AMSOIL Power Rankings: A land of opportunity

TORONTO — As we dig into the home stretch of what’s turned out to be an incredibly wide open season, that same sense of anything being able to happen permeates in the CFL.ca Power Rankings presented by AMSOIL.

Teams that started poorly this year: Winnipeg, Hamilton and Edmonton, are all trending upward with Week 17 in front of us. The Montreal Alouettes have led the pack for the majority of the way, but even the league’s top dogs, record-wise at least, are playing catch up to the surging Blue Bombers.

Through that, you’ll notice that the final four teams in our rankings haven’t moved this week. Yes, the Saskatchewan Roughriders put their seven-game winless streak to bed, but it came at the hands of the one team ranked below them. A win over visiting Ottawa on Saturday, though, would certainly have ranking implications for both teams next week.

Finally, take note of our beautifully done Indigenous themed logos in this week’s rankings. The CFL’s nine member clubs and its officials will be wearing these Indigenous-designed logos to commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The Stampeders, who are on a bye week, featured their commemorative logo in Week 15 when they hosted the Alouettes.

Let’s get into this week’s rankings.

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1. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (8-6)

Last Week: 1
Last Game: 27-14 win over Edmonton 
Next game: Vs. Edmonton, Fri. Sept. 27

Worth noting: Here we are in late September, fully into fall with the temperature gradually starting to shift and the Bombers are right where we’ve come to expect them to be, riding a long win streak and leading the race in the West Division. A playoff spot is on the horizon for this team, but they of course have a bigger goal in mind. Brady Oliveira, to no one’s surprise, will be a key in getting them there. His first touchdowns of the season came last week against the Elks. When the reigning Most Outstanding Canadian is racking up yards and finding the end zone, this team feels a lot more dangerous. Obvious note here: a win on Friday would ensure the Bombers will at least finish .500 this year. They’re 8-2 since that o-4 start (doesn’t that feel like a lifetime ago?).

2. Montreal Alouettes (11-2-1)

Last Week: 3
Last Game: 24-12 win over Ottawa
Next Game: At Toronto, Sat. Sept. 28

Worth noting: The Als got back in the win column with a defensively sound showing against the REDBLACKS, taking the season series with their closest East Division rival in the process. Saturday’s trip into BMO Field is a good temperature check for the Als. The Argos need the win more, as they try to move into second and get a home playoff date, but an Als’ win at BMO Field would be a strong message sent across the East and to the other eight teams in the league as a whole. To get there, the Als will likely need a TD pass from Cody Fajardo. He’s now gone two games without throwing one.

3. Edmonton Elks (5-9)

Last Week: 2
Last Game: 27-14 loss to Winnipeg
Next game: At Winnipeg, Fri. Sept. 27

Worth noting: The Elks ran into something of a defensive wall in their highly-hyped meeting with the Bombers. Depending on your outlook and fandom, we suppose, their second half of this home-and-home series on Friday could be a good thing. The numbers can be daunting: the Elks haven’t beaten the Bombers in 12 consecutive meetings now, but the mark of a good team is that they can regroup and bring something different to the table for the rematch. All eyes will once again be on the QB spot this week, as McLeod Bethel-Thompson replaced Tre Ford in the second half of Saturday’s game.

4. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (5-9)

Last Week: 5
Last game: 33-31 win over Toronto
Next game: At BC, Fri. Sept. 27

Worth noting: The Ticats are dancing on the tightrope that is their playoff hopes and are becoming one of the league’s must-watch stories along the way. Last week’s win over the Argos was the emotional, galvanizing kind of game that a team in the Ticats’ situation can feast on. Confidence will be a key for this team as it attempts to make it to the playoffs, either through the East or in the West as the first-ever Eastern crossover. Rest assured that senior defensive assistant Chris Jones is deep in his defensive scheme bag, looking for ways to further frustrate a Lions team that has thrown eight interceptions in its last five games.

5. Ottawa REDBLACKS (8-5-1)

Last Week: 4
Last Game: 24-12 loss to Montreal
Next game: At Saskatchewan, Sat. Sept. 28

Worth noting: From a pair of bad games in the last two weeks to losing Dru Brown to injury against the Als, the REDBLACKS have stood at the doorstep of the playoffs, but haven’t yet been able to walk through. The degree of difficulty remains high this week, as the REDBLACKS head into Mosaic Stadium, where their former running back, Ryquell Armstead, awaits after the single-best ground game a player has had in 2024. RNation has been rewarded through this season after a difficult four-season playoff drought. Getting the deal sealed sooner rather than later would put them at ease.

6. Toronto Argonauts (7-7)

Last Week: 6
Last Game: 33-31 loss to Hamilton
Next game: Vs. Montreal, Sat. Sept. 28

Worth noting: The Argos’ up-and-down season continues, with their record hitting the .500 mark for the fifth time this season. Despite dropping three of their last four, the Argos’ hold on the third spot in the East is still relatively comfortable, as they hold a two-game lead on the fourth-place Ticats. For head coach Ryan Dinwiddie and Co., the focus shifts to Saturday, when the first-place Alouettes return to BMO Field; a game that should provide bad memories for any Argo that was in uniform for last year’s Eastern Final. A win here could be a big confidence builder.

7. BC Lions (7-7)

Last Week: 7
Last Game: 33-17 loss to Toronto (Week 15)
Next game: Vs. Hamilton, Fri. Sept. 27

Worth noting: Nathan Rourke is the reported starter as the Lions come out of their bye week, and the Lions will look to rediscover their consistently winning ways. Since starting 5-1, the Lions have gone 2-6, falling right into the thick of an insanely tight West Division playoff race. To make some moves there, they’ll have to pour some water on a hot Ticats team on a three-game winning streak. That’ll require a better showing than the Lions gave when they hosted the Argos in Week 15. Just 222 yards of net offence and 412 yards allowed — along with seven sacks surrendered — won’t get it done.

8. Saskatchewan Roughriders (6-7-1)

Last Week: 8
Last Game: 37-29 win over Calgary
Next game: Vs. Ottawa, Sat. Sept. 28

Worth noting: The Riders finally found their way to a win and may appear to have found an exclamation point to add to their run game, after a tremendous debut from Ryquell Armstead. Just a point behind BC in the hunt for a home playoff game, the Riders have cleared a mental hurdle and have four games left to take a run at hitting a good stride. After this week’s game against the REDBLACKS, the Riders will face Edmonton, BC and Calgary. Each game stands to be crucial for them as the regular season winds down.