Lefko's CFL power rankings: Week 13 - sportsnet.ca

Previous Power Rankings

TW	LW	Team	Our Take
1	4		Five wins in a row and beating teams in their own division with ease. Totally dismantled Saskatchewan in their latest victory, 42-5, controlling the clock in the opening quarter and busting the game wide open in the second. Quarterback Travis Lulay connected on 19 of 27 passes for 303 yards, two TDs and a whopping 132.2 QB rating. Receiver Arland Bruce scored a highlight-reel 100-yard touchdown catch, his fifth in six games since the Lions acquired him from Hamilton. Middle linebacker Solomon Elimimian wreaked havoc on the Roughriders and defensive back Ryan Phillips had an interception for a TD. Kicker Paul McCallum was good on all four field goal tries. In summation, this was a victory by a team that is doing everything right after doing everything wrong prior to the streak.
2	3		An absolute character win, beating Edmonton on the road following a tough loss only five days before. Even after losing star quarterback Anthony Calvillo to injury, the Als didn’t wilt. Backup QB Adrian McPherson showed he is a starter in the making. And you had to admire the defence, picking off a pass after a turnover and sticking a pin in Edmonton’s comeback. The win also illustrated the continuing emergence of running back Brandon Whitaker as a star in the making. Getting the ball in the hands of receiver Jamel Richardson was a great move to start the game. The champs aren’t ready to concede just yet.
3	1		Oh, the indignity of losing to Toronto, which had only two wins going into the game. You could make an excuse for the Bombers because they lost their starting quarterback Buck Pierce to injury and then backup Alex Brink. They also lost their feature running back Fred Reid, who was having a decent game, to injury and his backup to injury. Add in injuries to defensive tackle Doug Brown and offensive lineman Brendan LaBatte and this was like a tale of the walking wounded. But the Bombers lost. It’s the third in their last four and they were all out to beat Montreal two games ago. The whole Swaggerville thing is over.
4	7		Recorded a 55-36 win over Calgary. Clearly the trip to Moncton helped relieve some issues on offence and defence. A clever use of all-purpose back/receiver as a slotback added a new dimension because it opened up things for running back Avon Cobourne, who was in a bit of a slump. Thigpen had two touchdown catches -- one on a well-executed flea flicker play, and one return touchdown on a missed field goal. Rookie running back Terry Grant looked like Pinball Clemons bouncing off tacklers in his debut on offence and kick returns. And the defence, clearly looking to bounce back from two consecutive losses, made a statement with four sacks, two interceptions and one forced fumble.
5	2		Let’s be honest: Quarterback Ricky Ray played poorly and cost his team the game. He just seemed to lose his focus. Throwing an interception on the first play after a gift-wrapped turnover by the defence when down by six proved to be the play of the game. You could also accuse the defence of failing to put pressure on backup QB Adrian McPherson. It also seemed the Eskimos took too long to get power running back Jerome Messam involved, clearly deciding the best route to beat the Als was through the air.
6	6		There are serious issues with this team. Two consecutive losses, their latest 55-36 to Hamilton, and three of four losses since Labour Day. QB Henry Burris had another poor outing and was pulled for the second consecutive game. His lack of consistency all season has been an issue. Running back Joffrey Reynolds is a healthy scratch because head coach John Hufnagel wanted to send a message. Disgruntled receiver Nik Lewis caught a game-high eight catches, but also dropped one early. The defence simply couldn’t stop the Ticat running backs. And special teams gave up too much return yardage. Did the benching of Reynolds backfire? Are there more changes coming? Stay tuned.
7	5		Imploded every which way losing 42-5 to B.C. at home. Not only did they end a three-game win streak, they also lost valuable traction in their bid to get back into the playoff race. This game was all too reminiscent of the lacklustre effort by the team earlier in the season and which ultimately cost head coach Greg Marshall his job. Interim head coach Ken Miller had his 3-0 streak come to a crashing halt. The defence looked lost the whole game after a great game the week before. The offence is starting to have problems again. Saskatchewan is 2-5 at home this year. Remember when teams couldn’t beat Saskatchewan at home?
8	8		Even in victory, the Argos still looked woeful. By the grace of the football gods they beat Winnipeg and still cling to the faint hope of making the playoffs. They beat the Bombers, who were like soldiers injured in battle. Then again, the Argos were playing with a patchwork offensive line. The defence is trying to hold this team together because the offence isn’t doing anything. Quarterback Steven Jyles has played three games and hasn’t looked any better than Cleo Lemon, although he has more mobility. It will take a miracle for the Argos to make the playoffs, but at least they have a faint hope.

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