Sandra's WK21 Power Rankings
How in the world has the 2018 CFL season passed us by so quickly? I don't know how it's happened but it has and this is my final "grouping" of the season. Thanks so much for following along on this journey!
A - Santa's Hat - Will Santa deliver for one these teams in 2018? My Saskatchewan Roughriders were on bye week and so I left them at the top where they were last week. Rider fans were forced to sit back and hinge their hopes on the efforts of the BC Lions to see if the Riders could finish 1st in the West. It wasn't meant to be. No worries. They'll be hosting the Western Semi Final on Remembrance Day against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. It'll be the 4th meeting of the season. I'll be there with (cow)bells on. The Ottawa Redblacks have steadily climbed from group to group throughout this season. If I had to pick an eastern team to cheer for, it would be the Redblacks...just don't tell them that! I also bel13ve we will see an Ottawa/Saskatchewan Grey Cup match up. No I'm not making bets. I've also got the Stampeders in A group. They did manage to finish 1st in the west but I'm not sure that even with 2 weeks rest they are a team to come back from all the injuries their team has suffered this season. They've been the bridesmaid twice in recent years...is this the year they finally win?
* cough cough cough *
B - Rudolph! - Santa had to choose Rudolph when out of other options. Given the Bombers 28 year drought they wouldn't be Santa's first choice either. Yet, if my team was out of it - I'd be totally happy for their fans if they did make it to the Grey Cup. For the love of Gainer don't tell any of then that though! The BC Lions are the cross over team and have had 2 bad games in a row. I'm not liking their chances against the Hamilton Tigercats. It could be Wally in his final game looked ahead to planning for the Eastern Semi instead of winning the last game against a western opponent. By the way, it was a very nice presentation TSN put together for Wally and this Rider fan wishes him a happy retirement.
C - Santa's bringing these teams a big ol' lump of coal. The Edmonton Eskimos have a whole bag of questions from will Mike Reilly re-sign in Edmonton or test free agency...will the coaching staff even be the same? All this amidst holding the Grey Cup in their home town. I'm sure it'll be a party but there is a definite sense of major disappointment. Montreal re-signed some of their quarterbacks last week and did manage to eek out a win against a TiCats team of backups. I hope we are seeing year one of a rebuild plan because after so many years of dominance the fans deserve better. Toronto fired head coach Marc Trestman the day after their loss. One has to wonder what really happened there even though management said they weren't on the same page when it came to the direction of the team. I also hope Mr. Trestman takes some time off with his family and I wish them all the best in their fight for health.
I myself am undecided whether I will return with power ranking in 2019, however by training camp I'll likely be raring to go. Thank you, again, for sharing this obsession with me and everyone at ABC Rider Fans.
Sandra's WK20 Power Rankings
A - Waffles with strawberries and whipped cream...YUM! Is it the breakfast of champions? The Roughriders clinched a home play off with their win over the BC Lions Saturday. While it's not yet decided as to whether it'll be the West Semi or the West Final the bigger question might be the health of quarterback Zach Collaros after taking a vicious hit by Odell Willis. Some could debate that the Blue Bombers should be at the top but they've been able to capitalize on other teams having to play on short weeks. The Bombers also lost the season series to the Riders which for me outweighs the big goose egg they delivered to Rider Nation. They take on the Eskimos in the final week of the season. If I had to cheer for an eastern team it might be the Ottawa Redblacks. Ottawa is almost assured a win in week 21 against the Toronto Argonauts.
B - Pancakes. They're kind of like waffles but come out flat. Here we find the Calgary Stampeders who seemed to be out for revenge after their 2017 Grey Cup loss and arguably the best CFL team but when they should be clinching their spot in the West the injury bug has hit them the worst. In Week 21 we find them taking on the BC Lions who are fighting hard for Wally. Honestly, I had thought the Lions would put up a bigger fight in their display at Mosaic Stadium. They've been what some have said the hottest team in the league and were perhaps due for a loss. I didn't get to see the Hamilton/Ottawa game because I was driving to Regina for the Riders game so I can't comment on their performance. They match up with the Montreal Alouettes in Week 21 at Tim Hortons Field.
C - Toast and jam. These 3 teams are out of the playoffs all together. Toast. There's been lot's of talk about the future of the Eskimos. Reilly being a Free Agent, Mass & Benevides….as well as the embarrassment of missing the playoffs while hosting the Grey Cup. There's also some doubt as to what's happening in Toronto with that coaching staff. Montreal does seem to have found some answers and Manziel finally got his first CFL win in Week 20.
One more week in the CFL season - can you bel13ve it? Where did it go? As always, thanks for reading and following my groupings. You can find me on Twitter (@smilingsandra) or on ABC Rider Fans on Facebook...look us up!
Sandra's WK19 Power Rankings
A - Be Leaf - Unlike some other rankings out there I have the Saskatchewan Roughriders at the top of my groupings/rankings. They've achieved 2nd place in the West and are 1 game behind the Stampers with the possibility of finishing 1st. No other team has as many wins in the CFL since Labour Day. They've also taken the season series over both the Blue Bombers and Stampeders. All of those facts aside, it was a treat to see their offensive game plan and execution in Saturday's game. This is the Collaros we've been wanting to see. Zero interceptions while Bo Levi threw for one. Can the Riders do it again when the Lions visit Mosaic? The Bombers keep their spot since they were on a bye week and no matter how you spin it - it is difficult to either win or lose if you play zero games. Week 20 sees a Stampeder team looking for answers after dropping 2 games and the Blue Bombers coming off a rest to finish off their season.
B - Them Apples - Where did this BC Lions team emerge from? I've always maintained you cannot count out a team lead by Wally Buono and this season is no different. There is no doubt that this Lions team under the leadership of Travis Lulay is a far different team than when Jonathon Jennings is under the helm. If it weren't for Lulay's injury history I believe he'd be the best QB in the CFL. Redblacks got the win over the TigerCats in Week 19 so there's been some shifting in this grouping. I know that regardless of where the Eastern teams finish in the Standings and Power Rankings that they will fiercely defend their conference. They always do.
C - Nuts... - What is happening in Edmonton? I think I asked that question last week too. This week we saw a bizarre decision to kick a field goal on 1st down with under 5 minutes to go in the game. Then they elected to not execute a short kick. I realize they needed both a field goal and a touchdown to tie but why wouldn't you go for the bigger points first instead on gambling on whether you'll get the ball back or not? It's a head scratcher for me. As per the usual we have the Toronto Argonauts and Montreal Alouettes who played each other in Week 19. It seems like the same ol' story here. Will the duo of Popp/Trestman be back next season? Will Kavis still have a job? It's not easy being a fan of a team with these things looming over head.
Thanks for reading! The next couple of weeks are going to be exciting in the CFL! Come join us on ABC Rider Fans to discuss it :)
Sandra's WK18 Power Rankings
A - Hoo - hoo are you 🎵🎵 - After mounting a come back against the BC Lions the Stampeders just couldn't get the magic happening enough or in time to win. Early in the season pundits and fans were saying this team might go 18-0. After being so dominant have the injuries finally caught up to them? Who were these Winnipeg Blue Bombers? And kudo's to them by the way, for drawing up a game plan and executing said game plan to completely thump the Roughriders. I'm not sure they made a "statement" but they sure did teach the Riders a lesson. It's nice when a team goes off into the bye week on a high note. Yikes. The big ol' goose egg for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. * sigh * Some time ago people were saying this was a scary team - well, scary is right, especially for the fanbase! In Week 19 they're in Calgary. Can the Rider offence regroup after injury? Can McAdoo come up with a great offensive game plan? Can the defense have another strong game? We'll have to tune in Saturday at 5 to find out.
B - What's that blowing in the wind? I want you all to know I had a big struggle with this grouping. Hamilton, BC and Edmonton won in week 18. It's as simple as that. While my heart wants Ottawa to be an A or top of the B group it just isn't happening this week. Sorry Redblack's fans. I want you to know that I KNOW your team deserves more than the bottom of this group. Week 19 see's the Lions and Eskimos pitted against each other fighting for a play off spot. The Western Conference sure is making things exciting! Ottawa takes on Hamilton so we will definitely see more movement in this group next week.
C - House of Horrors... Montreal was on a bye so stayed in the same spot in C group. The Argonauts had announced early that James Franklin was starting in Week 18 so we were all anxious to find out how that decision would pan out. Just what is going on with this team? I've given it some thought....1) Chamblin is gone. 2) Calvillo is there. 3) This is what happens when your franchise QB aka Ricky Ray goes down for the season. What's the back up plan? Are those real factors? I don't know but it's definitely odd to see a previous Championship team fall so hard and fast.
Thanks for viewing my different and fun take on power rankings! Want to join in the conversation? Come find ABC Rider Fans on Facebook. You might need a pitchfork this week 😉
Sandra's WK17 Power Rankings
A - Drinking the bubbly - I didn't get to watch the Stampeders take on the Alouettes Monday because I was en route to Regina but when I heard at halftime that it was 6-0 for the Als, I thought, "well, huh". Well in true Stampeder fashion they managed a come back. Interesting conversations regarding the Stamps is that they need to find a way to overcome adversity and that was what was missing last season. I'm not sure if that's true or not but one would expect with how dominant they are that they'd have a far easier time with Johnny Football. The Roughriders just do whatever it takes to win the game. When the offence has issues the defence steps up. All Hail Willie Jefferson! What a specimen he is and thank goodness he took 10 seconds off the clock taking away the Eskimos chances for anything other than a hail mary play which came to a hault thanks to Ed Gainey. Next up is the Bombers... Speaking of the Bombers they're playing for a play off spot. The Riders have the series and this final game of the trio should be nothing short of entertaining.
B - Setting the table/place setting/kiddie table.... The Hamilton TigerCats were on their bye week in week 17 so I kept them in the same spot they were from Week 16. They take on Toronto in Week 18. The Ottawa Redblacks who seemed to be on a roll fell to the Blue Bombers. They take on the Edmonton Eskimos in Week 18 as the Lions visit Calgary. Did you all hear about Jarius Jackson's laptop and belongings being stolen from his car? There's a reward out. The laptop contains all his life's work in regards to football. I hope it's returned to him and I hope the theft had nothing to do with football at all.
C - The turkey's - The Edmonton Eskimos...what is going on there? I'll give them plenty of credit, they tried but once Reilly was shaken it seemed there was nothing they could do. There's been talk about Reilly being hurt but I don't know if that's the truth or just rumour. There's also been discussion over the discipline on the team with anyone who takes unnecessary penalties being benched and fined. I would think it would be hard to respect a coach who has to resort to these antics in October. Aren't these issues usually dealt with in June? No surprise we also have the Alouettes and the Argos at the bottom of the heap again. Isn't it shocking what can happen to a Grey Cup winning team in one year and what can happen in the very next year?!
Hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving weekend. We are so blessed to have football in our lives.
Sandra's WK16 Power Rankings
A - Snoop Dog - Do I even have to mention the Stampeders in this section anymore? Likely not. This is where every Calgary fan has found their team for the majority of the 2018 season. Just like the Red Baron the Roughriders offence has finally taken flight. For the first time this season Zach Collaros threw for over 300 yards and it was the offence that won the game. Both Hughes and Jefferson recorded sacks in the week 16 victory over the Alouettes. Next up are the Eskimos on Thanksgiving Monday. If the Riders prevail they clinch a play off spot! We find the Ottawa Redblacks in the A group this week and some may ask how as I had them in B group last week and how can a team get better in a bye week? Well, I had some log waltzing to do and here they are.
B - Woodstock - !!!!! !!! !!!! ! !! - The Hamilton TigerCats did some recalibrating too in their rematch against the BC Lions. They weren't going to lose in back to back games and as I've said before these types of games usually end up split. It's very hard with travel to repeat the performance of the week before and the Tabbies got their redemption. The Blue Bombers are finding ways to win and recorded an old fashioned thumping against the Esks who inexplicably relieved their special teams coordinator of his job today. Can the Winnipeg Football Club find more consistency in Week 17 against the Redblacks? One thing is for sure the Edmonton Eskimos will be searching for offensive and defensive answers on Thanksgiving Monday in Regina.
C - The Dog House - What happened to the Lions this week? Last week they were amazing and working in all facets and this week nothing was working. I feel bad for Wally - sort of. Did you hear Johnny Manziel finally got a touchdown? Did anyone not hear it with the constant nattering of his name for the duration of Sunday's game?! Come on TSN! We are beyond exhausted of it. All of that aside, he sure did make some plays and managed to show how he's adapting to the game. If only the Argonauts could be showing those same signs of life. Nothing seems to be going right for the Trestman lead team including their search for a kicker. Toronto and BC match up in Week 17. Who are you betting on?
That's it for Week 16 in the CFL. We can look forward to a long Thanksgiving weekend of football to kick off October shared with friends and family and everyone at ABC Rider Fans.
Sandra's WK15 Power Rankings
We've had a weekend of rain (what else is new) and much to my dismay - S N * W. This weeks power grouping is all about being warm and cozy.
A - The sweater - Calgary was on a bye week and perhaps that's why I labelled them as Calgary instead of Stampeders. Their next game is against the Toronto Argonauts which could be an interesting match up since they're just coming off a game against my Saskatchewan Roughriders who have secured 2nd place in the west. I think the offence came out and redeemed themselves from week 14. They were effective when they needed to be and did enough to win the game. How about that Brett Lauther? What a leg on that kid. I've kept the Eskimos in A group in spite of their loss against Ottawa. They have the tools and in my opinion Mike Reilly is the best QB in the league. What will happen in their game against the Bombers in Week 16? Both teams will be looking for a big win.
B - Who doesn't like a big bowl of alphabet soup on a cool day? Who doesn't love a game that comes down to 2 over times? What a come back from the BC Lions on Saturday. That's one reason the CFL is such a great league and no lead is ever safe. In Week 16 the Lions are in the rematch in Hamilton. That might be a barn burner. I've got the Redblacks in B and some might believe they deserve A group and trust me I struggled with it. I stuck with my formula for working out my groupings. Can Ottawa get a 3rd victory against the west? June Jones whatchya doin'? You simply cannot play it safe against Wally Buono…ever. Wally will play for the win every time. You have to take the points when you can.
C - Gold Fish Crackers for your serving of soup. Yum yum. What will the Blue Bombers serve up in Week 16? Nipeg got the Win against the Alouettes but how will they and Nichols perform in Ottawa? There's lot's of questions and struggles on this team. The Toronto Argonauts brought in Duron Carter but in Week 15 he only played a couple series and then became a bench warmer. We all know the athlete he is and what a weapon DC could possibly be. What was the reason Trestman sat him out? Was the lesson worth the L? Good luck against the Stampeders. The Alouettes have fluctuated between spots in this C group. They're struggling to stay afloat and juggling quarterbacks. What I know is that what should have been a sure thing win for the Riders early in the season was in fact a loss. Fingers crossed this won't be a repeat of a trap game. I'm hoping for a good competitive game in which I don't require a heart monitor and fake finger nails!
On to Week 16! Thanks for reading! You can find me on Twitter @smilingsandra or search up ABC Rider Fans on Facebook. Football is a terrific community and great discussions are always welcome :)
Sandra's WK14 Power Rankings
Who turned the heat off? I don't know what happened but here on the prairies summer is all but a distant memory and it feels like October. That only means one thing - it's really football season now.
A - It sure is cozy at the top of the power groupings. Who doesn't love red mittens?! The Stampeders have moved back into their rightly spot but can they keep up the pace to stay on top? The Eskimos who were on bye week this week and the Roughriders, who aren't out of it yet, are hot on the trails and after that home play off date. The race for second is sure heating up!
B - Okay okay okay...I messed up and forgot a team. But you can't have a 4 layered snowman now can you? Despite being knocked off a winning streak the Riders are at the top of my B group. I think they got caught drinking their own Kool-Aid. They needed to be taken down a notch and better to have that happen now than when the games really do mean something. The Lions are gaining some momentum now with their win over the Alouettes. Ottawa marched in to green aglow Mosaic Stadium and got the much deserved win. They were prepared and made the plays to get it done. In this grouping I should also have the Hamilton Ticats who for a while looked like they could take the Stampeders but in the end were trounced. What will happen in Week 15 when they take on the Lions? We'll have to tune in and find out.
C - When hockey players are done for the season we say they go golfing....do football players go skating? The Nipeg Blue Bombers were on a much needed bye week. What changes will we see in Week 15 when they take on the improving Montreal Alouettes? Will they get their 'win' back? Who will their starting quarterback be? Toronto was also on a bye and will face the Roughriders who will be looking for redemption.
It's never a dull moment in the CFL and if you want to join in the conversation look up ABC Rider Fans on Facebook! Until next week - Go Riders!
Sandra's WK13 "Pumpkin Spice" Power Rankings
A - Back when I was in Junior High School the typing teacher had nicknames for everyone. If she liked you...you were in the pumpkin patch. These teams are in my opinion at the top of the league in week 13 and in the pumpkin patch. The Eskimos gave a thrashing to the Stampeders who very nearly completed a huge comeback with a last second hail mary but fell short. My Saskatchewan Roughriders are on a roll winning 4 straight with the last two back to back against the Blue Bombers. It's honestly a toss up between the Esks and Riders for top spot and since my ranking is a grouping, here they are in A group. I think the Eskimos have the edge for their consistency with Mike Reilly's offence while the Riders defence is their best (and dominant) offence.
B - For everything there is a season and in this season the tides are turning just like the colours of the leaves. The Hamilton TigerCats are close to making that jump to the A group with their win over the struggling Argonauts. With the BC Lion's win over the Ottawa Redblacks we also see Wally's team rising up the groupings. What's going on in Ottawa though? Don't look now but they take on the Roughriders in Week 14!
C - Better Latte than never. Poor Winnipeg Blue Bombers. After their hot start to the season everything seems to be going south. I don't understand why Harris isn't utilized more and if he was Nichols would be a more confident quarterback. Will they see a QB change after their bye week? Or is a coaching change? I struggled with moving Montreal up a little and didn't do it last week when other rankings did. This week while they were on their bye I let them slide up a bit due to another Argonaut loss. I'm finding it hard to believe that this team is having struggles just due to the absence of Ricky Ray. We were looking for Duron Carter to bring a spark and that seemingly fell flat as well. It seems to me that the Alouettes are finding answers while the Argos aren't which is very surprising from a Trestman coached team.
Thanks for indulging my zany style of CFL Power Groupings and please join us in the conversation at ABC Rider Fans on Facebook. On to Week 14!
Sandra's WK12 "Coming Up Roses" Power Rankings
A - For a while on Monday it looked as though the Eskimos might pull off the Labour Day win against the Stampeders but Bo Levi Mitchell gutted it out after what appeared to be a knee injury and got the win. So there they are at the top of the A group once again. Don't look now but the hottest team in the league just might be the Riders who got their 3rd straight win after taking down the visiting Blue Bombers. Can the Riders repeat in the rematch at IGF? I've still got the Esks in the A group but I've got questions about their coaching decisions. With the game on the line and with plenty of time left on the clock why didn't they go for it on 3rd down instead of punting the ball? Did they think they might get the ball back? You can NEVER count out the Stamps and give them a chance because they'll take advantage of it for sure.
B - The Labour Day match between the TigerCats and the Argonauts was a good game. Hamilton was able to capitalize on the mistakes by the Argos and solidify their win. I'm really liking what I'm seeing from this June Jones coached team. I think they are finding ways to win. What's going on in Ottawa? Thankfully the CFL has stepped in to punish Hebert and the Redblacks are standing by that decision but why have a guy like that on your team? That mentality must affect other team players. Then there's my Blue Bomber neighbours next door in Winnipeg. It seems that Matt Nichols is performance is average but in the west that's not good enough. Their defence doesn't have that killer instinct to lock players down either. Do they have tricks up their sleeves for the Banjo Bowl? I wouldn't put anything past them...they were winning when they were using trick plays and since showing their cards have gone on a 3 game losing streak.
C - Poor Lions...they're the odd team out this weekend. When Halifax gets a team going let's hope this becomes a Labour Day game. What will we call it? For now, the BC Lions were on bye week. The Argonauts. Honestly, I always expect more from a Mark Trestman led team. Is he hoping that when they get Duron Carter worked into their schemes in a couple weeks they can correct some of their losses? I wouldn't count on hinging all your hopes on one player. Hey the Alouettes beat Ottawa! That Pipkin kid is showing some talent and guts. Johnny who? Too bad they spent all that money on bringing him in but we shouldn't expect anything else from Krazy Kavis.
It's back to work for me this week. Happy September (when the CFL really gets hot) and good luck in all your back to school adventures!
Sandra's WK11 "Rainy Days" Power Rankings
In case you haven't been following along I just want to remind you that my power rankings are a grouping. There's no numerical order but rather an A, B & C. Similar teams and performances get grouped together. This week I came out with a wildly different look than other rankings I've seen. The drawings are for fun because who doesn't like to draw a picture?
A - The umbrella - The Calgary Stampeders got back in the win column after their romp over the Blue Bombers. There was no doubt in my mind that they'd come out for revenge after losing to the Riders in Week 10. Yes, the Eskimos did lose to the Tiger Cats this week but I didn't think they deserved to be drastically dropped down for their performance. In my mind when your team has quarterbacks like Bo Levi or Mike Reilly, your team *should* be at the top. Last week I gave the Redblacks an A and this week they were on their bye week so this is where they stayed.
B - The Rain Coat - My Saskatchewan Roughriders are on a 2 game win streak and heading into the Labour Day Classic against the Blue Bombers who have dropped 2 in a row. Nichol's better get used to the boo's because we're coming for you next! The Tiger Cats are in this B grouping because of their win over the Eskimos. Hamilton plays the struggling Argonauts on Labour Day and with the newly acquired Duron Carter working for Trestman this should be an interesting match up.
C - The Boots - These three teams can come so close to winning and the Alouettes did pull off the upset in their game against the Argonauts. I think they've got something with Pipkin but everyone is going to want to see the money guy back playing soon. If they were smart they'd stick with the Quarterback putting in the work instead of the one who the media likes to write about. The Argo's meet up with Hamilton next. It's Ottawa and Montreal and the BC Lions go into the buy searching for answers.
Sandra's WK10 "Back 2 School" Power Rankings
A - Hit the books. Some of these teams seem to be using their time wisely while some have faltered. I've got the Eskimos at the top of my ranking this week because while they did play the worst team in the league over the season they do seem consistent and on the same course. The Stampeders have slid a bit having come off their bye week. Did they take the Riders too lightly? I also noticed that when they realized they weren't winning the dirty play came out not to mention the classless taunting by their head coach. Is this how the "best team" in the CFL acts? The Redblacks have quietly gained momentum and risen to the top section of this ranking. Good on them for getting the win against the Bombers.
B - These teams have sharpened their pencils and drawn up some new looks. For the Bombers that look is wondering what happened while fans boo'd them and their coaching. Suck it up - it's football! No doubt this was a different Riders team that hit the field Sunday. They're the first CFL team to beat the Stamps this CFL season. The shakeup over the bye week was obviously the best thing to do. Let's take that momentum into Vancouver. The Ticats were on bye week in week 10. They match up against Edmonton on Thursday Night Football - the last TNF of the season. Long Live the Night.
C - Gone for lunch..... The Argo's got the win against the Lions this week. Both of these teams have some discipline issues to sort out. Will the Lions be more disciplined in Week 11? How will Wally motivate the Lions? Then we have the Alouettes...can a receiver help the team out please? Can a DB tackle? * sigh * I feel for the Als fans. The Argo's will be in Montreal Friday so it'll be interesting to see how these teams continue to develop...or not.
Sandra's WK9 "Gone Camping" Power Rankings
For the first time ever my rankings worked out so that I could have posted a perfect numerical ranking...but why mess with what I've started right?
A - The fans of these three teams can rest somewhat comfortably at night knowing their teams have it together. They're all tucked away in their sleeping bags under the northern lights...or are they? The Stampeders were on a bye and will be back in Regina for a Sunday rematch. The Eskimos lost to a Lions team trying to eek out some wins in the bottom of the western standings and Winnipeg didn't have it all that easy in their game against Hamilton. How will the Blue Bombers handle the Redblacks at home in Week 10?
B - These teams have/need a fire lit under them. Ottawa beat Montreal...but...Montreal. Hamilton held their own in Winnipeg and I'm liking the culture June Jones is creating there. Then there's Saskatchewan... the news of Duron Carter being released overshadowed everything else going on Saturday in the CFL. We won't know for sure what went down (although I think we all have our theories) but I'm thinking that this message will have this team coming out with motivation to prove their worth to Chris Jones and Rider Nation.
C - These teams need s'more motivation and a few things to go their way to get in the win column. Wally's Lions had a heck of a game through 3 quarters and while I found their secondary suspect at times, they really came on late in the game to shut Edmonton down. Toronto was on a bye week and everything was very quiet in their camp. Montreal had many bright spots I thought with Johnny Manziel's second CFL start. I thought he looked more comfortable and was able to move the ball more effectively. Too bad the team around him let him down over and over. Does Carter land back with the team who released him in 2016? Grab your popcorn and wait and see.
Sandra's WK8 "At the Beach" Power Rankings
A - The kings of the sandcastle...in Week 8 are definitely once again the Calgary Stampeders who are now 7-0. Can anyone take them down? We'll have to wait for Week 10 to find out when they gallop back into Mosaic Stadium. Hot on their heals are the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Edmonton Eskimos. The Bombers were on a bye week this week while we saw the Eskies take on the Riders. It's hard to not like Mike Reilly as he leads his team to victory playing good hard football. He was sacked 4 times this week, how does that bode for them going into Week 9?
B - The life of the party. Who doesn't like tossing around a beach ball during the football game or at the beach? Who knew the Argo's would over take the Arby's in an almost historic comeback. The TiCats thrashed the poor Alouettes. The Riders, while their defence is lights out, the offence struggled. Collaros is back and Carter is back on offence. They've got the bye week to get everything figured out but don't look now, the Stamps will be coming off their bye week too. It should be another exciting game.
C - The talk of the week should be about how McLeod Bethel-Thompson lead the Argonauts back from the jaws of defeat to an epic comeback win. It was a fantastic showing. What does this mean for James Franklin? The Lions made a very valiant attempt at stalling the Stamps but their secondary was put to the test and failed. Lulay is looking great these days. Oh those Alouettes - is anyone else as sick and tired of hearing about Johnny Manziel as I am? He was played to put butts in seats and Krazy Kavis may as well have fed him to the wolves. Johnny Football has said all the right things and seems to genuinely want to learn and as much of a media circus as this all is (I'm looking at you TSN) I have actually started to pull for the guy. I'd rather that he has some success at the end of all this than what happens to most americans who come north thinking they'll take the league by storm.
Hope y'all are enjoying your long weekend! Happy Saskatchewan Day!
Sandra's WK7 "Combo" Power Rankings
A - YUM! It's a double cheese burger. On the top we once again have the Calgary Stampeders who went into hostile Mosaic Stadium and just played good football doing just enough to win. The Blue Bombers are hot on their heals in my opinion with their dominating win over the Toronto Argonauts. The Bombers like their trick plays and while that's fun to watch one also has to wonder if they could gut it out if they had to. It'll be very interesting to watch when these two teams match up.
B - All that and a bag of fries... I know some may look at this and think the TigerCats should be in the C group but the last few weeks I have had this team higher than most would have had them. Even though they've lost 3 straight I think they have all the pieces in their lineup. The Redblacks/TiCats game was the only game I didn't get to watch since I was enroute to the Rider game. The Eskimos seem to be finding consistency and it's hard not to like Mike Reilly and his leadership.
C - We all need a drink... after watching that Rider game. There will be more about this in my blog post this week but when you think we have a back up quarterback who has a very restrictive play book going against a team who is consistently the best regular season team - well, what did you think was going to happen? These next few weeks will be interesting for Rider Nation. The Lions who I also have grouped here were on a bye week. They get the pleasure of playing the Stampeders in Week 8.
D - The Argonauts were plagued with undisciplined penalties and a back up quarterback in James Franklin. They are searching for leadership and have already named their 3rd stringer starter for Week 8. Is there any coach who is as cool as a cucumber as Marc Trestman? That guy just remains so focused and mellow on the sidelines. At the bottom we once again have the Montreal Alouettes. I see improvements in this team every week. Will the addition of Johnny Manziel make a difference? Will he actually see the field? It's grown so tiresome to hear the TSN panel talk about it. I know teams need time to gel and if they don't this might be the end of the trail for Kavis Reed.
Sandra's WK6 CFL "Latte" Power Rankings
A - The Calgary Stampeders take the cake. Even with Bo Levi banged up the team seems dominant. I've seen people ask if they'll go 18-0...that's doubtful. Besides, they can win the regular season but they can't seem to close their seasons with Grey Cups. Is that fuel for this year? They're coming into Mosaic in WK 7 and we'll get our first look at just how the Riders will match up against the best in the west.
B - We've got a frappuccino of teams at this grading. All of these teams can win or lose on any given day. Some of them seem like completely different teams from half to half. The order I've got the listed doesn't mean this is the order I see them. They all have different attributes and need to find consistency in different facets from week to week.
C - There's a latte questions for the teams listed at C. The Lions were oh so close against the Redblacks but just couldn't hang on. This is a different Lions team with Lulay at the helm. The Argos have quarterback back up woes as Franklin finds his way leading the offence. The Als who are the newsmakers of the weekend could be on the move from this group. It was obvious Willy wasn't going to succeed there but will Johnny Manziel be the answer? They've given up a lot to find out.
Sandra's WK5 CFL Power Rankings
"How Do You Like Them Melons?"
A - The Calgary Stampeders. It doesn't seem like anyone can touch this team at this point. They are in a class by themselves. How will the injury of Bo Levi affect the team? Will they be able to keep up the pace? Some fans are predicting an 18-0 season.
B - The Ticats were on a bye week this week and while it appears they got moved up a spot in reality the Bombers lost a spot while the Esks gained one, hence the shuffle in this grouping. These three teams are playing equal. The Blue Bombers have questions on defence while the Eskimos have some issues gelling on offence. The Hamilton TigerCats should be happy with how this season is shaping up for them. Last year they were last in the pack.
C - These are the average teams. The Roughriders were on a bye week and while there have been small changes I think we will see a highly motivated team in the Week 6 rematch in the hammer. The Lions with Travis Lulay at the helm launched an amazing come back against the Bombers and I am quietly cheering for Wally in his last year...just not against my Riders! I didn't get to see the Argonauts play this week but with their back up QB (Franklin) in and a loss a grade of C is what they get until the team gets a few more wins under their belt. If I had a fav east team the Redblacks might be it (ABC!) and I was really hoping they'd find a way to beat the Stamps and it did seem at times they could find a stop but in the end they just ran out of steam.
D - The Alouettes. Here we are at the bottom and the way things worked this week we have 4 grades. The Alouettes were on a bye week and let's hope they find a way out of basement.
On to Week 6!
Sandra's WK4 CFL "Flower" Rankings
A - The Calgary Stampeders stayed on the top of my ranking purely because they were on a bye week and one can't make the judgement to move them elsewhere when they haven't played. That's just being fair, right? I moved the Blue Bombers up to A group for their dominant play against the Lions. Everything seemed to be working right for them including the return of Matt Nicholl's.
B - This is a tough group and honestly these 3 teams could appear in any order. The Ticats got lowered a grade for their narrow loss to my Riders. We finally saw Masoli flinch with the fumble recovery by Charleston Hughes. The Eskimos dropped a spot for losing against the Argonauts. I wondered why the Eskimo offense couldn't seem to find a rhythm while the Argos seemed to be finding theirs with back up James Franklin. The Redblacks remained in B group in their win against the Als. While one may be a better team over the other I still felt they all deserved this grade. Not dominant enough to move up so they are the middle of the pack.
C - As I stated above, the Argonauts seem to be finding a groove with their back up and looked fresher after their bye week. While their offense looked better it was the Roughriders defense who came out strong and made the difference along with strong special teams play. While the Riders haven't changed a grade they have improved over all in this grouping and I'd look for the to come back after their bye week with a few questions answered. The BC Lions seem to have some woes of their own as Adam Bighill managed to pick off his former team mate Jonathon Jennings. I expected more from this Lions team in Wally's final season. Will we see a rebound? And lastly the poor Alouettes who are slowing improving but not enough to really change anything. Their winning streak ends with one - the loneliest number. Thankfully Coach Sherman didn't struggle with his headset this week on national tv as he did in Week 3.
Sandra's WK3 CFL Power Rankings
A - All helmets in the CFL this week were adorned with a special sticker in honour of the Humboldt Bronco's. Bravo for this move by the CFL. If this was a grading for in stadium presentations the Riders would be atop of it because the attention given to pay tribute was astounding. The Stampeders are once again the best of the league with the Tiger Cats hot on their tails. How about that Masoli? He just keeps impressing.
B - Well the Bombers, Redblacks and Lions all lost this week. BC visits Winnipeg and it'll be interesting to see these two teams meet. Can rookie Streveler right the Bombers? How is Jennings going to lead the Lions? We'll have to tune in to WK4 to find out.
C - At the bottom of the heap we find the Argonauts who were on a bye this week. I was concerned that the Riders would underestimate the Alouettes and I did hear talk of looking past them to Hamilton, at any rate, there are a ton of questions surrounding the team right now. I'm not going to pour gas on the fire but this team better come out motivated and with something to prove against a very hot Hamilton team.
"Take Note" Sandra's WK2 CFL Power Rankings
A - In a very decisive slaughtering of the Toronto Argonauts there is little doubt that the Calgary Stampeders deserve to sit atop this weeks power rankings. Can they hold their own against a stronger team? Week 3 will tell us when they meet the Ottawa Redblacks.
BBB - How about that Streveler? The Bombers have found a gem in this young Quarterback and as hard as it is for this Rider fan it looks good on them. How long will his winning streak last? Ottawa laid the boots to my Saskatchewan Roughriders who for some unknown reason just couldn't get anything going. Full credit to Ottawa who were rested after a week 1 bye and fully prepared. What is there to say about Hamilton? Masoli was lighting them up against Edmonton.
CCC - Middle C aka the middle of the pack. Last week I had my Riders and the Eskimos in the A group but yikes neither team came out to play in week two although Edmonton looked marginally better. Let's look for a rebound as the Riders take on the Alouettes at Mosaic in week 3. Edmonton takes on BC who had a bye week. Did they fall a grading because of it? No...there were simply more letters to go around this week.
D - Yikes what happened to the Toronto Argonauts? It seemed as though absolutely nothing was working for them. Let's all keep Ricky Ray in our thoughts as we await news of his injury that forced him to leave the field via stretcher Saturday night.
F - Yes, I know I skipped a letter but deservedly so. The Montreal Alouettes are a mess. Sherman must wonder what he got himself into and CFL fans are all left wondering if Kavis Reed's days are numbered.
Sandra's WK1 CFL Power Rankings
If you followed along last year you'll know that instead of ranking teams numerically I began an alphabetic ranking. Coaches do much the same thing. As fans we all want out team to be number one but I find it's more helpful to think of them as a group or a grade. The top teams in WK1 of the CFL were indeed the Roughriders (who had the most convincing win), the Eskimos and the Stampeders. For WK 1 I have left out the Redblacks as they had a bye week. Where will they fall in WK2? I guess it depends on how they perform against the A grade Riders.
Very Interesting
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