Week 2 of the 2025 CFL season is officially in the books and the East may not be all it was cracked up to be.
After the divisional script flipped in 2024, some people suggested the West would be hard-pressed to find wins this year. However, the East is now 0-4 through two weeks of cross-division games and only Montreal has a victory of any kind.
3DownNation’s power rankings are created by having 10 contributors rank each team from No. 1 to No. 9 independently, then averaging out the scores. The previous week’s rankings — or in this case the post-free agency rankings — are in brackets. As always, please be sure to check back every Monday morning for our updated power rankings following each week of action in the CFL.
Enjoy the rankings and feel free to roast us on social media for anything you think we got wrong.
1) Montreal Alouettes (1)
Through two weeks, there is no question who the most complete team in the CFL has been in all three phases. The Alouettes’ defence continued their reign of terror with three interceptions against the Redblacks, including one by Canadian defensive lineman Lwal Uguak. Global kicker Jose Maltos was perfect on six field goals and Davis Alexander set a new career-high with 344 passing yards, all while the team secured its 11th straight road win in Ottawa.
2) Winnipeg Blue Bombers (3)
The Blue Bombers entered their season-opener without the services of Zach Collaros and lost reigning Most Outstanding Player Brady Oliveira on the very first series, potentially for several weeks. That didn’t seem to matter at all, as Chris Streveler suddenly learned how to throw accurately and rookie Canadian backup running back Matthew Peterson ran for 130 yards in his CFL debut. First-time offensive coordinator Jason Hogan outdueled his predecessor in a commanding win over B.C. and will only have an easier job going forward with Collaros returning from suspension.
3) Saskatchewan Roughriders (2)
The Riders continue to look like the real deal despite their injury situation, but fall one spot after being pushed to the brink by Hamilton. That wouldn’t have been the case except for the play of kicker Brett Lauther, who missed three field goals and an extra point to keep it close. Receiver KeeSean Johnson was the workhorse late, catching eight passes for 124 yards and a touchdown, while both A.J. Ouellette and Rolan Milligan Jr. found the endzone after exiting the opener with injuries.
4) Calgary Stampeders (5)
The Stampeders’ new-look defence continues to impress early, as Folarin Orimolade was disruptive all night and Canadian cornerback Adrian Greene notched two interceptions, including a pick-six. Jalen Philpot was the offensive standout with a few spectacular highlights, recording six catches for 117 yards. His breakout couldn’t have come at a better time, as the team lost all-star Reggie Begelton to a serious-looking knee injury on the opening drive and could be without him for the foreseeable future.
5) B.C. Lions (4)
Nathan Rourke’s attempt to rip the Winnipeg-sized monkey off his back played out like a dark comedy, as he struggled to complete a pass for much of the first half, spent all game under siege, and exited with an oblique injury just as he was getting hot. The Canadian kid’s status for next week’s rematch is now in jeopardy and the Lions’ chances hang in the balance with him, especially after their defensive flaws were exploited in Week 2. Micah Awe’s team-high 10 tackles did nothing to slow the run and all-star cornerback Garry Peters suddenly looked 33 years old.
6) Ottawa Redblacks (6)
The Redblacks slumped to 0-2 without much of a fight, but nobody expected much else with Matthew Shiltz starting at quarterback instead of the injured Dru Brown. There wasn’t even a historical silver lining, as receiver Eugene Lewis saw his consecutive games with a touchdown streak end one short of the CFL record after being interfered with at the goal line. If Ottawa wants to prove they are a contender, they need to get Brown back healthy and prove they can overcome Montreal.
7) Hamilton Tiger-Cats (9)
It may not have amounted to a victory, but Hamilton bumps up the rankings after providing proof of concept for their high-powered offence. Kenny Lawler made eight catches for 162 yards, including a couple of jaw-dropping high balls, while running back Greg Bell amassed 90 yards on 11 touches. The defence still hasn’t caught up but the Ticats enter the bye on the upswing despite their winless record.
8) Edmonton Elks (7)
The Elks were forced to sit in their misery during last week’s bye and do some soul-searching regarding their talented roster. A crew of high-priced free agents failed to come together on defence in Week 1, while Tre Ford looked entirely unsuited to Jordan Maksymic’s offence. The task won’t be any easier against Montreal this week but if they can’t show signs of progress after time away from the office, questions will begin to be asked.
9) Toronto Argonauts (8)
Oh, how far the mighty have fallen! Chad Kelly’s return is still a week away or more, and Toronto simply doesn’t look competitive without him. Nick Arbuckle finished with 309 yards passing but struggled for three quarters and threw two interceptions. Head coach Ryan Dinwiddie still doesn’t seem to be considering a switch despite two turnover-filled starts and might now have bigger problems on defence, with all-star linebacker Wynton McManis expected to be out a couple of weeks.
