Another dominant performance by Edmonton Eskimos quarterback Mike Reilly has landed him on the list of the Canadian Football League’s Top Performers of the Week.
In a 44-23 win over the Montreal Alouettes in Montreal on Thursday Reilly had his second 400 yard passing game of the season and the sixth of his career, as he completed 24 of his 32 pass attempts for 415 yards.
Reilly also threw four touchdown passes giving him a league leading 13, and he is tied for the league lead in rushing TDs with five after running one in against the Alouettes. The six year Eskimos starter also leads the the CFL in passing yards with 2,063 and in completion percentage at 68.7 per cent.
Those are all great numbers and could have the 33 year old Kennewick, Washington native on pace for another Most Outstanding Player Award at the end of 2018, but all he wants to talk about are the other numbers and the Eskimos 4-2 record.
“Me and our team have done good enough in four games and not good enough in two” said Reilly after Monday’s Eskimos practice.
“There’s going to be games where you are going to come out and they are going to be taking things away and those statistics aren’t going to look that great, but you have to find a way to win. If you do then its a success and if you go out and put up big numbers and you don’t win then you didn’t play good enough.”
Eskimos head coach Jason Maas said last Thursday in Montreal was one of Reilly’s best performances
“It was awesome. He was locked in all night. When things weren’t there scheme-wise he made some thing happen,” Maas said. “He made the right decision just about every single time. He threw the ball accurately whether it was short, long or in between.”
LISTEN: Jason Maas on Mike Reilly
Maas’ only complaint about Reilly is that more people don’t realize just how good he is.
“He is the best player in the CFL right now in a city that loves football and loves sports,” the head coach said.
“He holds himself accountable. He is a true champion. I wish people could come to our games and fill our stadium to see him and say ‘I watched Mike Reilly play,’ to me you’re going to wish you had said that.
“Mike Reilly is one of the best football players to ever play in the CFL.”
Kicker Lewis Ward of the Ottawa Redblacks and linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers were the other CFL Performers of the Week.
LISTEN: Tuesday Morning QB with Mike Reilly
The Eskimos will play host to the Saskatchewan Roughriders Thursday night on the Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium. Game time is 8:00 p.m. with the Countdown to Kick Off starting at 6:00 p.m. on 630 CHED.