Week 20 of the 2025 CFL regular season has come to an end, and the league's playoff picture has become clearer. Winnipeg and Calgary are officially in, Edmonton is officially eliminated, and BC remains clear of a home playoff berth.
These awards are selected 3DownNation'and will be presented weekly throughout the 2025 season. Enjoy.
Forward of the Week: RB Dedrick Mills, Calgary Stampeders
The veteran ball handler was like a hot knife in butter against the Boatmen, rushing 14 times for 115 yards and one touchdown while also catching two passes for 62 yards. Mills now has 11 rushing touchdowns on the year, more than in his first three CFL seasons combined. The 28-year-old also needs 38 receiving yards to set a new career high as an outfield pass catcher.
Honorable Mention: QB Nathan Rourke, BC 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 while timing his blitz plays effectively. Brooks Jr. also recorded six tackles and two knockdowns, both of which came as throws to the dangerous Ontaria Wilson. The Roughriders have no shortage of defenders, but Brooks Jr. is quickly emerging as a standout player for the Green and White.
Honorable Mention: DL Bryce Carter, Ottawa Redblacks.
Special Teams Player of the Week: LB Ben Hladik, BC Lions
The former UBC third-round pick recorded four special teams tackles and one sack 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 were certainly respectable, but not dominant. Hladik was also a strong defender, making five tackles on defense and one sack.
Honorable mention: LB Bubba Bolden, Montreal Alouettes.
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 both 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 the pressure off Davis Alexander. Montreal doesn't have as much possession as some CFL teams, but the Indiana University product is making the most of his opportunities right now.
Honorable Mention: QB Max Duggan, Toronto Argonauts.
Offensive Line of the Week: BC Lions
The group 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 especially noteworthy as the former most outstanding offensive lineman missed 13 straight games due to injury only to return in time for the playoffs – talk of perfect timing.
Honorable Mention: Calgary Stampeders.
Coach of the Week: Mike Benevides, BC Lions.
The Elks entered the week with the fewest turnovers in the CFL, and BC put an end to that by intercepting Cody Fajardo three times and forcing four total turnovers. Justin Rankin carried 11 times for just 36 yards as Edmonton racked up 303 yards of offense. After a relatively poor start to the season, the Lions played as good as anyone defensively in the second half of the year.
Honorable Mention: HC Jason Maas, Montreal Alouettes.
Canadian QB Nathan Rourke is in contention for the CFL MOP award.
The 70-yard touchdown from scratch is the longest rush of his CFL career. #BCLions #CFL pic.twitter.com/9Ok1c97Kch
— 3DownNation (@3DownNation) October 18, 2025
Play of the Week: QB Nathan Rourke, BC Lions
The Victoria, British Columbia native has been doing it with his hand all season, but has recently opened up new opportunities on the field, including that sensational 70-yard touchdown run that gave his team a 17-point lead midway through the third quarter. After being knocked out of the pocket by Brandon Barlow, Rourke mounted his horse and outran the rest of Edmonton's defense to the end zone.
Honorable Mention: QB Vernon Adams Jr. and REC Dominic Rhymes, Calgary Stampeders.
Worst Game of the Week: HC Mark Killam, Edmonton Elks
Everyone likes it when coaches are aggressive, but there is something to be said for being too aggressive. Kilam left its offense on the field on third-and-12 near midfield early in the third quarter, trailing 17-10. With such a tight score and such a long distance, the Elks would have been much better off taking a shot into the corner of the coffin rather than an unnecessary gamble. BC only needed one first down to make a field goal, making it a two-goal game.
Honorary Member: OL Brandon Kemp and QB Globs
Game of the Week: Edmonton Elks vs. BC Lions
Edmonton fought hard for its playoff life, adding intensity and intrigue to a game that wasn't particularly close. Nathan Rourke's sensational run felt like a true MOP moment as we enter awards season, and it could be enough to propel him to the top spot. One could argue that this game would have been a lot more interesting if Edmonton had finished with a loss, although the Lions' fifth straight win is still a good story.
Honorable Mention: Montreal Alouettes as part of the Ottawa Redblacks.
Worst Game of the Week: Saskatchewan Roughriders vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Did anyone even like this game? The Blue Bombers won, but played so poorly that coaches, players and fans seemed upset after the match ended. Saskatchewan rested most of its offensive players and the team struggled poorly without them, accumulating just 169 net yards. This game was boring, cold and rainy, and the intense rivalry on the prairies didn't make it any better. If you missed this game, don't worry. You didn't miss much.
Honorable Mention: Toronto Argonauts vs. Calgary Stampeders.
