The Canadian Press
TORONTO — Jeremiah Masoli is forcing his name into the discussion for Most Outstanding Player.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback continues to play at an elite level, throwing 16 touchdowns and just five interceptions since Labour Day while winning five of his last seven starts.
In his first full season as a CFL starting quarterback, Masoli has reached the next step in his development and is not only the East Division’s top player in 2018, but is earning attention as a legitimate MOP candidate against previous winners Bo Levi Mitchell and Mike Reilly.
Speaking of the others, Mitchell and Reilly have teetered off over the last month, combining for five touchdowns and nine interceptions over each of their last three starts.
Adam Bighill has emerged as an unlikely dark horse on the defensive side of the ball after recording three sacks and his 100th tackle of the season in a 31-0 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
And finally, Brandon Banks recorded his ninth 100-plus-yard receiving game of the season vs. the Argos, improving his average to 99.2 yards per game — the best mark out of any receiver in the three-down game.
CFL.ca breaks down the race in the latest MOP Watch:
THE FAVOURITE
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IN THE HUNT
BO LEVI MITCHELL | QB | CGY
Injuries to receivers may have caught up to Bo Levi Mitchell, who’s struggled the last two weeks (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
Week 18: 17-38, 215 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT vs. BC
Best Game: 25-42, 452 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT (Aug. 25 vs. WPG)
Key Statistics (Overall): 31 TD (1st), 4,351 yards (4th), 8.8 yards per attempt (3rd), 98.9 QB rating (2nd), 31:13 TD:INT ratio
The revolving door at receiver may have finally caught up to Bo Levi Mitchell, who’s coming off his worst two games of the season. Mitchell has seen his quarterback rating drop seven points to 98.9, while his yards per attempt have gone from 9.4 to 8.8, all in the span of two weeks.
There’s no real concern over Mitchell himself, but instead whether he can get acclimated with a new-look group of receivers including Chris Matthews, Markeith Ambles and recent addition Bakari Grant in time for the playoffs.
JEREMIAH MASOLI | QB | HAM
Jeremiah Masoli continued his dominance over the Argos, throwing four more touchdown passes in Week 18 (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
Week 18: 21-30, 338 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT vs. TOR
Best Game: 18-25, 307 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT (Sept. 8 vs. TOR)
Key Statistics (Overall): 4,624 yards (2nd), 9.4 yards per attempt (1st), 446 rushing yards (2nd among QBs), 101.8 QB rating (1st)
Trailing Mike Reilly by 350 passing yards with a game in hand, Jeremiah Masoli has a realistic opportunity to take home the passing yards title. He also leads the league in passer rating (101.8) and yards per attempt (9.4), proving he belongs in the conversation involving the league’s top quarterbacks.
Masoli’s first season as a full-time starting quarterback has been a dream, and it’ll only get better if he can lead the Ticats to first in the East and a playoff game at Tim Hortons Field on Nov. 18 — with a trip to the Grey Cup at stake.
BRANDON BANKS | WR | HAM
He made the highlight reel for running into the goal post, but in the process Brandon Banks racked up another impressive outing vs. Toronto in Week 18 (The Canadian Press)
Week 18: 8 catches, 178 yards, 1 TD vs. TOR
Best Game: 6 catches, 153 yards, 2 TD (Sept. 8 vs. TOR)
Key Statistics (Overall): 1,290 yards (2nd), 10 touchdowns (T-1st), 86 catches (2nd), 11 catches of 30+ (T-1st), 99.2 yards per game (1st)
Despite ranking second in receiving yards (he’s 164 yards back of Esks receiver Duke Williams with one extra game remaining), Brandon Banks has been the most productive receiver in the CFL in 2018. It’s been six years since a receiver won Most Outstanding Player when Chad Owens did it in 2012 for the Argos, but a closer look at Banks’ numbers presents a legitimate case.
Banks is top three in every meaningful category at receiver and, throughout injury after injury for the Ticats’ receiving corps, has been the catalyst for the CFL’s most productive offence. His 99.2 receiving yards per game are easily the best in the league, which projected over an 18-game season would give him 1,786 yards.
D’HAQUILLE WILLIAMS | WR | EDM
D’haquille Williams has cooled off over the last month, hauling in just one touchdown and failing to hit the century mark (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
Week 18: 5 catches, 39 yards vs. OTT
Best Game: 7 catches, 172 yards, 1 TD (Sept. 8 vs. CGY)
Key Statistics (Overall): 1,454 yards (1st), 138 targets (1st), 81 catches (T-3rd), 10 touchdowns (T-1st), 18.0 yards per catch (2nd among eligible)
D’haquille Williams has cooled off over the last month, recording just one touchdown over his last four games while failing to hit the century mark. Williams is still the CFL’s leading receiver in both yards and touchdowns, but his chances of winning Most Outstanding Player are likely dipping in stride with his recent production.
Unless Williams has an astronomical final two games, Mike Reilly is the Eskimos’ likely MOP come season’s end.
ANDREW HARRIS | RB | WPG
With two games still remaining, Andrew Harris has already hit a career high in rushing yards (The Canadian Press)
Week 18: 10 rushes, 36 yards, 2 catches, 3 yards, 0 TD vs. SSK
Best Game: 161 rushing yards, 16 receiving yards, 2 TD (July 21 vs. TOR)
Key Statistics (Overall): 1,269 rushing yards (2nd), 407 receiving yards (2nd among RB), 8 TD (T-3rd), 5.7 yards per carry (1st among qualified RB)
Andrew Harris is in the hunt for a second straight rushing title, trailing REDBLACKS running back William Powell by just six yards — although Powell has a game in hand. As impressive as the national’s season has been, the stats don’t do justice just how valuable he is to the Bombers’ offence.
WILLIAM POWELL | RB | OTT
William Powell (left) has been a central figure in the REDBLACKS’ explosive offence (The Canadian Press)
Week 18: 9 rushes, 40 yards vs. EDM
Best Game: 148 rushing yards, 2 TD (Sept. 15 vs. SSK)
Key Statistics (Overall): 1,275 rushing yards (1st), 8 20-plus yard rushes (2nd), 40 10-plus yard rushes (1st)
Chances are good William Powell will win the rushing title this season (he’s six yards up on Andrew Harris with an extra game to play), but his MOP odds are fading after struggling to produce the last couple of weeks. Still, Powell is in the midst of a career season, and has been a critical part of the REDBLACKS’ high-powered offence.
ADAM BIGHILL | LB | WPG
Adam Bighill has put himself in the driver’s seat for Most Outstanding Defensive Player (Jimmy Jeong/CFL.ca)
Week 18: 8 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble vs. SSK
Best Game: 6 tackles, 2 interceptions 1 TD (July 7 vs. BC)
Key Statistics (Overall): 101 defensive tackles (T-1st), 4 sacks, 2 INT, 1 TD, 3 forced fumbles (T-1st)
Adam Bighill appears to have tossed his hat into the ring for MOP during a stellar first season in blue and gold. Bighill is on pace to match his career high with 114 tackles, adding four sacks, two interceptions, a touchdown and a league-best three forced fumbles.
It’s unlikely a defensive player takes home MOP this season, but at the very least Bighill should be the current leader for Most Outstanding Defensive Player.
