J.R.
8-15-05, 3:28 PM
It's a mixed-up Ontario rankings this week as the Ottawa Renegades take over as the top team in the "O." The Argos take the biggest tumble and the Ticats... well, the Ticats just keep finding ways to stay in the cellar.
By Sportsnet's Jim Lang (as of 08/14) Email him here (jim.lang@sportsnet.rogers.com).
http://www.sportsnet.ca/cfl/lions_mini.gif 1. B.C. Lions (Last week: 1)
Same as it ever was. Same as it ever was. The Lions just keep on winning and they keep on hanging on to that top spot in the Power Rankings. Dave Dickenson's back was feeling better so he got the start and threw for over 400 yards as the Lions offence once again proved to be too much to handle. It's been that way all year, no team in the CFL has been able to shut-down the Lions offence. Teams have slowed them down, but in the end - the Lions offence kicks it into gear and they end up winning the game. Up next the winless Ticats are at BC PLace.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/cfl/eskimos_mini.gif 2. Edmonton Eskimos (Last week: 3)
Coming off a bye week - the Eskimos host the Argos at Commonwealth. After that the Eskies play the Als then they have their annual home-and-home with the Stamps. A four-game stretch in the schedule that will set the stage for the rest of the season in Edmonton.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/cfl/renegades_mini.gif 3. Ottawa Renegades (Last week: 4)
People can put labels on the Renegades all they want - the fact remains that Ottawa has won three straight games and sit in top spot in the East. Their fifth win of the year wasn't the prettiest - but this isn't a beauty contest - this is the CFL and winning is all that matters. The one thing about this Renegades team that you have to admire is their ability to make the big play at the time of he game they need it most. After losing so many games they should have won, the 'Gades have discovered what it takes to win football games on a consistent basis. Up next they take a trip to face the Bluebombers.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/cfl/als_mini.gif 4. Montreal Alouettes (Last week: 5)
Alouettes running back Robert Edwards should be considered the come-back athlete of the year - in any sport in any league. A star at the University of Georgia and a Pro Bowler with the Patriots - Edwards seemed destined for greatness until he suffered a gruesome knee injury playing touch football on the beach at the Pro Bowl in February of 1999. The injury was so severe doctors nearly amputated his leg. Now here he is, in 2005 - racking up 100-yard games at will. Say what you want about Don Matthews, but the man is smart enough to know a good thing when he has it and look for the "the Don" to keep giving the ball to Edwards. With Cahoon out of the line-up for a while - Edwards power running and improved play from the defence will keep the Als in the hunt in the East. Up next - the Stampeders pay a visit to Molson Stadium.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/cfl/argos_mini.gif 5. Toronto Argonauts (Last week: 2)
Friday night - the Alouettes managed to pick up 11 first downs in the opening quarter; Michael Bishop and the Argos had zero. Much to the chagrin of the over 31,000 fans on hand at Rogers Centre, the Argos went into half-time down 14-0. Michael Clemons finally had enough and put Damon Allen into the game, sore ankle and all. It almost worked. However, on the last play of the game, with no time left and the Argos needing to score a touchdown - they threw a short pass - well short of the end zone. Why the Argos didn't put Bishop back in the game and tell him to heave into the end zone I'll never know. Not a geat effort by the Argos, now they have to regroup and get ready to make that long trip to Edmonton. Always a tough place to win on the road.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/cfl/stamps_mini.gif 6. Calgary Stampeders (Last week: 6)
Henry Burris was good - so good that he actually threw for more yards than Dave Dickenson. Dickenson and the Lions won. Burris and the Stamps did not. The Stamps can put up the big yards and the big numbers but they're still learning how to win. For all his big numbers, Burris would admit he made a mistake when he fumbled and the Lions returned it for a major. The Stampeders have two interesting road games coming up. This week they're in Montreal; the following week they're in Toronto. Two games against two teams that are beatable, if Calgary brings their "A" game.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/cfl/bombers_mini.gif 7. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Last week: 8)
The Bluebombers didn't just beat the Ticats for their second win of the season; they pounded them into the turf. Kevin Glenn got the start and rewarded his head coach Jim Daley with a 374 yard and 3 touchdown performance. Charles Roberts scored three touchdowns. The defence made big plays, the Bombers special teams blocked a punt and so on and so on. Best of all - Daley knows that if Glenn struggles or gets hurt, he'll throw Russ Michna into the game with confidence. Up next the Bombers will get a good test as the Renegades come to town.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/cfl/riders_mini.gif 8. Saskatchewan Roughriders (Last week: 7)
Sorry Roughrider fans. Don't look at the standings, look at the Riders four-game losing streak. There's no doubt injuries have played a great role in the Riders current slump. However, a bigger reason has been the play of Nealon Greene and the teams inability to hang on to the ball. During their current four-game losing skid - the Riders have commited a whopping 23 turnovers. No team can survive those kind of mistakes and expect to win games. Stop giving the ball up so much and Saskatchewan would have a fighting chance. The Riders have the bye week, for their sake they better hope and pray some of their walking wounded can get healthy again.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/cfl/ticats_mini.gif 9. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Last week: 9)
I honestly thought that there was no way possible that Hamilton could ever be as bad as they were during that horrible 1-and-17 season in 2003. I'm not about to declare that this year's edition of the Ticats are as bad as they were two years ago, but man are they a bad team. Khari Jones ingested a little life into the offence but by then, the damage was done. Too many blown assignments, too many dropped balls, too many dumb penalties. 0 and 7 and it gets worse. The Ticats next game is Friday night in BC! Jim Lang may finally be getting it. These look fairly solid.
By Sportsnet's Jim Lang (as of 08/14) Email him here (jim.lang@sportsnet.rogers.com).
http://www.sportsnet.ca/cfl/lions_mini.gif 1. B.C. Lions (Last week: 1)
Same as it ever was. Same as it ever was. The Lions just keep on winning and they keep on hanging on to that top spot in the Power Rankings. Dave Dickenson's back was feeling better so he got the start and threw for over 400 yards as the Lions offence once again proved to be too much to handle. It's been that way all year, no team in the CFL has been able to shut-down the Lions offence. Teams have slowed them down, but in the end - the Lions offence kicks it into gear and they end up winning the game. Up next the winless Ticats are at BC PLace.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/cfl/eskimos_mini.gif 2. Edmonton Eskimos (Last week: 3)
Coming off a bye week - the Eskimos host the Argos at Commonwealth. After that the Eskies play the Als then they have their annual home-and-home with the Stamps. A four-game stretch in the schedule that will set the stage for the rest of the season in Edmonton.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/cfl/renegades_mini.gif 3. Ottawa Renegades (Last week: 4)
People can put labels on the Renegades all they want - the fact remains that Ottawa has won three straight games and sit in top spot in the East. Their fifth win of the year wasn't the prettiest - but this isn't a beauty contest - this is the CFL and winning is all that matters. The one thing about this Renegades team that you have to admire is their ability to make the big play at the time of he game they need it most. After losing so many games they should have won, the 'Gades have discovered what it takes to win football games on a consistent basis. Up next they take a trip to face the Bluebombers.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/cfl/als_mini.gif 4. Montreal Alouettes (Last week: 5)
Alouettes running back Robert Edwards should be considered the come-back athlete of the year - in any sport in any league. A star at the University of Georgia and a Pro Bowler with the Patriots - Edwards seemed destined for greatness until he suffered a gruesome knee injury playing touch football on the beach at the Pro Bowl in February of 1999. The injury was so severe doctors nearly amputated his leg. Now here he is, in 2005 - racking up 100-yard games at will. Say what you want about Don Matthews, but the man is smart enough to know a good thing when he has it and look for the "the Don" to keep giving the ball to Edwards. With Cahoon out of the line-up for a while - Edwards power running and improved play from the defence will keep the Als in the hunt in the East. Up next - the Stampeders pay a visit to Molson Stadium.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/cfl/argos_mini.gif 5. Toronto Argonauts (Last week: 2)
Friday night - the Alouettes managed to pick up 11 first downs in the opening quarter; Michael Bishop and the Argos had zero. Much to the chagrin of the over 31,000 fans on hand at Rogers Centre, the Argos went into half-time down 14-0. Michael Clemons finally had enough and put Damon Allen into the game, sore ankle and all. It almost worked. However, on the last play of the game, with no time left and the Argos needing to score a touchdown - they threw a short pass - well short of the end zone. Why the Argos didn't put Bishop back in the game and tell him to heave into the end zone I'll never know. Not a geat effort by the Argos, now they have to regroup and get ready to make that long trip to Edmonton. Always a tough place to win on the road.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/cfl/stamps_mini.gif 6. Calgary Stampeders (Last week: 6)
Henry Burris was good - so good that he actually threw for more yards than Dave Dickenson. Dickenson and the Lions won. Burris and the Stamps did not. The Stamps can put up the big yards and the big numbers but they're still learning how to win. For all his big numbers, Burris would admit he made a mistake when he fumbled and the Lions returned it for a major. The Stampeders have two interesting road games coming up. This week they're in Montreal; the following week they're in Toronto. Two games against two teams that are beatable, if Calgary brings their "A" game.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/cfl/bombers_mini.gif 7. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Last week: 8)
The Bluebombers didn't just beat the Ticats for their second win of the season; they pounded them into the turf. Kevin Glenn got the start and rewarded his head coach Jim Daley with a 374 yard and 3 touchdown performance. Charles Roberts scored three touchdowns. The defence made big plays, the Bombers special teams blocked a punt and so on and so on. Best of all - Daley knows that if Glenn struggles or gets hurt, he'll throw Russ Michna into the game with confidence. Up next the Bombers will get a good test as the Renegades come to town.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/cfl/riders_mini.gif 8. Saskatchewan Roughriders (Last week: 7)
Sorry Roughrider fans. Don't look at the standings, look at the Riders four-game losing streak. There's no doubt injuries have played a great role in the Riders current slump. However, a bigger reason has been the play of Nealon Greene and the teams inability to hang on to the ball. During their current four-game losing skid - the Riders have commited a whopping 23 turnovers. No team can survive those kind of mistakes and expect to win games. Stop giving the ball up so much and Saskatchewan would have a fighting chance. The Riders have the bye week, for their sake they better hope and pray some of their walking wounded can get healthy again.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/cfl/ticats_mini.gif 9. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Last week: 9)
I honestly thought that there was no way possible that Hamilton could ever be as bad as they were during that horrible 1-and-17 season in 2003. I'm not about to declare that this year's edition of the Ticats are as bad as they were two years ago, but man are they a bad team. Khari Jones ingested a little life into the offence but by then, the damage was done. Too many blown assignments, too many dropped balls, too many dumb penalties. 0 and 7 and it gets worse. The Ticats next game is Friday night in BC! Jim Lang may finally be getting it. These look fairly solid.