TORONTO — There’s almost no time left for teams to adjust their play going into the post-season.
That means that if a player is not performing at this stage of the season, there’s little hope he’ll be able to turn it around in time.
On the other hand, players who are delivering some of their best football could provide a trend for their teams going onto clutch time. That was the case for the Montreal Alouettes last year during their Grey Cup run.
That’s why players like Brady Oliveira who are looking more dominant than ever or Nathan Rourke earning his best grade of the season could be the key in conquering the 111th Grey Cup.
CFL.ca brings you five PFF grades that standout from Week 18.
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» Player and Team Grades Powered by PFF
PFF utilizes extensive review of game footage to provide additional context for every action on the field. Highly-trained PFF staff break down every game, player and play to provide over 200 unique data points, which are used to compile Player Grades – a numerical representation up-to-100 of performance at their specific position.
For more information on PFF, Player Grades, the Grading Scale and more, please visit pff.com/grades.
Brady Oliveira | RB | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 79.9 offensive grade
Oliveira had one of his best grades of the season while also registering his 11th grade above 70 in 2024. No other running back in the CFL offers that much consistency, and the Bombers are not hiding the fact that they will go as far as No. 20 will take them on offence.
Oliveira rushed 24 times for 147 yards and a major in the win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, averaging a stellar 6.1 yards per attempt even when the Tabbies knew he was getting the ball every other snap. That’s because the tailback forced nine missed tackles and gained six first downs, showcasing he can deliver even when the opposing defence focus on stopping the run.
Nathan Rourke | QB | BC Lions | 93.5 offensive grade
Rourke’s grade might surprise some here, but it’s mostly due to a mistake-free game from No. 12 coupled with a high completion percentage. Rourke wasn’t able to guide the Lions to a lot of touchdowns, with the offence sputtering near the end zone, but he still completed 20 of 24 passes for 218 yards while adding 23 more on the ground.
Rourke registered one big time throw and zero turnover-worthy plays on a healthy 9.1 yards per attempt, earning his best passing grade (86.6) of the season so far.
Only one of Bethel-Thompson’s two interceptions went down as a turnover-worthy play, with a tipped ball being scooped up by the Riders defence with no fault of the pivot. That means there was a lot of good left to count, including 379 yards and two touchdowns that includes a big-time throw.
Bethel-Thompson also averaged 9.0 yards per attempt despite throwing the ball 41 times.
Rolan Milligan Jr. | DB | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 81.9 defensive grade
Another week, another dominant outing for Milligan Jr.
The defensive back caught his eighth interception of the season to keep sole possession of first place in picks while also allowing only 33 yards over five targets with a single first down.
Jonah Tavai | DL | BC Lions | 76.8 defensive grade
Tavai had four pressures (two hits, two hurries) while winning 20 per cent of his matchups against the opposing offensive lineman.
The defensive lineman also didn’t miss a single tackle while grading above 70 in both run defence and pass rushing. The Lions defence was one of the biggest reasons they were able to beat the Calgary Stampeders and clinch a playoff spot, with Tavai’s work in the trenches as a core piece of the puzzle.