2014 CFL Power Rankings Week 11

I worked on this yesterday before the Darian Durant being out for the season broke and I subsequently updated it with that information.

1. Calgary Stampeders
Beat the Eskimos back to back and this time on the road. Their regular season record would suggest they are one of the CFL's best ever teams. I certainly don't disagree that they are right now the best team in the league, but they don't really seem to be an all time team (mainly because they don't seem to have a lot of blowouts).

2. Edmonton Eskimos
Last week's score was closer than how the Eskimos played. Not having Mike Reilly at quarterback definitely hurts, although Nicholls seems to be quite good by the standards of backups in the CFL. Is Reilly guaranteed back this week? Who knows. He could be back though, unlike Darian Durant.

2. Saskatchewan Roughriders
Also won back to back against the same team and also this time on the road. The Riders looked mediocre at the beginning of the season, but have seemed to regain their form from winning the Grey Cup last year. Dressler is now back and their defensive front four is quite ferocious.

3. Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Close, but still a loss at home in the Banjo Bowl. Drew Willy is playing better than I thought he would have at the beginning of the season, although not fantastic. This will probably continue (unless he too gets injured). Considering the way quarterbacks are dropping like flies, Willy is pretty good.

4. Saskatchewan Roughriders
Like Calgary also won back to back against the same team and also this time on the road. The Riders looked mediocre at the beginning of the season, but have seemed to regain their form from winning the Grey Cup last year. Dressler is now back and their defensive front four is quite ferocious. But today word came that Durant is probably gone for the season and some guy named Tino or something is the backup. That's not good. The Riders are talented enough at running back, offensive line and on defence to not totally fall off the wagon, but there definitely will be problems with no Durant.

5. BC Lions
How long is Lulay gone for now? Is this addition by subtraction considering Lulay didn't look particularly good against the expansion REDBLACKS? At least they have Glenn as backup. If they didn't this season would be quite different.

6. Toronto Argonauts
Didn't play so they didn't lose. They didn't look great the previous week against Hamilton, but they did lose on the road by only a point which is actually pretty good this low on the power rankings. I'm assuming a week's rest really helps the Argos. Not as much as actually getting into BMO field, but somewhat.

7. Montreal Alouettes
The Als won, despite looking dreadful in the first half against the Ticats. One thing the Alouettes did have was good special teams throughout the game. Crompton looked improved in the second half as a quarterback and Duron Carter and Chad Johnson actually looked good as receivers. Montreal's defence also looked good in the second half.

8. Hamilton Tiger-Cats
After the first half, the Ticats looked like they were going to go up in the power rankings. The offense until Collaros was kicking ass and the defence was looking good. Then they fell apart somehow in the second half to a not particularly great Montreal team. What can you say about this team? Their talent is good, but they can't seem to find a way to win. They also need to learn to step on other teams' throats.

9. Ottawa REDBLACKS
Well they came come close to beating BC. They've got a reasonable defence. Unfortunately their offense can never seem to get it done. Maybe they can upgrade their imports with NFL cuts.