As there is every year, there's some tumult after week 1.
1. Saskatchewan Rough Riders
There were some doubts heading into the season that off-season losses would hurt the Riders. Apparently not. Darian Durant easily dispatched the Tiger-Cats in inclement weather, dealing out ten sacks to boot, three from non-import Ricky Foley. Durant is an experienced good CFL quarterback. That counts for a lot.
2. Calgary Stampeders
The Stamps started Bo Levi Mitchell instead of Drew Tate and that paid off handsomely with a dismantling of the Montreal Alouettes. Cornish getting roughed up isn't good, but Calgary is again a good team.
3. Edmonton Eskimos
Seems strange, but Mike Reilly and the Esks beat the Lions on the road to open the season. Reilly ran for his life last year, but picked up valuable experience. Edmonton probably won't be a great team this year, but they won't lose every close game like they seemed to last year.
4. BC Lions
Losing at home to the Eskimos isn't a great way to start the season and I expected a little more from Kevin Glenn. It was Glenn's first game ever with the Lions (regular season) however and Glenn has always been a quarterback who is better when comfortable with a few reliable targets. Lulay could potentially be back this week which would be a plus.
5. Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Are the Bombers and Drew 'Slick' Willy for real? I'm not sure. Are they better than last year? Yes. Willy at least appears good enough for the Bombers to rally around rather than churning through quarterbacks like they did last year. I'm a little skeptical at Aaron Kelly being a team's star receiver, but who can argue with success.
6. Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Not impressive at all although the crazy weather did the Cats no favours. Perhaps what is most scary is that the Cats allowed ten sacks while starting two Americans on the offensive line. The Ticats certainly still have talent, but if they can't get their line together to protect Collaros, it is going to be a long season.
7. Toronto Argonauts
Ricky Ray losing to the Bombers and being outplayed by Drew Willy isn't exactly a great portent for the Argos season. Ray is still a good CFL quarterback and I still like Scott Milanovich as coach.
8. Montreal Alouettes
Looks like the Troy Smith quarterbacking experiment might not be working out. That's not good for Montreal. Welcome to life post Anthony Calvillo.
9. Ottawa Red Blacks
They're still an expansion team and until they play a game, I'm not believing.
Showing posts with label week 1. Show all posts
Showing posts with label week 1. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
2013 CFL Power Rankings Week 1
So now there's actually been some football that counts in the standings. A few surprises and the Bombers are only somewhat bad.
1. Calgary Stampeders
Somewhat of a surprise that the Stamps beat the Lions. Tate had a good game, but more importantly non-import running back Jon Cornish had a superlative game, rushing a ridiculous 24 times for 172 yards and two TDs. That's a 7.2 yard per carry average, which is quite good, but more impressive that it wasn't on just a few carries. Consistently being able to rush for over seven yards in the CFL is a good way to win.
2. Toronto Argonauts
Sure their defence isn't what it was last year, but the offense had an excellent game and managed to outlast Hamilton in a slugfest. Kackert is one of the better running backs in the league and Ray is consistently reliable. That's a lot in the early going of a CFL season.
3. Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Riders dominated the Eskimos, which doesn't say a lot considering it is the Eskimos. Durrant played well and Sheets looked good running. That's good enough for second this week.
4. BC Lions
Sure they lost, but you can't write power rankings solely based on who wins and loses. Lulay had OK stats although Andrew Harris didn't do a lot. Obviously the run defence got carved up by Cornish, but that may be an anomaly.
5. Montreal Alouettes
No Mark Trestman coaching anymore. Calvillo's stats were mostly meh, and they only beat the Bombers by five points, which is kind of sad considering it is Winnipeg, albeit one with a healthy Buck Pierce.
6. Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Good offense, bad defence. Same as last year, just with another offensive guru as the head coach. A potent offense early in the season should keep the Cats at the middle of the pack, but a porous defence won't let them get any higher. Injury prone defensive end Greg Peach is already injured and the linebackers don't get the results that their accolades from the press would suggest.
7. Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Buck Pierce isn't hurt yet so that's something. Also Edmonton is worse. Remember when Swaggerville was a thing?
8. Edmonton Eskimos
The Esks are bad and with the worse quarterback in the league starting. Mike Reilly may get better as the season goes along, but the team is pretty smelly right now. Stamps is still one of the better receivers and Coehoorn is a decent young non-import receiver. Not looking good so far.
1. Calgary Stampeders
Somewhat of a surprise that the Stamps beat the Lions. Tate had a good game, but more importantly non-import running back Jon Cornish had a superlative game, rushing a ridiculous 24 times for 172 yards and two TDs. That's a 7.2 yard per carry average, which is quite good, but more impressive that it wasn't on just a few carries. Consistently being able to rush for over seven yards in the CFL is a good way to win.
2. Toronto Argonauts
Sure their defence isn't what it was last year, but the offense had an excellent game and managed to outlast Hamilton in a slugfest. Kackert is one of the better running backs in the league and Ray is consistently reliable. That's a lot in the early going of a CFL season.
3. Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Riders dominated the Eskimos, which doesn't say a lot considering it is the Eskimos. Durrant played well and Sheets looked good running. That's good enough for second this week.
4. BC Lions
Sure they lost, but you can't write power rankings solely based on who wins and loses. Lulay had OK stats although Andrew Harris didn't do a lot. Obviously the run defence got carved up by Cornish, but that may be an anomaly.
5. Montreal Alouettes
No Mark Trestman coaching anymore. Calvillo's stats were mostly meh, and they only beat the Bombers by five points, which is kind of sad considering it is Winnipeg, albeit one with a healthy Buck Pierce.
6. Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Good offense, bad defence. Same as last year, just with another offensive guru as the head coach. A potent offense early in the season should keep the Cats at the middle of the pack, but a porous defence won't let them get any higher. Injury prone defensive end Greg Peach is already injured and the linebackers don't get the results that their accolades from the press would suggest.
7. Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Buck Pierce isn't hurt yet so that's something. Also Edmonton is worse. Remember when Swaggerville was a thing?
8. Edmonton Eskimos
The Esks are bad and with the worse quarterback in the league starting. Mike Reilly may get better as the season goes along, but the team is pretty smelly right now. Stamps is still one of the better receivers and Coehoorn is a decent young non-import receiver. Not looking good so far.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
CFL Week 1, 2012 Power Rankings
1. BC Lions
Beat the Bombers handily at home, despite the Winnipeggers losing Buck Pierce in the first half (shocking!). The Bombers still have a good defence though and the Lions were able to score 33 against them.
2. Calgary Stampeders
Drew Tate is for real apparently. I doubted it going into the season, but there you go. Alouettes quarterback Anthony Calvillo wasn't just his usual self. I'm not sure if that's a one game thing or not, but the Montreal offense was quite meh in Calgary. Their defence wasn't so hot either.
3. Saskatchewan Roughriders
Darian Durant seems to have rebounded from his suckage as the Riders shocked the Ticats at home (with the help of a Dressler reception that actually hit the ground, but I digress). Both offense and defence look good and Dressler was a force. Durant received some pressure, but managed to scramble away multiple times. Four sacks. I don't know if this will continue, but the Riders looked good at Ivor Wynne.
4. Edmonton Eskimos
Beat the Argos at home by a small margin, although the Argos did have about a billion penalties. Steven Jyles played OK, better than I thought he would, but nothing to write home about. Defence not bad. Still have Fred Stamps.
5. Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Sure they lost by a good number of points to the Lions, but it was on the road and BC is the class of the league. The Bombers still have a good defence. Buck Pierce still gets injured with stunning regularity. Not much more to say.
6. Toronto Argonauts
Lots of penalties, but didn't lose by much. Receiving lots of penalties in the first game is fixable. Ray didn't look bad. Defence still decent.
7. Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Played OK in the first half. Result may have been different if Dressler incompletion actually detected by refs or the Cats actually challenged. Team seemed to give up in second half. Burris mediocre. Front four not great, only registering a sack, despite Durant hanging on to the ball a lot. Ratio problems.
8. Montreal Alouettes
Is this the beginning of the end for Calvillo? How bad is the Alouette offense? The Alouettes probably won't stay here, but they didn't look good in week one.
Beat the Bombers handily at home, despite the Winnipeggers losing Buck Pierce in the first half (shocking!). The Bombers still have a good defence though and the Lions were able to score 33 against them.
2. Calgary Stampeders
Drew Tate is for real apparently. I doubted it going into the season, but there you go. Alouettes quarterback Anthony Calvillo wasn't just his usual self. I'm not sure if that's a one game thing or not, but the Montreal offense was quite meh in Calgary. Their defence wasn't so hot either.
3. Saskatchewan Roughriders
Darian Durant seems to have rebounded from his suckage as the Riders shocked the Ticats at home (with the help of a Dressler reception that actually hit the ground, but I digress). Both offense and defence look good and Dressler was a force. Durant received some pressure, but managed to scramble away multiple times. Four sacks. I don't know if this will continue, but the Riders looked good at Ivor Wynne.
4. Edmonton Eskimos
Beat the Argos at home by a small margin, although the Argos did have about a billion penalties. Steven Jyles played OK, better than I thought he would, but nothing to write home about. Defence not bad. Still have Fred Stamps.
5. Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Sure they lost by a good number of points to the Lions, but it was on the road and BC is the class of the league. The Bombers still have a good defence. Buck Pierce still gets injured with stunning regularity. Not much more to say.
6. Toronto Argonauts
Lots of penalties, but didn't lose by much. Receiving lots of penalties in the first game is fixable. Ray didn't look bad. Defence still decent.
7. Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Played OK in the first half. Result may have been different if Dressler incompletion actually detected by refs or the Cats actually challenged. Team seemed to give up in second half. Burris mediocre. Front four not great, only registering a sack, despite Durant hanging on to the ball a lot. Ratio problems.
8. Montreal Alouettes
Is this the beginning of the end for Calvillo? How bad is the Alouette offense? The Alouettes probably won't stay here, but they didn't look good in week one.
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