3DownNation CFL awards: the best and worst of Week 19

Montreal Alouettes

Week 19 of the Canadian Football League season has officially come and gone, bringing with it two relatively one-sided games on Friday night, an instant classic on Saturday night, and a Thanksgiving beatdown in La Belle Province.

These awards are selected by 3DownNation’s contributors and will be presented weekly throughout the 2026 season. Enjoy.

Offensive player of the week: QB Davis Alexander, Montreal Alouettes

There’s still a healthy debate regarding who should be the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player this year: Davis Alexander or Tyson Philpot. Though Philpot was also brilliant against Saskatchewan on Monday, Alexander was simply dominant. The soon-to-be 28-year-old completed 26-of-33 pass attempts for 403 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception in the win, and added an additional 40 yards along the ground. It remains to be seen if it swayed voters, but Alexander looked like an M.O.P. on Thanksgiving.

Honourable mention: REC Dorian Singer, Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Defensive player of the week: DL Malik Carney, Edmonton Elks

Count them: one, two, three, four. That’s how many sacks the 31-year-old had on Friday night, as he terrorized Harrison Frost and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Carney now has a career-high 11 sacks on the season, along with 30 defensive tackles, three tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, three pass knockdowns, and two fumble recoveries. The six-foot-three, 230-pound defender has long-since been a top pass-rusher in the CFL, and he now has the sack total to prove it.

Honourable mention: DL Casey Sayles, B.C. Lions

Special teams player of the week: KR Trey Vaval, Winnipeg Blue Bombers

The CFL’s reigning Most Outstanding Rookie was sensational yet again on Saturday night, recording four punt returns for 65 yards and three kickoff returns for 125 yards and a touchdown. The score was electric, as Vaval found a seam to go 88 yards untouched on the second half’s opening kickoff, but his 34-yard punt return in the fourth quarter was arguably even better. He spun off two defenders, and somehow created a seam along the sideline where there previously hadn’t been one.

Honourable mention: KR Isaiah Wooden Sr., Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Breakout player of the week: DL De’Jon Benton, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

The University of Hawaii product made an impact along the interior of the defensive line for Steeltown on Friday night. Benton tallied three total tackles, one tackle for loss, and one sack as Hamilton’s defensive front managed the line of scrimmage for most of the game, limiting Edmonton to 6.2 yards per play. The Tiger-Cats have already been eliminated from playoff contention, and Benton looks like a nice find who could help them out next year.

Honourable mention: DB Sage Ryan, Ottawa Redblacks

Offensive line of the week: B.C. Lions

The unit of Kory Woodruff, Anu Una, Michael Couture, Brandon Yates, and Tyran Hunt dominated the line of scrimmage against Ottawa, as Zander Horvath and James Butler combined for 165 yards and three touchdowns along the ground, and Nathan Rourke managed 360 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception through the air. This marks the first time B.C.’s offensive line has won this award this season.

Honourable mention: Montreal Alouettes

Coach of the week: OC Anthony Calvillo, Montreal Alouettes

Montreal’s offence carved up Saskatchewan’s secondary like it was a Thanksgiving turkey, as the unit generated 44 points, 524 net yards, 27 first downs, and allowed only one sack. Calvillo has plenty of star players at his disposal, sure, but this was still a special performance that was expertly called by the Canadian Football Hall of Fame quarterback. It would have been understandable if the Alouettes cooled off a bit after clinching first place in the East Division but this team showed no signs of slowing down.

Honourable mention: OC Tommy Condell, Winnipeg Blue Bombers

HOW!?

#MontreALS #Alouettes #Montreal #CFL https://t.co/vwgExAwFPu

— 3DownNation (@3DownNation) October 12, 2026

Best play of the week: Davis Alexander’s outlet pass to Stevie Scott III

Davis Alexander tried to flee the pocket on Monday, and fought through a tackle from Habakkuk Baldonado before being knocked over by Jaxon Ford. As the passer fell to the turf with his body parallel to the ground, he threw an underhanded toss to Stevie Scott III. Scott III then rumbled for 17 yards and a first down, drawing the crowd at Percival Molson Stadium to its feet. This play exemplified just how good Alexander is at dealing with pressure and making off-balance throws.

Honourable mention: Ontaria Wilson’s touchdown catch

Australian punter Nik Constantinou becomes the first Global player to throw a pick-six in CFL history.

Randy Ambrosie would be so proud!

#CFL #Ticats #GoElks https://t.co/FQsHXN2a0T

— 3DownNation (@3DownNation) October 10, 2026

Worst play of the week: Hamilton’s punt pick-six

Looking for a spark late in the fourth quarter, the Tiger-Cats tried a fake punt. Nik Constantinou threw a pass to Tyler Ternowski but it was undercut by Zach Mathis, who intercepted the ball and returned it 49 yards for an Edmonton touchdown. It’s always nice to see teams throw caution to the wind and try a trick play, but this one blew up spectacularly in Hamilton’s face. It was still a one-score game when Mathis made the pick, though his touchdown essentially ended the game.

Honourable mention: Zach Collaros’ interception to Ashton Miller-Melancon

Best game of the week: Calgary Stampeders at Winnipeg Blue Bombers

There was a ton riding on this game and it lived up to the hype. Zach Collaros turned back the clock with a sharp performance, which saw Dorian Singer continue to establish himself as one of the best deep threats in the CFL. Vernon Adams Jr. also played well as he masterfully dodged oncoming pass rushers, though his offence stalled on two key late two-and-outs. The sold-out crowd was electric and the fall weather was beautiful, making this an instant classic.

Honourable mention: Saskatchewan Roughriders at Montreal Alouettes

Worst game of the week: Edmonton Elks at Hamilton Tiger-Cats

This game was U-G-L-Y. Both offences struggled badly, combining for 26 points, 566 net yards, and eight sacks allowed. Harrison Frost was inaccurate, while Austin Mack was the only receiver with whom Cody Fajardo appeared to have any chemistry whatsoever. Kudos to the Tiger-Cats for still playing hard despite being eliminated from playoff contention, but this game was a sloppy, low-scoring stinker.

Honourable mention: Ottawa Redblacks at B.C. Lions