Week 5 of the CFL season only featured three games but it wasn’t short on storylines. There were firings, cheap-shots, accusations of racism, breakout performances, blowouts, injuries, and more. This league is never boring and it should only get more compelling as the weeks progress.
Our rankings saw a new (old?) team take over the top spot, the previously top-ranked team fall to third, and a new club plummet to ninth after losing their starting quarterback for the foreseeable future.
3DownNation’s power rankings are created by having eleven of our contributors rank each team from No. 1 to No. 9 independently, then averaging out the scores. The previous week’s rankings are in brackets.
Enjoy the rankings and feel free to roast us on Twitter for anything you think we got wrong.
1. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2)
Winnipeg was the unanimous No. 1 selection from our contributors after outclassing the previously unbeaten Lions in a 21-point victory. Zach Collaros showed why he is the league’s reigning Most Outstanding Player, while the defence generated four takeaways. It was Winnipeg’s best performance of the season, coming off a short week to dominate a formidable opponent on the road.
2. Calgary Stampeders (3)
Malik Henry was sensational in a second-straight victory over Edmonton, making six catches for 150 yards and a touchdown to become the CFL’s leader in receiving yards. The defence allowed just six points and 287 yards of offence in another strong showing, while Ka’Deem Carey quietly notched his first 100-yard rushing game of the year.
3. B.C. Lions (1)
B.C. got knocked down a (Winni)peg following a loss to the Blue Bombers but all is not lost on the west coast. Dominique Rhymes and Josh Pearson combined for three brilliant touchdown catches, making it easy to forget that Bryan Burnham remains out of the lineup with a rib injury. The Lions are on a bye this week but will return to the field on July 21 to host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
4. Saskatchewan Roughriders (4)
The Riders played well in a home win over the Redblacks even if it was overshadowed by Garrett Marino’s late cheap-shot on Jeremiah Masoli. It’s reasonable to assume the second-year defensive tackle will face supplemental discipline, though the league has yet to make a formal ruling. Cody Fajardo and Duke Williams showed some nice chemistry this past week, connecting four times for 76 yards and a touchdown.
5. Montreal Alouettes (5)
Head coach Khari Jones and defensive coordinator Barron Miles were fired during Montreal’s recent bye week with Danny Maciocia and Noel Thorpe set to take over their respective roles. Maciocia cited a lack of discipline as a key factor in his decision to fire Jones, so it will be interesting to see whether or not the team takes fewer penalties moving forward.
6. Toronto Argonauts (8)
The Boatmen are coming off their second bye week of the season and are now entering the busiest portion of their schedule, starting with a home-and-home against Saskatchewan. The club showed signs of improvement in a one-point loss to Winnipeg — the defence allowed a paltry 275 yards — but have yet to put together a truly impressive win through three games this season.
7. Edmonton Elks (7)
The Elks held onto the seventh spot by a razor-thin margin after getting pasted by their provincial rivals. Tre Ford is expected to miss time due to injury, leaving Taylor Cornelius to assume the starting role. The second-year passer clearly didn’t inspire confidence coming out of training camp — he’s been a healthy scratch for five straight games — but now has a chance to show he’s improved.
8. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (9)
The Ticats were on a bye this past week, giving Dane Evans a chance to figure out what’s going on with his turnovers this season. Hamilton had a tough schedule to start the season but is now entering a string of eight games that features seven divisional opponents. If there were ever an opportunity for the Tabbies to right the ship, this is it.
9. Ottawa Redblacks (6)
Things went from bad to worse in the nation’s capital this past week when Jeremiah Masoli suffered an injury that could keep him for the rest of the regular season. Caleb Evans may improve in his second year but the Redblacks signed Masoli this past off-season for a reason. The good news for Ottawa? They’re playing the winless Ticats on Saturday.
