Photo courtesy: Leah Hennel/CFL.ca
Week 20 of the 2025 CFL regular season has come to a close with the league’s playoff picture coming into clearer focus. Winnipeg and Calgary are officially in, Edmonton is officially out, and B.C. kept a clear path to a home playoff berth.
These awards are selected by 3DownNation’s contributors and will be presented weekly throughout the 2025 season. Enjoy.
Offensive player of the week: RB Dedrick Mills, Calgary Stampeders
The veteran ball-carrier was like a hot knife through butter against the Boatmen, rushing 14 times for 115 yards and one touchdown, and catching two passes for 62 yards. Mills now has 11 rushing touchdowns on the year, which is more than he had in his first three CFL seasons combined. The 28-year-old also needs 38 receiving yards to set a new career high as a pass-catcher out of the backfield.
Honourable mention: QB Nathan Rourke, B.C. Lions
Defensive player of the week: DB Antoine Brooks Jr., Saskatchewan Roughriders
The former NFL draft pick is still relatively new to Saskatchewan’s starting lineup but he terrorized Zach Collaros with two sacks, timing his blitzes effectively. Brooks Jr. also recorded six tackles and two knockdowns, both of which came on throws targeting the dangerous Ontaria Wilson. The Roughriders have no shortage of defensive playmakers but Brooks Jr. is quickly becoming a standout with the Green and White.
Honourable mention: DL Bryce Carter, Ottawa Redblacks
Special teams player of the week: LB Ben Hladik, B.C. Lions
The former third-round pick out of UBC recorded four special teams tackles and one onside recovery against the Elks, helping keep the ever-dangerous Javon Leake in check. Leake managed 146 yards on six kickoff returns and 42 yards on four punt returns — numbers that are certainly respectable, but not dominant. Hladik was also a force on defence, making five defensive tackles and one sack.
Honourable mention: LB Bubba Bolden, Montreal AlouettesÂ
Breakout player of the week: RB Stevie Scott III, Montreal Alouettes
After a slow start to the season, the rookie running back has established himself as a threat as a runner and receiver. Scott III ran 13 times for 63 yards and a touchdown and caught five passes for 52 yards against the Redblacks, helping take pressure off Davis Alexander. Montreal doesn’t run the ball as much as some CFL teams but the Indiana University product is making the most of his opportunities right now.
Honourable mention: QB Max Duggan, Toronto Argonauts
Offensive line of the week: B.C. Lions
The unit of Jarell Broxton, Andrew Woodruff, Michael Couture, George Una, and Dejon Allen kept Nathan Rourke clean and helped him and James Butler rush for a combined 164 yards. Allen’s return to the lineup was particularly notable as the former Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman missed 13 straight games due to injury, only to come back just in time for the playoffs — talk about perfect timing.
Honourable mention: Calgary Stampeders
Coach of the week: DC Mike Benevides, B.C. Lions
The Elks entered this week with by far the fewest giveaways in the CFL and B.C. put an end to that, intercepting Cody Fajardo three times and forcing four total turnovers. Justin Rankin rushed 11 times for only 36 yards, while Edmonton was held to 303 net yards of offence. After a relatively poor start to the season, the Lions have been as good as anyone on defence during the second half of the year.
Honourable mention: HC Jason Maas, Montreal Alouettes
Canadian QB Nathan Rourke running towards that CFL MOP award.
70-yard touchdown run from nothing — longest rush in his CFL career. #BCLions #CFL pic.twitter.com/9Ok1c97Kch
— 3DownNation (@3DownNation) October 18, 2025
Best play of the week: QB Nathan Rourke, B.C. Lions
The native of Victoria, B.C. has been doing it with his arm all season long but has opened things up on the ground as of late, including this sensational 70-yard touchdown run that gave his team a 17-point lead midway through the third quarter. After being flushed from the pocket by Brandon Barlow, Rourke got on his horse and outran the rest of Edmonton’s defence to the end zone.
Honourable mention: QB Vernon Adams Jr. & REC Dominique Rhymes, Calgary Stampeders
Worst play of the week: HC Mark Kilam, Edmonton Elks
Everyone loves when coaches are aggressive but there’s something to be said for being too aggressive. Kilam left his offence on the field on third-and-12 near midfield early in the third quarter trailing 17-10. With the score that tight and the required distance that long, the Elks would have been much better-served with a coffin-corner punt than a needless gamble. B.C. only needed one first down to score a field goal, making it a two-score game.
Honourable mention: OL Brandon Kemp & QB Jarret Doege, Toronto Argonauts
Best game of the week: Edmonton Elks at B.C. Lions
Edmonton fought hard for their playoff lives, adding some intensity and intrigue to a game that wasn’t particularly close. Nathan Rourke’s sensational run felt like a true M.O.P. moment as we enter awards season, which could be enough to put him over the top. One could argue that this game would have been much more interesting if Edmonton had completed the upset, though the Lions getting a fifth-straight win is still a good story.
Honourable mention: Montreal Alouettes at Ottawa Redblacks
Worst game of the week: Saskatchewan Roughriders at Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Did literally anybody enjoy this game? The Blue Bombers won but they played so poorly that coaches, players, and fans seemed upset after it was over. Saskatchewan rested most of their offensive starters and the unit struggled badly without them, posting just 169 net yards. This game was boring, it was cold and rainy, and an intense prairie rivalry did nothing to elevate it. If you missed this game, don’t sweat it. You didn’t miss much.
Honourable mention: Toronto Argonauts at Calgary Stampeders