CFL Power Rankings: Playoffs loom large for the best in the West
Dominant Calgary faces long stretch before next game
Malcolm Kelly breaks down the balance of power in the Canadian Football League through Week 19:
1. Calgary Stampeders (unchanged)
Record: 15-2-1
Streak: Lost 1
Remaining: Bye
Records, be damned. Coach Dave Dickenson made the correct call this week by starting Drew Tate at QB instead of Bo Mitchell. Yes, you'd like to keep the big guy sharp when there are 21 days before your next game (the West final). For Mitchell it will be four weeks. Getting Bo hurt would be nightmarish. So a chance to set a new mark for points in a year is gone, and really, who cares? Stamps also kept star receiver Marquay McDaniel at home, but everyone else played at least some minutes in a plough horse speed loss to Montreal. Tate (22-for-37, 218 yards, two picks) was rusty, as you'd expect for a guy whose last start was a year ago. Now Dickenson must find a way to keep his guys sharp for 21 days. Perhaps a scrimmage with the U. of Calgary Dinos?
2. B.C. Lions (unchanged)
Record: 11-6
Streak: Won 2
Remaining: vs. Saskatchewan
Wally Buono knew going into the last game at Old Mosaic he had to take the rowdy crowd out of it right away. His Leos did that, overwhelming the Rider offensive line with seven sacks, causing a key early fumble that turned into a major, and dominating all the way. This is all so Wally – his team is peaking at the right time, they have a defence working at peak efficiency and he's given his home fans two more peaks at this good team before the season ends by wrapping up home field in the West semi. Haven't mentioned LB Solomon Elimimian's name much lately, but his star emerged again, with 10 tackles and two sacks. RB Jeremiah Johnson had 101 yards, giving him 209 in two weeks. Nice all around. Tough team to go through in the playoffs.
3. Edmonton Eskimos (up from 4)
Record: 9-8
Streak: Won 1
Remaining: vs. Toronto
Sing a song of Mike Reilly, his pocket full of passing yards. None of them will mean a thing if the defending champs can't advance at least into a final, whether East or West. Reilly, who sets a standard for himself far higher than anything we might do, is just 110 yards from breaking Ricky Ray's club mark for most in a season (5,664). He had a below average outing this week, falling behind by 10, fighting, then doing nothing in the fourth as Hamilton almost wiped everything out. Reilly was 18-31, 239 yards, bailed out by a superb 159 yard running attack. Eskimos went 3-1 on the long road trip, now head home to play awful Toronto (and Ricky Ray). A win and a Bomber loss, they'll be third in the West and go to B.C. Anything else sends them East to play Hamilton again.
4. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (down from 3)
Record: 10-7
Streak: Lost 1
Remaining: at Ottawa
QB Matt Nichols and his offence nicely balanced an awful first half this week vs. Ottawa with an awful second half, losing control of their own destiny as a result. If the Esks win and Peg loses this week, Bombers will open the playoffs on the road. Winnipeg has spent much of this season starting slow, so apparently the group thought messing with success was a bad idea. Nichols threw three picks in the opening 30 minutes, wrecking a decent stat day (35-46, 289 yards, 1 TD). There was no finish to the offence, however, and you certainly can't do that in a future playoff game. Those five penalties on offence hurt. Defensively, playing tighter on first down would help, and it's nice to lead the league in takeaways, but stopping the ground game is a November must. Not good off the bye.
5. Ottawa Redblacks (unchanged)
Record: 8-8-1
Streak: Won 1
Remaining: vs. Winnipeg
No question Henry Burris is heating up after producing 338 yards passing in the Peg on the way to 453 yards net. Consistency? We'll see. Remember they built a big first half lead and then produced only two field goals in the second. Positive signs? Look no further than Mossis Madu, who smacked his way to 125 yards on 21 carries. That's November football. Ottawa will again have four receivers over 1,000 yards (though Chris Williams is out for the season). Great defence this week by Taylor Reed (12 tackles), and Damaso Munoz (10 tackles, a sack and forced fumble). First place in the East is wrapped up, and this type of effort by the RBs sends a message that Ottawa may have struggled through the season at times, but they could be a handful in the playoffs.
6. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (unchanged)
Record: 7-10
Streak: Lost 1
Remaining: vs. Montreal
Early second quarter, second and six, Andy Fantuz came from slot left down into the flat, squared up to Edmonton's J.C. Sherritt and made a cut to his right before collapsing. Torn ACL. Every season one of the teams goes through injury nightmares, and Hamilton drew the short straw this time. QB Zach Collaros is back from concussion, but he's running out of receivers. The defence pounds away, but it had long exhausted the roster of backs before losing Johnny Adams to an ankle, and Derrius Brooks (who tweeted he's fine after being stretchered off to hospital following an accidental collision). Still they found a way back against the Eskimos, scoring two fourth quarter majors before falling short. Bubble wrap these guys for the playoffs.
7. Montreal Alouettes (up from 8)
Record: 6-11
Streak: Won 2
Remaining: at Hamilton
Dear Santa: We have been good all year. We have worked extra hard and are one of the best units in the whole league. We always clean our plates at dinner and try to get along with everyone, except when it's game day and the other team comes over to play. We even do well in other sandboxes. We're second best in average points allowed, and are terrific at stopping the pass. Our teacher, Mr. Thorpe, thinks the world of us. Here's the problem, Santa, most weeks our offence smells like a herd of wet reindeer. They are terrible at pretty much everything – can't throw, can't run, can't catch. If you could put an offence under our tree this year, that would be wonderful. Signed: The Montreal Defence. P.S. thanks for the win this week.
8. Saskatchewan Roughriders (down from 7)
Record: 5-12
Streak: Lost 2
Remaining: at B.C.
Coach/GM Chris Jones wasn't going to get all teary about the last game at Taylor Field, at least not enough to abandon the game plan of looking at as many bodies as possible. QB Darian Durant, whom Jones said afterwards was definitely going to be resigned for 2017 (we'll see), shared duties in the opening half with young Jake Waters, and would have in the final 30 minutes is the kid hadn't hurt his shoulder. Durant was sacked five times and Waters twice, so neither was getting any help. Riders thrilled the 33,427 fans by punting 12 times in 16 possessions. The defence wasn't too bad, really, led by Henoc Muamba's 10 tackles, and they put some pressure on at times. One game left at Vancouver. The fans have already mentally moved to the beauty new digs.
9. Toronto Argonauts (unchanged - bye)
Record: 5-12
Streak: Lost 6
Remaining: at Edmonton
Altogether fitting that Ricky Ray should play this season's last Argo game back in Edmonton where Mike Reilly could bust the passing mark Ol' No. 15 set in 2008 while wearing Green and Gold. This is an important match for the Double Blue because everyone on that roster is hoping for employment next year. Whoever coaches or generally manages the club will be looking at a lot of film. A disappointing effort came at the worst time, with the new stadium, new ownership, new hope, and three other local pro franchises finding lots of success. Can't remember such a key off-season, one that will determine the near future of a franchise founded in 1873. Next year's most valuable players may well be the owners.