CFL Power Rankings: Eskimos do just enough to stay on top
No need for 60 minutes when 3:34 will do against Ticats
Here's how I rank the Canadian Football League teams heading into Week 6:
1. Edmonton Eskimos (unchanged)
- Record: 4-0
- Streak: Won 4
- Next: vs. B.C.
No need for 60 minutes when 3:34 will do. Not doing much on offence the rest of the game, Eskies put together a nine-play drive for a touchdown to end the first half in Hamilton, and then a six-play version to finish the fourth quarter and pick up a win on the road. A ferocious second-half performance by the defenders allowed just two field goals against a pair of punts and two picks. Mike Reilly had an efficient 350-yard night, with three majors thrown, despite being hurried too many times. There were certainly mistakes that have to be fixed, including three sacks allowed and 72 yards in team losses. Kendial Lawrence's 158 yards in returns helped Edmonton out of of trouble. Brandon Zylstra, in his first full year up here, has 409 yards in four games. B.C. coming in next.
2. B.C. Lions (unchanged)
- Record: 4-1
- Streak: Won 4
- Next: at Edmonton
Two runaway engines heading for the same switch, and the race went to the one with QB Travis Lulay at the controls. On a night when both defences apparently went for beers with Gassy Jack Deighton (a little Vancouver history there), Lulay put in a second strong effort in relief of the injured Jonathon Jennings, this time bombing Winnipeg for 472 total, including 404 in the air. Lions are rolling on offence, with a deep receiving corps (Bryan Burnham had 149 yards receiving and is now a legit star), they can protect the pivot and have shown an ability to finish drives. The defenders, off a game like this, seem confused and vulnerable, but B.C. is actually about mid-league so far in most categories and is doing fine. Improved crowd of 21,107.
3. Calgary Stampeders (unchanged)
- Record: 3-1-1
- Streak: Won 1
- Next: vs. Hamilton
Vince Lombardi would have loved this game. The great Green Bay coach believed a ferocious rush, a pounding running game and a talented QB (Bart Starr) who made the key passes added up to big wins. White Stallions did it all against the Riders, with Jerome Messam (calmed down from last week) piling up 141 yards on 30 ball-control carries while Bo Mitchell threw for 253 and two TDs and the defence picked up five sacks. Charleston Hughes was majestic in a "look at that battleship" kind of way, with three sacks, three tackles, two QB pressures. And the rest of the crew came right along with him. The score said 27-10, but this was a professional dismantling of an opponent. Keep an eye on Kamar Jorden, who had another eight catches.
4. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (unchanged)
- Record: 2-2
- Streak: Lost 1
- Next: vs. Montreal
This is admittedly snarky, but it can't be anywhere near what coach Mike O'Shea is saying to his defenders and special teams this week. It's called tackle football for a reason, so if you can't bring ball carriers down you're going to lose. First, Lions returner Chris Rainey romped for 305 total yards, pushing the special-teams tacklers to a two-game total of 660 allowed. Second, the secondary gave up 145 yards after catch. That was enough to scupper a nice outing by QB Matt Nichols, who despite three sacks ran a well-balanced attack that produced 361 yards net, including a solid 102 on the ground. 'Peg had TDs on four straight possessions in the middle of the game, including one set up by a super-cool onside fake field goal.
.<a href="https://twitter.com/Wpg_BlueBombers">@Wpg_BlueBombers</a> pull off ridiculous trick play to set up a Darvin Adams TD near the end of the 2nd. <a href="https://twitter.com/BCLions">@BCLions</a> lead 27-21 at half. <a href="https://t.co/3kS3CdcyOs">pic.twitter.com/3kS3CdcyOs</a>
—@TSN_Sports5. Toronto Argonauts (up from 7)
- Record: 3-2
- Streak: Won 1
- Next: at Saskatchewan
A neat scene in the Argo room after their second win this year over Ottawa saw a lineup of young Toronto players besieging Hall of Fame QB Doug Flutie, looking for autographs on their No. 2 bobbleheads. Respect for their elders. It was a close three-point win on a Lirim Hajrullahu field goal with :00 on the clock, but 3-2 and first in the East is pretty nice for a club that still has so much work to do. Their own mistakes allowed Ottawa to stay in this one; their own fine play at times produced the victory. QB Ricky Ray and his offence had the ball for over 35 minutes as he threw for 367 yards and two scores. Defence held the RBs to just 276 total. A crowd of 15,801 was 4,500 better than last time. Next, how about a Joe Theismann bobblehead night?
6. Montreal Alouettes (down from 5)
- Record: 2-3
- Streak: Lost 1
- Next: at Winnipeg
Start with 999 bottles of beer on the wall and sing it backwards all the way. That will both annoy your family and give you some idea of how many 1,000 career catches by Nik Lewis really is. This was the highlight of a night that saw five turnovers by the Skylarks, together ruining an excellent outing in Ottawa that could easily have been a victory. Darian Durant threw for 452 yards, a 78 per cent completion percentage and just under 500 in net offence. He hurt his own cause with an overthrow in the first quarter — picked — and a toss into the end zone during the second frame that found the wrong colour sweater. Both those drives would have produced points to turn the game around. Receivers Ernest Jackson and B.J. Cunningham each caught for 101 yards.
7. Ottawa Redblacks (up from 8)
- Record: 1-4-1
- Streak: Lost 1
- Next: bye
RBs had a busy week (all teams have to go through this), playing twice in six days with two different outcomes. At home to Montreal, they took advantage of five turnovers to overcome almost 500 yards allowed and pick up a first win. Pivot Trevor Harris was excellent, tossing for 376 and using Greg Ellingson (149 on six grabs) as his go-to all night. In Toronto, they beat themselves with two key fumbles, a big interception and three sacks allowed. In it until the last possession, the defence let Ricky Ray march his side down the field in the final two minutes for the winning kick. There is still lots of time to work things through (sounds like the Blue Jays a few months back). Soon would be a good time.
8. Saskatchewan Roughriders (down from 6)
- Record: 1-3
- Streak: Lost 1
- Next: vs. Toronto
Simply not ready for prime time this week, as the Stamps ran the Riders down in all areas of the game. Poor Kevin Glenn was up to his neck in red and black (with white numbers) and produced only 220 net yards on a night where the only positive was he got off the field alive. Five sacks. Five quarterback hurries. Dancing around all night. A shame, as when he did get the ball away he completed 71 per cent of his passes. Every possession in the first half ended in a punt, and there were 10 punts overall. Tackling from the front seven was iffy, and Calgary's coaches knew it — they ran the ball 30 times. Glenn became the seventh in league history to throw for 50,000 yards, and is the only one not to win a Grey Cup. Hall of Fame argument? It says here, yes.
9. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (unchanged)
- Record: 0-4
- Streak: Lost 4
- Next: at Calgary
The outlook was somewhat brilliant for the Steeltown boys against undefeated Edmonton, leading 25-13 into the fourth as the visitors seemed ready to go down. Then, collapse. They gave up 18 points in the final 15 minutes, including the game-winning drive as time ran out. What made that doubly painful was the Eskimos had also closed out the first half with a touchdown. The defence was much sharper this week than against B.C., and special teams came up with a blocked punt touchdown courtesy Jeff Hughes. QB Zach Collaros produced 312 yards offence, but too many of the drives came up short, resulting in four field goals. Bright spot is RB Ross Scheuerman (from Cream Ridge, N.J.), who had 10 carries for 68 yards and is showing he can carry the mail in the league.