Week 19 CFL Power Rankings: Well They’ve Moved On Up!

CFL Football Top Stories

There is some movement in the middle and at the top as the play-off picture and rankings are becoming clearer as the CFL regular season winds down.

Who is new at the top?

Check it out in this weeks’ Toon-Town Communications CFL Power Rankings

9 – Ottawa REDBLACKS (2-15) LW: 34-25 loss vs. Hamilton – Last Ranking #9 (10 weeks)

Well believe it or not despite only two wins on the season the Ottawa REDBACKS get to play in a meaningful game in week 20. It doesn’t mean a lot to them except for evaluating and perhaps finding some answers heading into the post season but they could help determine Toronto’s play-off fate.

8 – Winnipeg Blue Bombers (7-11) LW 18-13 win at Calgary – Last Ranking #8 (4 weeks)

Too little too late? The Winnipeg Blue Bombers final game of the season was a win over the top ranked Stampeders. What does it mean? Not a whole lot aside from the fact that Robert Marve may push Drew Willy for playing time in 2015 and that every position in the organization will once again be re-examined.

7 – Toronto Argonauts (7-10) LW: 17-14 loss at Montreal – Last Ranking #5

The Argos have had numerous opportunities to put off-field turmoil behind them and show that they can return to their championship form of 2012. For a number of reasons the Argos can’t seem to recapture that moxie and without Ricky Ray for their season finale in Ottawa their chances at a post season berth seem slim at best.

6 – Saskatchewan Roughriders (9-8) LW: BYE – Last Ranking #7

The Green and White enter the final week of the season trying to strike a balance of preparing for the post-season and keeping the team healthy entering the play-offs. The Riders slide since the loss of Darian Durant has been epic and the remainder of the team has to step up their game if the Riders want more than two more games this year.

5 – Hamilton Tiger-Cats (8-9) LW: 34-25 win at Ottawa – Last Ranking #6

Hamilton did everything they could to give Ottawa a win in week 19. The defence still needs to tighten up while the offence has to find some consistency. The talent is there in Steeltown but it is young. So if Kent Austin can get them to fire on all cylinders at the right time they could be dangerous. They just aren’t consistently there yet.

4 – B.C. Lions (9-8) LW: 37-3 loss at Edmonton – Last Ranking #3

The team in the biggest state of flux for my money is the BC Lions. Since the loss of Andrew Harris and Travis Lulay the team has lacked an offensive personality. Defensively despite the outstanding efforts of Solomon Elimimien they are giving up too many big plays at key times. There is a lot of work to do for the Leos before the opening of the play-offs.

3 – Montreal Alouettes (9-8) LW 17-14 win vs. Toronto – Last Ranking #4

OK so now I’m a believer! Yes I am still waiting for the other shoe to drop but at the moment the Alouettes are a force to be reckoned with and the best team in the East entering the play-offs. Is there time in two weeks to book the Big ‘O’ for the Eastern Final after they clinch on Saturday?

2 – Calgary Stampeders (14-3) LW: 18-13 loss vs. Winnipeg – Last Ranking #1

After 12 weeks on top of this ranking, the Stampeders have been knocked off by their provincial rivals. It’s not just that they lost its how they lost. The team looked abysmal and disorganized at times against Winnipeg and their lack of adaptation to the snowy conditions in Calgary in week 19 has to have the organization hoping for a big time chinook in three weeks for the Western Final.

1 – Edmonton Eskimos (11-5) LW: 37-3 win vs. B.C. – Last Ranking #2

They are the hottest team in the CFL. Their dismantling of a determined BC squad last week was impressive and showed that they are ready to play in all phases of the game. Unless something unforeseen happens watch for Edmonton to have a spot in Vancouver in four weeks and a possible meeting with the commissioner following the game.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.