POWER RANKINGS

18 WEEK

1.

Hamilton (1)

How hard will it be for the Ticats to refuse the off-season trade proposals from Toronto and Ottawa for QB Dane Evans, who has helped guide them to first in the East? Good problem to have, with Jeremiah Masoli coming off a major injury.

2.

Saskatchewan (3)

The Riders are the darlings du jour in the West and DE Charleston Hughes is telling everyone who will listen that it’s their time. If they beat the Stamps in Calgary this week, he will seem somewhat prophetic, as that would all but wrap up the West title.

3.

Montreal (4)

Will a home playoff date be enough to convince DE John Bowman to hang around for a 15th season? With eight sacks and 40 tackles, Bowman has been integral to their turnaround, though not as influential as QB Vernon Adams Jr.

4.

Calgary (2)

They’re now chasing the Riders down the stretch and that can’t be comfortable territory for the perennial front-runners in the West. Their home game against Saskatchewan on Friday is an absolute must win.

5.

B.C. (7)

Their obliteration of

Toronto last week featured the unstoppable Mike Reilly-to-bryan Burnham connection that everyone envisioned as soon as the free agent QB signed with B.C. in February. Better late than never. And they’re still in it, for now.

6.

Winnipeg (5)

The Bombers, who have been struggling along with QB Chris Streveler, made a trade deadline move to acquire Zach Collaros from Toronto. Veteran support for Streveler? Or the new starter? Their defence is good, but too many turnovers by the offence had Winnipeg sliding into oblivion.

7.

Edmonton (6)

Injuries to QBS Trevor Harris (throwing arm) and Logan Kilgore (leg) are muddying the look of the Esks’ roster for what could be a playoff-clinching home game against B.C. And it sounds like RB C.J. Gable is also out.

8.

Ottawa (9)

Having lost the heart of their offence in free agency and overestimated the efficacy of quarterbacks Dom Davis and Jon Jennings, the Redblacks must start over. They’ll hand the ball to third-string QB Will Arndt this week and hope he might be ready for 2020. Or, they’ll trade for Dane Evans.

9.

Toronto (8)

Hey, Bill Manning, how do you get people to forget that 55-8 loss in B.C. last week and show up for not one, but two home games against Ottawa this month? Pinball Clemons. Yeah. That’s the ticket.