MOP Watch: Who is Costabile leaning towards?

Kristina Costabile

CFL.ca

@kcostabile1

We’re about a quarter of the way through the 2023 season and there are plenty of names that have emerged in the MOP conversation.

There is, of course, lots of football left to be played this year and things will inevitably change as we move through the summer, fall, and eventual winter months.

But for now it’s fun to speculate who could be up for the biggest end-of-season accolade at the CFL Awards late in November.

There are some obvious choices that have been on most MOP Watch lists from my fellow CFL.ca writers since Week 1, like the man who has recently won back-to-back MOP’s.

And there are some not-so-obvious choices that should be considered too, like a few defenders that I’m including in my list.

Here’s a handful of players I think should be considered to win MOP.

PLACING MY BETTS

Who has been more impactful on the defensive side of the ball than Mathieu Betts through the first five games of the 2023 campaign?

It seems like every time you watch a CFL on TSN broadcast, Dustin Nielson or Marshall Ferguson say, “sacked by Mathieu Betts!”.. or some version of this line since both are much more colourful in their descriptions than I could ever be.

Betts is leading the league with nine sacks in just five games, which is a ridiculous pace. But quarterback takedowns don’t always tell the entire story of how well a defender is playing.

PFF has given us a lot more insight on all of our players this season and having some extra notes on defensive lineman has been a fantastic way to tell a more accurate story of their impact on the field. Here’s some other PFF stats to let you know just how well Betts is playing.

He’s tied for the league lead in hits (this is when a defender hits a quarterback as he releases a pass or just after) with six. He’s also leading the league in pressures with 28. PFF defines a pressure as sacks plus hits plus hurries (a hurry is forcing a quick throw, flushing the quarterback, forcing quarterback to step up, forcing a throwaway, preventing a quarterback from stepping up).

All of this to say: Betts has been in and around the backfield, disrupting quarterbacks all season long and should be considered for MOP (and maybe even MODP or MOC).

NOTABLE CONTENDERS

Zach Collaros will likely be on this list for the rest of the campaign.

I’m not surprised at how good the Bombers pivot has been this year, but the way he scrambles out of the pocket and throws a perfect pass on the run to a receiver downfield will never stop my jaw from hitting the floor. He’s topping the stat sheets too – he’s tied for the league-lead in touchdown passes (nine) and has the top QB rating with 112.2.

The defending MOP’s numbers are excellent, 1,246 passing yards (second in the CFL), 68.1 completion percentage (second in the league), but it’s his decision making, mobility, and explosiveness that sets him apart. He’s making a good case to win three in a row.

Every year it seems Larry Dean quietly has an excellent season and 2023 is no exception. Dean is the best linebacker at stopping the run, according to PFF, with a 90.2 run defence grade. He’s also second in the CFL in tackles (32) and has tallied an interception and two pass knockdowns.

Another linebacker that has caught my attention this season is Jameer Thurman. While in Calgary, Thurman was a force in the middle of that defence but this year, his first as a Tiger-Cat, has him playing on another level.

Last week’s game against the REDBLACKS was a perfect example of what Thurman can do, not only in coverage on receivers and running backs but also getting after the quarterback, finishing the game with nine tackles and two sacks. Week 1’s performance was also a good one for the middle linebacker, tallying 10 tackles and a forced fumble when he ripped the ball away from Nic Demski on the Bombers’ first offensive play of the game.

There’s countless playmakers on Toronto’s defence but Adarius Pickett has been one of the best. He’s not only playing exceptionally well from the SAM linebacker spot, but he’s also contributing on special teams.

He’s lined up as a returner and has gotten in on the coverage units, tallying two tackles on specials so far this year in Week 2 against the Tiger-Cats. That game he also had a knockdown and eight tackles on defence. In Week 3 against Edmonton, the five-foot-11, 210-pounder had two sacks to go along with five defensive tackle (one for a loss) while also returning two kickoffs for a total of 26 yards.

What’s more outstanding than playing in multiple roles?

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