Lefko's CFL power rankings: Week 11 - sportsnet.ca

Previous Power Rankings

TW	LW	Team	Our Take
1	4	(7-3-0)	Talk about a reversal of form. Four days after looking absolutely awful at home on Labour Day, the Stamps, in particular quarterback Henry Burris, turn around and humble the Eskimos at home. A successful Hail Mary pass at the end of the first half in a 30-20 win over Edmonton ranks as one of the plays of the year. The Stamps are easily the most enigmatic team because of their ability to alternately look so good and so bad. For the entire season, they have been stronger in the second half than the opening half. They’ve taken over first in the West by winning five of their last six and showed some backbone having already lost twice to Edmonton. If the Stamps could find their confidence at home, they might hold on to first and actually expand their lead.
2	5	(6-4-0)	The Als were starting to show signs of vulnerability, but came back and absolutely dominated the Ticats in one of the biggest games for Montreal in recent years. The value of this win is it keeps the Als in front of the Ticats by two points and prevents Hamilton from clinching the series. More than anything, the game showcased the return to form of quarterback Anthony Calvillo, who hadn’t been playing up to his standards in recent weeks. Calvillo completed 31-of-45 passes for 421 yards -- the most he’s totaled this year in one game -- and tossed four touchdowns. And what a response from the defence, which continues to get decimated in the back end.
3	6	(3-7-0)	Yes, the Roughriders are back. Back-to-back emphatic wins over Winnipeg, which had been dominating the league after eight games, are an indication of how this team has ewturned to life after starting out 1-7. and firing their coach and offensive co-ordinator. They are 2-0 with Ken Miller and there’s a definite swagger -- yeah, that word was intended -- in the steps of the Green Machine. You look at the play in the last nine quarters of quarterback Darian Durant and receiver Chris Getzlaf and this is clear proof why Saskatchewan has come back from the dead. The defence, which looked absolutely lifeless under the passive attack of head coach Greg Marshall/Richie Hall, has come to life.
4	1	(7-3-0)	There’s a problem in Swaggerville. It surfaced three games ago when the Blue Bombers barely scraped by Hamilton. Embarrassing back-to-back losses to Saskatchewan, combined with injuries to several key players, pose some issues going forward. Quarterback Buck Pierce is starting to get pummeled and the turnovers are starting to pile up. Head coach Paul LaPolice now has a challenge to regroup his team, which can’t be cocky anymore, especially going into Montreal and needing a win to hold on to first. What once looked like a runaway season for the Bombers has quickly turned around in a hurry.
5	2	(6-4-0)	After dominating Calgary on the road, the Eskimos came up flat at home in the rematch. A dropped pass by running back Jerome Messam early in the game set the tone for this lifeless effort. This was the Eskimos’ fourth loss in their last five, and may have been the most painful because the team showed no life even with the return of top receiver Fred Stamps. Messam’s play has really dropped off in the last few games.
6	3	(5-5-0)	Just when the Cats look like they’re going to move up to the next level, they prove they still have a ways to go. They put up no fight against the Als after dominating them in Hamilton, proving they simply are not as tough on the road as they are at home. Given that the Als were weakened in their back end, the Ticats had an opportunity to pounce but failed to take advantage of the opportunity. Now it’s a question of having to regroup and establish whether they are a contender or merely a wannabe. The absence of injured centre Marwan Hage affected the ability and character of the team, but surely the Cats need to be stronger than this.
7	7	(4-6-0)	The Lions are now on a three-game win streak and are showing signs of another second-half turnaround. Granted, the three wins have come against slumping teams, but at least the Lions are showing an ability to put away their opponents convincingly. Quarterback Travis Lulay continues to make huge strides, as do many of the team’s young stars. What’s interesting is how the team is now only four points back of second-place Edmonton, and who would have figured that after how the Lions began the season. With the Lions moving back to the newly-renovated B.C. Place, there is reason for optimism going forward. A few adjustments in personnel and scheme have made this a team that merits watching, the only caveat being whether they will be able to compete with the upper-echelon teams.
8	8	(2-8-0)	New quarterback Steven Jyles showed improvement over Cleo Lemon by moving the ball with his legs, giving the team some glimmer of hope going forward, but there’s still a huge mountain to climb. In fact, you wonder if the Argos are moving closer to eliminating themselves from the playoffs at this early stage. The receiving corps still needs a major upgrade. The defence also needs to find a way to put some pressure on the quarterback with some sacks. You can change the quarterback, but it’s only one of many lingering issues. To match their 9-9 record of a year ago, the Argos need to win seven of their remaining eight games.

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