P O WE R RANKINGS WE E K 3
( Last week’s rankings in brackets):
1 ( 1) Edmonton
You have to hand it to the Eskimos. Otherwise they might drop it. On Friday, during a 23-19 home- field victory over Montreal, the Eskimos lamented two dropped touchdown passes before performing better in the crucial stages. Season- ending injuries to running back John White and middle linebacker J.C. Sherritt are a concern, but any team quarterbacked by Mike Reilly will be a factor. Edmonton is the league’s only 2- 0 team.
2 ( 2) Calgary
The Stampeders are coming off Thursday’s classic 43-39 victory over the visiting Redblacks — a showcase game. Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell continues to collaborate with a seemingly never- ending supply of able receivers. Wait until running back Jerome Messam gets on track.
3 ( 3) Ottawa
The ranking is higher than the record would ordinarily dictate. The defending Grey Cup champions are winless, having registered a loss and a tie, but they have gone toe- totoe with the perennially powerful Stampeders in back- to- back weeks. Redblacks quarterback Trevor Harris comes out firing and never stops.
4 ( 5) Winnipeg
After an opening-week bye, the Bombers registered a 43- 40 OT victory against Saskatchewan on Saturday. Winnipeg failed to register a first down for 17 minutes and still piled up 37 regulation- time points. There are some issues on defence, but Matt Nichols looks to be taking the next step after throwing four touchdowns.
5 ( 6) B.C.
The Lions’ offence under Jonathon Jennings is explosive and unpredictable. Jennings is equally capable of throwing forehead- slapping interceptions and engineering big plays downfield. Expect more of the latter as the season progresses. The Lions should be an upper- echelon team.
6 (4) Toronto
The Argos were in position to improve to 2- 0 before a fourth- quarter implosion against B.C. The Lions eliminated most of the over- the- top options for Toronto pivot Ricky Ray, an approach Ottawa is likely to emulate this week. Ray is capable of throwing for 300- plus yards on a slow day, and Toronto is capable of an ascent if the future Hall of Famer stays healthy.
7 ( 7) Montreal
Good news: The Alouettes have allowed only 39 points over two games. Bad news: Montreal has scored 36. The Als need to focus on receiver Ernest Jackson. With Ottawa last season, Jackson was the East’s most outstanding player. As an Alouette, he has three catches for 19 yards.
8 ( 8) Saskatchewan
In the CFL, you should win if you allow 17 points ( as the Riders did in Week 1) or score 37 in regulation ( Week 2). The Riders are 0- 2, having lost by a combined margin of four points. Since mid- September of 2014, they’re 10-37. Are they poised to turn the corner or will the misery persist?
9 ( 9) Hamilton
The Ticats opened the season with a lifeless showing, falling 32-15 in Toronto, and that ghastly game remains the only basis for evaluating them following a Week 2 bye. Quarterback Zach Collaros likely needed the recuperation time after his team’s bad pass blocking in the opener.