The Canadian Press
TORONTO — Two wins are all it’ll take to crown the next Grey Cup Champion.
The Division Finals have arrived and CFL.ca returns with a list of players to watch in the 2016 Grey Cup Playoffs — a list not as much based on statistics or who’s had the best regular season but instead who could have the greatest impact when everything is on the line.
You saw last week’s list of Top 30 Players to Watch in the CFL Playoffs and it generated some interesting discussion. While we’ll continue to monitor that list, this weekend’s matchups offer some pretty intriguing storylines.
With that, here are CFL.ca’s Top 20 Players to keep an eye on in the Finals:
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Only the fifth-ranked running back in regular season rushing yards, Jeremiah Johnson still paced the CFL’s top rushing attack during the regular season and looked electric in the Lions’ Western Semi-Final win over Winnipeg. Without his 110 rushing yards, including 40 on a late second quarter touchdown, the Leos aren’t where they are today. |
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Coming off a career season, Brad Sinopoli helped the REDBLACKS make history as one of four 1,000-yard receivers for the second straight season. Ottawa will need more than ever from Sinopoli as Chris Williams is sidelined for the playoffs, but you can’t help but feel the University of Ottawa graduate is up to the task. |
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With the Manny Show’s status currently unknown, Bryan Burnham may become the focal point of the Lions’ passing attack — a challenge the 26-year-old hasn’t yet had to face. Burnham ranked fourth in the league with 1,392 receiving yards and added 63 and a touchdown against Winnipeg, but a Western Final against the Stamps provides a chance for him to take the next step. |
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The Eskimos found a way to work both John White and Shakir Bell into the lineup for their Eastern Semi-Final, but by the end of their 24-21 win over Hamilton there was no doubt who the lead horse is for Jason Maas. White ran for 160 yards on 20 carries against a dominant Ticats’ front, showing he’s back to being a premiere CFL running back — just like before tearing his Achilles. |
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Only one sack for the Esks’ defence in Hamilton but Odell Willis and Edmonton’s front four got after Zach Collaros often while also shutting down the run (21 yards on nine carries for C.J. Gable). The 31-year-old Willis had only seven sacks this season but keep a close eye on No. 41 in the Eastern Final as he looks to get after Henry Burris. |
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He’s such a good returner but there’s so much more to Chris Rainey’s game than just special teams. Rainey’s quick moves on a second-down play in the Western Semi-Final led to a key touchdown late in the second quarter, sparking the Lions’ impressive comeback win over Winnipeg. Wally Buono will try to limit his touches to keep him fresh but Rainey is a threat every time he touches the football. |
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Adam Bighill didn’t play his best game against Winnipeg, but all that means is the Calgary Stampeders better be on the lookout. The Lions’ linebacker is usually all over the field and ranked third this year with 108 tackles, forming the best linebacker duo in the league alongside Solomon Elimimian. |
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Limited to just 40 yards on three catches in the Eastern Semi-Final, Derel Walker was unusually quiet for the Eskimos last weekend. You have to think the presence of Walker and Adarius Bowman played a role in what John White was able to accomplish (160 yards on 20 carries) but don’t expect the Esks’ dynamic duo to be silenced a second straight week. |
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After a 16-sack season at 32 years old (the second-highest of his career), Charleston Hughes will go up against left tackle Jovan Olafioye and quarterback Jonathon Jennings in what should be an exciting Western Final. Jennings was able to escape the Bombers’ D-line for a late game-winning touchdown but Hughes poses a different challenge for the Lions’ offence. |
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The Lions rallied around Manny Arceneaux’s injury when he left the game vs. Winnipeg, but now the Manny Show’s availability for the Western Final is in question. Arceaneaux, if he plays, would be a huge story for BC because he’s considered the heart and soul of the team. After ranking third in the CFL with 1,566 yards this season, he’s also one of the CFL’s top pass-catchers. |
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Solomon Elimimian and the Lions’ defence had a tough first half against Winnipeg but bounced back to play a key role in winning the Western Semi-Final. The other half of ‘Team 100’ and this year’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player nominee will have to be a force if the Lions are going to upset first-place Calgary. |
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The Lions’ rushing attack is the best in the league but Jerome Messam might be the best running back. Bo Levi Mitchell and DaVaris Daniels provide the sizzle on the Stamps’ offence but Messam has the gritty, aggressive, hard-nosed rushing style that helps Calgary’s offence tick. That role only grows in importance as mid-November arrives. |
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How could you not keep an eye on Greg Ellingson? Last year the veteran receiver made one of the biggest plays in Ottawa REDBLACKS history, clinching his team a spot in the Grey Cup Championship with a memorable last-minute touchdown grab. After losing to Edmonton the following game, Ellingson returns to the post-season with some unfinished business in a Grey Cup rematch. |
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The first receiver to join Ottawa via free agency almost two years ago now, Ernest Jackson nearly became a forgotten man in the shadows of Chris Williams, Greg Ellingson and Brad Sinopoli. He’s proven he’s just as important a piece as anyone, this year finishing with a career-high 1,225 receiving yards and earning the Most Outstanding Player nod for the East. |
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A late-game injury put some scare into the Eskimos’ fan base, but Mike Reilly said after Sunday’s Eastern Semi-Final win that he’ll be good to go int he Eastern Final. The CFL’s leading passer this year and the Grey Cup MVP last year, Reilly matches up with Henry Burris in what should be an exciting rematch of the 103rd Grey Cup Championship. |
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With 885 yards and nine touchdowns over the span of 11 games, DaVaris Daniels’ numbers put him up there with the very best in the league. A year after the team lost Eric Rogers to the National Football League, Daniels has become the answer to a question asked all of last off-season: who will be the Stamps’ No. 1 receiver? Now he can do it on the biggest of stages. |
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How does it get any better than Henry Burris and Mike Reilly going head to head in a Grey Cup rematch? These two have produced some of the league’s biggest moments over the last calendar year and on Sunday they’ll do it again, oddly in the Eastern Final. You know Burris will have something to prove as he looks to get back to a Grey Cup. |
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The sleeping giant likely comes to life against Ottawa after playing a minimal role in an Eastern Semi-Final win over Hamilton. Howling winds in the Hammer played a role, but either way — keep an eye on the CFL’s leading receiver in the Eastern Final. Adarius Bowman cut down his drops and improved his catch rate on the way to leading the league in yards and catches this season. |
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Bo Levi Mitchell is already crafting a legacy as one of the CFL’s greatest at age 26. Jonathon Jennings, 24, is knocking on the door of the elite. On Sunday they’ll face off as Mitchell looks to build on a career that’s already seen him win a Grey Cup, a Grey Cup MVP and, maybe this year, a Most Outstanding Player honour. |
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Jonathon Jennings took another step forward in the Western Semi-Final, overcoming two early turnovers and putting the team on his back to pull off a thrilling comeback win over Winnipeg. In a word, Jennings is fearless — those two mistakes didn’t deter him from going all-in on every play with that same confident style he’s brought all season. The Lions wouldn’t have come back without that attitude. |
