3DownNation power rankings: Blue Bombers rise after proving West Division superiority

Courtesy: Paul Yates/B.C. Lions

Week 18 of the regular season is in the books and the CFL’s playoff picture is starting to come into focus. The Edmonton Elks and Ottawa Redblacks were officially eliminated from postseason contention, while the Winnipeg Blue Bombers took a stranglehold on first place in the West Division. The Saskatchewan Roughriders and Calgary Stampeders are the only remaining teams eligible for the league’s last playoff spot and it just so happens those clubs are scheduled to play one another this week.

3DownNation’s power rankings are created by having eleven 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 (yes, we still call it “Twitter”) for anything you think we got wrong.

1) Toronto Argonauts (1)

The Boatmen didn’t show any signs of complacency this past week, forcing three turnovers in a 23-point win that eliminated Edmonton from playoff contention. Chad Kelly looked solid, the defence played fast and physical, and Javon Leake remains a threat to score each time he touches the ball. The highlight of this game was seeing all the special guests in attendance for the team’s 150th anniversary celebration, including Condredge Holloway, Raghib ‘Rocket’ Ismail, Damon Allen, Chad Owens, and Ricky Ray.

2) Winnipeg Blue Bombers (3)

The three-time West Division champions overcame a slow start and two red zone turnovers to beat B.C. in overtime, all but clinching first place. The defence was close to perfect in the second half and sacked Vernon Adams Jr. a total of six times as Willie Jefferson snapped his eight-game drought. Brady Oliveira is now only 25 yards shy of the second-best rushing season by a Canadian player in CFL history, causing some to question whether he should be named the team’s Most Outstanding Player instead of Zach Collaros.

3) B.C. Lions (2)

The Leos were unable to capitalize on a strong start this past week, dropping the rubber match in their season series against Winnipeg. Vernon Adams Jr. was on pace for over 500 yards at the half but was unable to get much going in the second half as the protection in front of him failed to consistently quell the Blue Bombers’ pass rush. If B.C. is going to take the next step this year and reach the Grey Cup, it’s likely they will have to win the West Final in the cold and wind at IG Field.

4) Hamilton Tiger-Cats (5)

Bo Levi Mitchell made his much-anticipated return to the lineup and played well in limited action as he threw for 129 yards and one touchdown. Matthew Shiltz threw two touchdowns in a relief performance and, while Saskatchewan’s defence hardly put up a strong resistance, fans in Hamilton can sleep well knowing their quarterbacks are finally healthy and clicking. The Ticats have already clinched a playoff spot, though they will need to win out and hope Montreal loses out if they hope to host the East Semi-Final.

5) Montreal Alouettes (4)

Shawn Lemon became one of only 13 players in CFL history to reach 100 career sacks this past week and he did so as part of a dominant defensive performance in the rain at Percival Molson Stadium. Montreal is now 9-0 this season against teams that aren’t B.C., Winnipeg, and Toronto, and only one win away from clinching second place in the East Division. The Alouettes’ offence is far from explosive but the defence could be enough to help this team achieve success in the playoffs based solely on its physicality.

6) Edmonton Elks (6)

There’s always next year, Elks fans. Edmonton has been one of the CFL’s better teams since Tre Ford took over under centre but their chances of making the playoffs were too far gone following a miserable 0-9 start. With their final game of the year slated for Oct. 21, it won’t be long before we get an idea of what type of changes are in the works this off-season. Ford has given the organization a sense of hope but this team is still haemorrhaging money and is without a permanent president. There’s plenty of work to be done.

7) Calgary Stampeders (9)

Here’s some good news for fans in Cowtown: not only did the Stampeders not lose this past week, but they can still make the playoffs. In fact, the club actually got closer to a postseason berth on their bye week as Saskatchewan lost at home, making this week’s game between the two teams all the more critical. A win over the Riders would give Calgary the season series and move them within two points of a playoff spot, while a loss would eliminate them from postseason contention.

8) Saskatchewan Roughriders (7)

It was an emotional night at Mosaic Stadium this past weekend as the life of George Reed was celebrated and the 2013 Grey Cup-winning team was honoured at halftime. The Riders were completely unable to translate that passion onto the field as the team played as flat as the Saskatchewan prairies in an embarrassing loss to Hamilton. The team still has a good chance to make the playoffs this year despite losing its past five games, though the team appears destined to get crushed in the West Semi-Final.

9) Ottawa Redblacks (8)

With their season on the line, the Redblacks played arguably their worst game of the year as the offence managed only three points and 173 net yards. It was a pathetic performance as Dustin Crum got benched and Richie Leone punted 11 times, calling into question how many of the team’s offensive coaches and players should even be back next year. Having now missed the playoffs in each of the past four seasons, it’s time for the nation’s capital to take a long, hard look in the mirror.