Lefko on CFL: Week 16 Power Rankings - sportsnet.ca

Previous Power Rankings

TW	LW	Team	Our Take
1	1	(9-6-0)	Eight wins in a row for the amazing Lions. Their latest win, 29-18 over Saskatchewan, required resilience. The Lions trailed 12-9 at halftime and 15-12 after three quarters. What can you say about a defence refusing to surrender a touchdown? And minus middle linebacker Solomon Elimimian? Yes, the Lions recorded their latest win against the lowly Roughriders, who were clearly playing with some injured players. Outscoring the opposition 17-3 in the final quarter speaks to how the Lions simply are a complete overall team. Receiver Arland Bruce scored another touchdown, further emphasizing one of the key reasons for the Lions' turnaround. And how about Andrew Harris? He has really developed into a solid dual-purpose feature running back. His tip-toe of the sidelines to score a touchdown was the product of a great overall blocking scheme, punctuated by athletic footwork. Peerless Perry continues to enjoy the Lions' resurgence because he picked them in the pre-season to win the Grey Cup.
2	3	(10-5-0)	Four wins in a row, including two at home in six days, over Toronto and Hamilton, respectively. But the 27-25 win over Hamilton was a little too close to comfort. The Als would have had a lot of explaining to do had they blown their decisive lead in the fourth quarter after blowing a third-and-one gamble. Peerless Perry is unhappy the Als failed to cover the 6½ -point spread with the game seemingly in hand. The Als also received some breaks from the officials. But a win is a win, and the champs are getting it done with some consistency. Receiver Jamel Richardson recorded his fourth consecutive game with 100 or more yards - and that's a key reason for the streak. The Als simply have the most explosive offence in the East and arguably the best overall in the league if you factor in what running back Brandon Whitaker continues to do rushing and receiving the ball. Lions' backers may argue that, however.
3	4	(9-6-0)	Eskimos have won their last two, both at home, and are now 5-3 at Commonwealth Stadium. They followed a 17-1 win over Saskatchewan with a 24-10 win over Winnipeg, proving they can beat a heavyweight after punching out a lightweight. Defence has stepped up in last two games, giving up only one touchdown and recording six interceptions and seven sacks. What's notable is the Eskimos are getting it done with a patched-up offence line, including their third centre of the season. The offence continues to ride hot horse Jerome Messam, who is proving hard to stop on the ground. The balanced offence will mean a lot because quarterback Ricky Ray doesn't have to do it all himself with his arm.
4	2	(9-6-0)	What is happening with this team? It's 2-5 after an incredible 7-1 start. One week they look totally unbeatable, and then they throw craps. One thing apparent is that the Bombers are 3-4 outside of their division. Maybe they have a hard time focusing after getting revved up playing Hamilton and Montreal. They still have a shot for first place, but also are in danger of possibly slipping to third. Quarterback Buck Pierce simply can't afford to have another crappy outing. Going 19-for-33 for only 143 yards and throwing three picks was the difference in the latest loss. In three of his last five games, he's had an average quarterback rating of just over 30. Those are Cleo Lemon stats!
5	6	(7-8-0)	Hard to truly gauge their latest loss because they made a game of it against the Als and nearly pulled off a stunning comeback. And, yes, the Cats and their fans have reason to question the officiating and the whole challenge process. If a team has a call overturned on a challenge, it should maintain the challenge. Okay, enough said. The rotation of starting quarterback Kevin Glenn and backup Quinton Porter proved interesting, but it still doesn't address what the Cats should do go going forward, depending on whether Glenn is hurt. Losing promising rookie running back Terry Grant with a season-ending injury will pose a problem. The Cats needed someone to push Avon Cobourne and give the offence a different look. Still can't believe this team was once dreaming of first place but failed to play with any kind of consistency and squandered it. Still can't believe receiver Dave Stala has become lost in the offence. After seven games, he had seven touchdown catches. He registered his first in eight games in the loss to Montreal. What's the deal with that?
6	7	(4-11-0)	Believe it or not, the Argos aren't the worst team anymore. They are 2-2 in their last four games and showing some fight. Like the use of twin running backs against Calgary. Cory Boyd put up after griping about not getting the ball and rushed for over 100 yards. Boyd should have been playing with that intensity more often this year. And credit should be given to the offensive line, which has been riddled with injuries. Boyd's new backfield partner Chad Kackert chipped in with some useful yards. But the bottom line is the Argo defence is keeping the team in the game. At least there's something positive for Argo fans.
7	5	(8-7-0)	Completely came apart against the Argos, losing for the second time this season to Toronto. The Stamps were a top team prior to coming undone after Labour Day. What has really hurt the Stamps has been the subpar effort of quarterback Henry Burris. He had a minus 3.6 quarterbacking rating against Toronto. I don't think I've ever seen a player with a negative QB rating. He threw two picks and only had six completions for 65 yards in 11 throws. That's seven picks against only seven TD throws since Labour Day. He's also had 12 fumbles, including eights since Labour Day. Backup Drew Tate helped the team overcome a 28-9 halftime deficit against Toronto and put it into a position to win, but the defence took some bad penalties to blow the lead. Clearly, Tate has to start now or get more playing time, similar to what Hamilton is doing with its top two QBs.
8	8	(4-11-0)	Officially out of playoff contention and looking very much like a team literally on its last legs for this year. Quarterback Darian Durant is playing with a broken toe, receiver Andy Fantuz is clearly not 100 percent and who knows how many other players are really banged up. Ken Miller is 3-4 since taking over as head coach and the bigger picture is clearly not whether he will be back next year but how much the entire football operations will be dismantled? Say this though: the Rider Priders are still passionate, cheering for their team despite the disappointing season.

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