arm talent’ of a Jonathon Jennings, but he has led his team to beat both of their squads twice already in the first seven games.
Reilly uses his feet better than Toronto’s Ricky Ray, is more accurate than Montreal’s Darian Durant or Winnipeg’s Matt Nichols and has more wins as a starter this year than Calgary’s Bo Levi Mitchell.
All very much surface observations but the ability to be well rounded in approach and skill set has kept the Eskimos level headed through an unparalleled number of injuries through the team.
Head Coach Jason Maas and Offensive Coordinator Carson Walch absolutely deserve praise for their offensive evolution without Derel Walker (NFL) Adarius Bowman (hamstring) or John White (ACL) but it is Reilly that makes the wheels turn on the Eskimos.
Some have criticized Reilly and Edmonton for not dominating games like the Calgary Stampeders. The Eskimos don’t have a 60-1 win to their name. In fact, they slipped past the losers of that 60-1 game, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, twice this season with a small margin of victory.
It is the way they got to the win — the lessons sure to be taken from it — that I look at, not the score. The Eskimos continue to move forward no matter the circumstance or surroundings and I believe it is a reflection assumed by the team from their fearless leader, quarterback Mike Reilly.
Stats are great, wins and losses matter, but shaping the character of a team around solid leadership is unquantifiable and arguably the most important part of a CFL season’s journey. Mike Reilly has done that for the Eskimos which in my opinion makes him the most valuable quarterback and player in the CFL right now.
BERG (6-3): NICHOLS IS THE HEARTBEAT OF THE BOMBERS
Pat Steinberg, CFL.ca
@Fan960Steinberg
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have engineered an impressive turnaround since a 1-4 start to the 2016 season. Since that time, the Bombers have put together an impressive 15-5 run, including a 5-2 start in 2017. While there are numerous reasons why Winnipeg has been able to right the ship so dramatically, I know one thing for sure: This turnaround wouldn’t have happened without Matt Nichols at the helm.
Of course, Nichols isn’t the only CFL quarterback instrumental to his team’s success. After all, it’s the most important position in the sport. Bo Levi Mitchell, for instance, is a driving force in Calgary, while Mike Reilly pulls a ton of weight in Edmonton. But I’m not sure there’s a team in the league that would suffer more without its starting pivot than if the Bombers didn’t have Nichols. That includes Reilly, who just happens to be Ferg’s pick this week.
Just look at Winnipeg’s record since Nichols took over. What I didn’t mention above is the team’s 15-5 mark since 2016’s bad start also happened to sync up with when Nichols was named starting quarterback. I don’t think there’s any coincidence there.
Upon taking the reins, Nichols not only steadied an offence that Drew Willy was having issues piloting, but he also helped turn them into a much more explosive, dynamic group. In 20 games since taking over, Nichols has thrown 33 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. Most impressive is his 13-4 ratio to start this season as he looks even more in control of Winnipeg’s attack. He really has made an impact; last season, the Bombers went from an average of 19.6 points with Willy to just over 30 points per night with Nichols.
Nichols has elevated those around him, too. Last season, for instance, leading receiver Weston Dressler went from averaging around 41 yards per game prior to the quarterback switch to almost 80 yards after. And then there’s Clarence Denmark, who returned from injury after Nichols was already installed. In 2015 with Willy, Denmark was good for less than 40 yards per game. In 10 games Nichols in 2016, though, he was up over 70 yards a night.
I’m not making the case a guy like Reilly isn’t important to the Eskimos. Of course he is! In most minds, Reilly is the MOP front-runner through the first third of the season. But with Edmonton’s supporting cast and backup option in James Franklin, I think they’d be a little better minus Reilly than Winnipeg would minus Nichols. The Bombers are built pretty well, but Nichols really is their heartbeat and that’s a vital thing to take away.
DON’T SIT ON THE FENCE!
While both sides are pretty convincing, someone’s got to take it. Whose argument convinced you the most?
You can vote for this week’s winner both on CFL.ca and Twitter. Meanwhile, continue the conversation by tweeting @Fan960Steinberg and @TSN_Marsh.
The winner will be revealed in the following week’s Berg vs. Ferg.
