	1. MONTREAL ALOUETTES [unchanged] Overall record: 11-4 Streak: Two wins There's a reason why you don't play with your food before eating it – the prey might bite you back. Outstanding defence against the Bombers but finishing off drives is important if you don't want to be surprised at the wrong time – like, say, the East final.
	2. CALGARY STAMPEDERS [up from 3] Overall record: 11-4 Streak: Two wins Who's on first in the West? Stamps. What's on second? A beaten up Saskatchewan. And Ida Know is still on third. The White Stallions beat the Riders because their linemen were better, both offensively and defensively. And after double-checking the game tape we can confirm that coach John Hufnagel smiled. For two seconds. (Personal note: A big hi y'all to smoothjohn from Alberta)
	3. SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS [down from 2] Overall record: 9-6 Streak: Two losses OK, first is all but officially gone, so it's time to work on getting healthy again, consistent again, confident again. And time to think about ways to beat Calgary's man defence. And how to get Andy Fantuz open. Long nights ahead for the coaches.
	4. HAMILTON TIGER-CATS [unchanged] Overall record: 8-7 Streak: Two wins That was quite a surgical amputation of the Argonauts this week, led by a confident defence finding ways to make its own luck. Pretty much assured to be hosting the East semifinal, almost certainly against Toronto. Kitties have clawed the Argos three times this season.
	5. TORONTO ARGONAUTS [unchanged] Overall record: 7-8 Streak: One loss This is what you get with a rebuilding team. One week you beat the Riders in Regina, the next you get the snot kicked out of you by your hated rival. This column has hung in there with first-year quarterback Cleo Lemon all season, but patience is running out. Time to show what you have. Oh, and maybe the game plan could be opened up to see if he can actually throw the ball down field.
	6. EDMONTON ESKIMOS [up from 8] Overall record: 5-10 Streak: One win Have to be impressed with the stability GM Eric Tillman has brought to this team. And with a coaching staff that has calmed itself and the players down. Three wins out of four. Ricky Ray actually running for big yards? If the Esks make the playoffs (and imagine that after a 2-9 start) they might be a handful. Two out of the next three against the Riders will tell more.
	7. WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS [unchanged] Overall record: 4-11 Streak: One loss So much to like. So much work still to do. Now eight losses by seven points or less, and the difference might be something as simple as one more year's experience. Defence seems there already. The "Hello, my name is ..." tags are coming off this group.
	8. B.C. LIONS [down from 6] Overall record: 5-10 Streak: Two losses Wally Buono is such a detail-oriented guy that seeing him forget to put kicker Paul McCallum on the active roster before a game (coach Wally must have wanted to strangle GM Wally) came as a major shock. Says a lot about what's going on in Lotus Land, however. Lack of concentration on the little details. Leos should be 7-8.

CFL Power Rankings: Week 16

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