Week 10 of the CFL season is in the books with the Alouettes taking down the West’s best Roughriders in Saskatchewan, the Redblacks downing the Stampeders on a walk-off field goal, the Elks winning a third straight game, and the Blue Bombers spoiling Nathan Rourke’s return to the CFL.
Below we’ve recognized the best and worst performances of the week from across the country. These awards are selected by 3DownNation’s contributors and will be presented weekly throughout the 2024 season on Tuesday mornings. Enjoy.
Offensive player of the week: RB Ryquell Armstead, Ottawa Redblacks
The 27-year-old back won the starting job for Ottawa out of camp and had his best game of the 2024 season last week. On only 11 carries, Armstead scampered for 120 yards, one touchdown, and averaged an absurd 10.9 yards per carry. He also caught all six balls he was targeted on, adding 44 yards through the air. The Millville, N.J. native has only gone over 100 yards once before and his big performance propelled Ottawa to a win over Calgary.
Honourable mention: QB Trevor Harris, Saskatchewan Roughriders
Defensive player of the week: DB Tyrell Ford, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Niagara Falls, Ont. native was part of a defence that held Nathan Rourke to 126 passing yards and forced two interceptions. Ford snagged one of those picks and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown, though it was called back due to holding on the return. The 26-year-old is now tied with Stampeders’ DB Demerio Houston for the second-most picks in the league and could have easily had another against B.C., as he just barely failed to squeeze one of his two knockdowns.
Honourable mention: DE Malik Carney, Saskatchewan Roughriders
Special teams player of the week: KR James Letcher Jr., Montreal Alouettes
A 128-yard return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a big game is an easy way to win special teams player of the week. The five-foot-eight, 175-pound return man brought back Brett Lauther’s third field goal miss of the day for the pivotal score while adding an extra 129 yards on punt and kickoff returns.
Honourable mention: DB Jordan Perryman, B.C. Lions
Breakout player of the week: RB Greg Bell, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
It was a battle of rookie running backs in The Hammer and while Edmonton’s Justin Rankin had a hat trick of touchdowns, Bell gets the edge here. The San Diego State product carried 12 times for 85 yards and a score, while also recording six receptions for 88 yards and another major. Though he did let Bo Levi Mitchell’s first interception slip through his arms, he should have had another touchdown earlier on that drive if not for an unfortunate mishap.
Honourable mention: RB Justin Rankin, Edmonton Elks
Offensive line of the week: Saskatchewan Roughriders
It’s not easy keeping the Alouettes’ front under wraps but the Roughriders’ O-line did just that. It marked only the second time all season that Montreal was held without a sack and running back A.J. Ouellette rumbled for a respectable 77 yards along the ground as well. Making it more impressive, Saskatchewan had four linemen hurt heading into the contest and was forced to move guard Logan Ferland out to right tackle.
Honourable mention: Ottawa Redblacks
Coach of the week: DC Jordan Younger, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
In his first season as defensive coordinator for the Bombers, Jordan Younger executed his game plan to perfection to spoil Nathan Rourke’s return to the CFL. If it wasn’t for a late touchdown and two-point convert with four seconds left, Winnipeg’s defence would have held B.C. to only three points. The 26-year-old Rourke was having fits all night, only completing eight-of-25 passes for 126 yards, two interceptions, and no touchdowns while also being sacked twice.
Honourable mention: HC Jarious Jackson, Edmonton Elks
WHAT A CATCH!!!
Hergy Mayala (@BigPlayHm) dazzles to set Edmonton up in scoring position.#CFL #Elks #GoElks
pic.twitter.com/7YUXdyxDxR— 3DownNation (@3DownNation) August 18, 2024
Best play of the week: REC Hergy Mayala, Edmonton Elks
It may have gotten buried at the tail end of a lopsided game but Mayala’s leaping fourth-quarter grab deserves to be remembered. McLeod Bethel-Thompson admitted post-game that he made the wrong read on the play but his Canadian target bailed him out with tremendous concentration in double coverage, snagging the ball by his fingertips. The 44-yard catch was his lone reception of the night and unlike certain other play-of-the-week candidates, doesn’t carry the baggage of any controversy.
Honourable mention: KR James Letcher Jr., Montreal Alouettes
Tackled by a teammate 🤦🏻♂️
Greg Bell (@GregBell_) was off to the races until he gets tripped up by Tyler Ternowski.#CFL #Ticats #TheHammer
pic.twitter.com/MoTpJttXIB— 3DownNation (@3DownNation) August 18, 2024
Worst play of the week: REC Tyler Ternowski, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Ticats trailed by just a touchdown in the first quarter when breakout player Greg Bell exploited a hole in the Edmonton defence for a massive gain up the seam. At the time, it seemed like a certain touchdown but teammate Tyler Ternowski got caught doing too much, attempting to run behind to block Nyles Morgan and tangling feet with his running back instead. The inadvertent trip capped the play at 63 yards but the real hurt came two plays later when Bo Levi Mitchell was intercepted. It is hard not to wonder how the game might have been different if Bell had gone the distance.
Honourable mention: K Brett Lauther, Saskatchewan Roughriders
Best game of the week: Montreal Alouettes at Saskatchewan Roughriders
When the two Division leaders clash, you expect a spectacular game. The Alouettes and Riders lived up to the billing with offensive fireworks throughout the night and three lead changes in the fourth quarter. James Letcher Jr. dazzled on a missed field goal return touchdown, Brett Lauther drew the ire of a fanbase for his spotty kicking, and Davis Alexander kept CFL fans talking all week with the controversy around his tight-rope walk to the end zone. Could you really ask for more?
Honourable mention: Ottawa Redblacks at Calgary Stampeders
Worst game of the week: Winnipeg Blue Bombers at B.C. Lions
Has there ever been a bigger discrepancy between hype and results than this game? Nathan Rourke had just three practices to prepare for his much-heralded return to the CFL and completed a measly 32 percent of his passes in front of a crowd of 30,803. Full credit to the Bombers’ defence but nobody tuned into this game or paid for a ticket hoping to watch the basis for a public apology. It was as boring as it was painful to watch.
Honourable mention: Edmonton Elks at Hamilton Tiger-Cats
