By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on October 10, 2024.
sports@medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews The 2024 CFL campaign has been the season of long losing streaks. Winnipeg started off with four straight losses and were 3-6 at the halfway mark. They haven’t tasted defeat since. They close out the schedule with games against Montreal and Toronto. The Lions were 5-1 at one point, lost five in a row but have since clinched a playoff spot. They face Saskatchewan on Saturday in Regina, the winner to host the Western semi-final. Those Roughriders were as hot as the early summer weather, coming out on top in five of six matchups, only to embark on a seven-game winless streak. The Elks suffered the agony of defeat seven times to begin the season and after winning five, have lost three in a row. The Stampeders have dropped six of seven, the other game a tie. Some fans told me I was crazy when I predicted Calgary likely wouldn’t equal last season’s final tally of 6-12. They are 4-10-1, face Edmonton at McMahon Saturday at 1 p.m., then hit the road to Hamilton and Regina. Still, despite all those ups and downs, the standings are working out pretty much as expected. The streaks have coincided with injuries to quarterbacks. Collaros only missed one start in Winnipeg but he was clearly not 100 per cent during the early going. Rider Trevor Harris missed five games, Lion Vernon Adams Jr., eight starts. His replacement Nathan Rourke didn’t show up until Game 12. Much to their fans’ dismay, Stampeder starter Jake Maier has been the picture of quarterback health. Given such an unsettled season, who will win the 2024 CFL Most Outstanding Player Awards? Who deserves to win? Will they be one and the same? The inaugural year for the league awards was 1953 when Edmonton running back Billy Vessels was named the Most Outstanding Player, even though even he admitted his teammate Rollie Miles deserved to win but was done in by blatant racism. In the 70 years since, quarterbacks have received the award 43 times. This season’s best performance has been that of Ti-Cat Bo Levi Mitchell who has the most completions (371), passing yardage (4576) and touchdown passes (26). But he has been picked off 16 times. Collaros is second in yards and completions. He has 16 majors and 14 interceptions. Trevor Harris has the highest efficiency rating, 106.4. The key statistic will likely be wins and losses. Hamilton is 6-10, Winnipeg 12-6. Alouette Cody Fajardo missed five games and has had an average season but is in the mix as well because his team will finish first with a record so far of 11-3-1. Of the 43 quarterbacks who have won the Most Outstanding Player Award, none had a losing record, but only 11 won the Grey Cup and three of those were Doug Flutie. An injustice? Ricky Ray was nominated nine times for the award but never won it. In my opinion, the 2024 MOP and Most Outstanding Canadian is Blue Bomber back Brady Oliveira. Hands down. Only one defensive back has won the Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award, Winnipeg’s Jovan Johnson turned the trick in in 2011. He had eight interceptions. He may have company this year from Saskatchewan’s Rolan Milligan Jr., who already has that many picks with two games to go. Some are touting him for MOP overall. That isn’t going to happen. In the past a lot of interceptions meant the player was the weak link in the secondary that opposing quarterbacks picked on. No longer. Milligan Jr. and others are aggressive ball hawks now, living on the edge. In addition to the interceptions, he also leads the league in pass knock downs with 10. He is third overall in total defensive plays. First is Tyrice Beverette. Fellow Lark Darnell Sanky leads in tackles. No one has dominated on that side of the ball the way Mathieu Betts, Adam Bighill and Willie Jefferson have in recent years. This hasn’t been a banner year for defence. Scoring is up, sacks are down 23 per cent over last season. Eight interceptions isn’t a lot, considering the record for a single season is 15 set by Ti-Cat Al Brenner in 1972. Defences in 2024 have gone from shutdown to sieve, sometimes in the same week. This season has been one of the most unpredictable and entertaining in years. That should continue in the playoffs. Graham Kelly has covered the CFL for the Medicine Hat News for 52 years. Feedback for this column can be emailed to sports@medicinehatnews.com. 36