CFL.ca Staff

TORONTO -- CFL.ca columnists Matt Cauz and Jaime Stein along with Mitch the Intern will grade each team heading into the Eastern and Western Division Finals. Cauz and Stein have shared their opinions on the CFL all season long on CFL.ca. Mitch the Intern produced the weekly CFL.ca Rookie Report and is a lifelong Rider fan, giving him license to weigh in on all things CFL.

Below is the report card for the CFL's top team from the 2009 regular season, the Montreal Alouettes:

	MATT CAUZ	JAIME STEIN	MITCH the INTERN
QBs	A+	A+	A+
RECs	A+	A-	A+
RBs	A	A	A
OL	A	A	A
DL	A+	A-	A
LBs	A-	B+	A-
DBs	A-	A	A-
STs	A	A	A-
Coaching	A-	A	A

CAUZ says: This is the easiest grading to give. I was struggling to give all A’s but I dare you to find any real weaknesses on this team. The worst things I can think of from Montreal is Ben Cahoon finishing with just two touchdowns and I still have images of Martell Mallett running wild in BC’s 19-12 win earlier this season.

Calvillo is playing at a level higher than any other player in the league. His numbers are ridiculous and are a testament to the weapons that Montreal has surrounded him with.

Mark Estelle would have had more interceptions (3) if teams had challenged him more. It’s almost embarrassing that a team with so much offensive talent has Larry Taylor giving them such good field position.

STEIN says: There is no doubt that Anthony Calvillo is the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player and the best quarterback in the CFL this year. His passing completion percentage (72%) is unreal. He only threw six INTs this year. It would be a shame if he didn’t add another Grey Cup to his Hall of Fame Career.

Montreal’s receiving corps is great, but I worry a little bit beyond the big four. But have no fear, because they have Avon Cobourne at running back and he is one of the league's best. The offensive line reads like an all-star team; no wonder Calvillo has only thrown six picks.

On the flipside, Anwar Stewart and John Bowman are two of the most feared DEs in the league. The linebackers may be the one weak spot on the team, but even that is a stretch, since this is by far the strongest team remaining of the final four. The secondary is solid. I really like the addition of Jerald Brown.

Special teams are top notch with a dynamic returner in Larry Taylor. Damon Duval is a points machine. Coaching is another strength for the Als; Marc Trestman is one of the best prepared coaches the league has seen this decade.

MITCH the INTERN says: Cauz dared me to find a weakness… I couldn’t. The Alouettes have the league’s best player in Anthony Calvillo, their offence scored the most points and their defence gave up the fewest. Throw in electric return man Larry Taylor and the CFL single season scoring record holder Damon Duval on the teams and you get the most complete team in the CFL. I’m pretty sure their water boy is on the East All-Star team, too.

Last season the only knock against the Als was that they couldn’t beat the Western teams. So what did they do this season? They smashed the Stamps, Eskimos and Riders by a combined score of 130-53 in their first three games en route to a franchise best record of 15-3. I’m just surprised they only pitched one shutout this season.

The numbers across the board are mind-boggling.  Add a little extra motivation from losing the Grey Cup at home last season and you have a scary good team for whom anything less than a Grey Cup victory would be a huge disappointment.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Comments have been enabled for this article. Please click here for the CFL’s commenting policy guidelines.