Edmonton Eskimos’ quarterback Mike Reilly was the runaway choice for this week’s Gibson’s Finest CFL Player of the Week award.
Reilly’s nine carries on Saturday against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers translated to 113 yards — the top rushing total across the league in Week 12 — and were a key component in the Eskimos’ 25-7 win, which snapped an eight-game losing streak for the team.
Reilly had set a single-game high in rushing at the half, with 89 yards. When he wasn’t taking the ball upfield, he made 16 of 25 passes for 196 yards and three touchdowns. The recognition is the first of Reilly’s career and just the third time this year an Eskimo has won a weekly award. Joe Burnett was the special teams player of the week after his 78-yard return on Labour Day against Calgary and tailback Hugh Charles was named offensive player of the week the last time the Eskimos won, way back on July 7, when he had 11 carries for 119 yards and one rushing touchdown.
Reilly is fourth in the league in passing, with 2,667 yards and has thrown 19 touchdowns in his first year as a starting quarterback in the CFL. He’s also the league’s top-rushing quarterback and sits fifth overall in rushing, with 530 yards.
B.C. Lions linebacker Adam Bighill (seven tackles, one interception) was named defensive player of the week, Calgary’s Rob Maver (five punts, 244 yards, one 31-yard pass) was named special teams player of the week. Saskatchewan receiver Chris Getzlaf was named the league’s top Canadian for the week, making five catches for 135 yards and two touchdowns.
Reilly and the Eskimos are in action again on Friday, completing the back-end of their home-and-home series with the Blue Bombers in Winnipeg.
