TORONTO — McLeod Bethel-Thompson, Kamar Jorden and SJ Green were named the Shaw CFL Top Performers of the Week for Week 8 of the CFL’s 2018 season.
The three players were chosen by a panel of judges who independently send their selections to the CFL head office. The panel includes former Canadian Football League players Matt Dunigan and Duane Forde of TSN and Pierre Vercheval of RDS.
QB | MCLEOD BETHEL-THOMPSON | TORONTO ARGONAUTS
In his first career start in the CFL, McLeod Bethel-Thompson brought the Toronto Argonauts back to a historic win over the Ottawa REDBLACKS.
Bethel-Thompson threw for 302 yards and four touchdowns with just one interception in his first game at the helm, going 25-for-37. He added another 54 yards on the ground, leading the Argonauts back from a 24-point deficit to a dramatic home victory.
On the first Toronto drive of the third quarter, Bethel-Thompson steered the Argos downfield and executed his first career touchdown pass to SJ Green. But with the REDBLACKS still ahead (38-14) later in the quarter, Bethel-Thompson put together a four-play, 78-yard drive to put the Argos on the front door of the end zone. The drive finished with a James Franklin QB sneak for a touchdown.
Bethel-Thompson began the fourth quarter with another touchdown pass to SJ Green, an 11-yard toss into the end zone. The teams exchanged field goals before a Martese Jackson punt return put Bethel-Thompson in the perfect spot for a 20-yard pass to James Wilder to make the score 41-36 in favour of Ottawa after the convert.
With the fourth quarter closing, Bethel Thompson spun out an impressive last-minute drive that culminated in a 23-yard touchdown pass to Armanti Edwards to give Toronto the win with one second remaining.
Bethel-Thompson and the Argonauts put up 35 points in the second half, including 22 in the fourth quarter.
REC | KAMAR JORDEN | CALGARY STAMPEDERS
Receiver Kamar Jorden helped the Calgary Stampeders to a solid 27-18 win over the BC Lions at McMahon Stadium on Saturday with impressive long catches.
In addition to a touchdown, Jorden collected a career-high 185 receiving yards, going five for seven for a stunning 37-yard average.
Jorden’s first reception of the game was his 53-yard touchdown catch midway through the first quarter to propel the Stampeders into the lead.
In the second quarter, with quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell pressed up against the goal line, Jorden got himself open for a 62-yard bomb to keep Calgary’s drive alive. Another two receptions, of 37 and 27 yards, continued the theme of long passes and opened up the field for the Stampeders to secure the win.
In his fifth season in the CFL, Jorden has 580 yards, 37 receptions and four touchdowns in seven games.
REC | SJ GREEN | TORONTO ARGONAUTS
Receiver SJ Green was a big part of Toronto’s huge comeback win on Thursday night over the Ottawa REDBLACKS.
Green amassed 134 receiving yards in the contest, catching nine of 12 passes. He scored two big touchdowns to help Toronto overcome a large deficit.
The Fort Worth, TX native established chemistry with quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson in the third quarter, making two catches (for 15 and nine yards, respectively) on a drive before snagging a five-yard touchdown pass to keep Toronto in the game.
Green kept it up, catching three consecutive receptions for 16, 48 and 14 yards to put teammate James Franklin in position for a rushing major to narrow Ottawa’s lead.
His second big score came at the top of the fourth quarter. After catching an eight-yard toss from Bethel-Thompson, Green reached up for an important 11-yard pass that brought Toronto back in range.
In seven games played in 2018 Green has 419 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 37 receptions.