AMSOIL Power Rankings 2024: Join the parity party

TORONTO — Final week, we (maybe foolishly) talked about how the Montreal Alouettes had been capable of sit again and watch the opposite eight groups within the league bob up and down within the seas of parity.

In Week 14, parity — particularly the BC Lions — caught up with the Als, or at the very least gave them somewhat nudge on their perch.

The Lions’ 37-23 win over the Als didn’t knock Montreal out of the highest spot within the CFL Energy Rankings offered by AMSOIL, but it surely does chip away at what might need been perceived as an invincibility that had been constructing over the previous few weeks. Week 14 reminded us that the Als are certainly fallible, even when they’re on the entrance of the pack in the meanwhile.

It also needs to function a reminder of simply how harmful numerous different groups within the league are proper now, no matter their information. The Elks are preventing their approach again into the West Division race and the Bombers — bear in mind after they have been 2-6? — have now gained 5 in a row and are a recreation above .500. You’ll see Hamilton has made a transfer within the rankings as properly. That’s partly attributable to how the groups beneath them are enjoying in the meanwhile, but additionally due to what they’ve proven of their final two outings.

All of this to say that as we transfer into the ultimate third of the common season, issues are nonetheless very open. There’s time and room for a group to make a transfer and throw one other twist into this very tough to foretell — and rank — season.

Let’s get into this week’s rankings.

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1. Montreal Alouettes (10-2)

Final Week: 1
Final Sport: 37-23 loss to BC
Subsequent Sport: At Calgary, Sat. Sept. 14

Value noting: They’ll’t all be comeback wins, apparently. The Als have been stifled by a Lions’ defence that restricted them to 270 yards of internet offence, properly beneath the 355.7 (fourth within the league) they’re averaging per recreation. Given the disappointing consequence to the Lions, dropping at dwelling and coming off of a bye week, some will see the down-and-out Stampeders on the schedule and can fear a few entice recreation or worse, the potential for this group’s first rut of the season. A pointy, businesslike Alouettes group might want to present up in Calgary to get again within the win column and to proceed working to locking up the East Division.

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2. Ottawa REDBLACKS (8-3-1)

Final Week: 2
Final Sport: 41-27 win over Toronto
Subsequent recreation: At Hamilton, Sat. Sept. 14

Value noting: Adarius Pickett didn’t maintain again on his former group when he received a microphone in entrance of him. His defensive teammates managed to overshadow these sturdy phrases in a dominant displaying in opposition to the Argos, with a pair of Damon Webb choose sixes as a part of a six-turnover day. The REDBLACKS have hit the eight-win mark now, which sort of extremely matches the third-best report the group has posted in its 10-year existence. Don’t scoff at that, although. The 2016 REDBLACKS have been 8-9-1 and gained the Gray Cup that yr. The subsequent goal for this group will probably be to clinch its first playoff look in six years, then get again to work on making it a house date.

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3. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (7-6)

Final Week: 3
Final Sport: 26-21 win over Saskatchewan 
Subsequent recreation: At Edmonton, Sat. Sept. 21

Value noting: We’ll rapidly contact on a few issues we’ve stated greater than as soon as round right here in the case of this group. First, you have been silly to rely them out, whether or not they have been 0-4 or 2-6. Second, that season sequence win over the Lions is already paying dividends for the Bombers, because it places them in first place within the West Division, regardless of the groups having the identical information. Lastly, we all know he hates this sort of stuff, however should you haven’t already, give some like to Mike O’Shea, who turned the Bombers’ all-time winningest coach on Sunday, appropriately on the expense of the arch-rival Riders of their Labour Day rematch recreation. The Bombers get a well-earned break, earlier than all of us get handled to back-to-back Tre vs. Tyrell Ford video games in Week 16 and 17.

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4. Edmonton Elks (5-8)

Final Week: 4
Final Sport: 37-16 win over Calgary
Subsequent recreation: Vs. Winnipeg, Sat. Sept. 21

Value noting: The theme for the Elks on this week’s rankings is 180s. How concerning the bought out decrease bowl at Commonwealth Stadium? How a few lopsided win for that jubilant dwelling crowd? The on-field 180 is the boldness that’s radiating from this Elks group. You might see it in that easy reverse they ran that received Tevin Jones into the tip zone. You possibly can see it within the gamers on the sideline. The place this group had discovered methods to steer itself to defeat the previous few years, the one concern behind the wheel now could be if the brand new proprietor has the hearth truck close to the opposition’s bench. It’s been a tough few years for a longtime proud franchise in Edmonton. It’s good to see a few of that swagger again round them.

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5. BC Lions (7-6)

Final Week: 5
Final Sport: 37-23 win over Montreal
Subsequent recreation: Vs. Toronto, Fri. Sept. 13

Value noting: William Stanback received the revenge recreation that athletes dream of, stomping his technique to 128 yards and a landing on the bottom. We hope that on that landing run, he took discover that on the finish of the stiff-arm he threw at Titus Wall was his previous No. 31 Alouettes jersey staring again at him. Revenge recreation apart, this was a press release win for the Lions, who crossed three time zone and beat the league’s high group because it got here again from a bye week. If the Lions hold enjoying like this, they’re headed again towards the highest of those rankings.

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6. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (3-9)

Final Week: 8
Final recreation: 31-28 win over Toronto (OK Tire Labour Day Weekend)
Subsequent recreation: Vs. Ottawa, Sat. Sept. 14

Value noting: This week offers a great check for the Ticats. From their shut Week 12 loss to Winnipeg, by means of to their spectacular OK Tire Labour Day Weekend win over the Argos, the Ticats have given us a glimpse of what they are often. Bo Levi Mitchell has taken care of the ball in that stretch, not throwing any interceptions and the Ticats have performed clear, disciplined soccer, flagged 11 instances for 108 yards. Consistency has been elusive for them this yr they usually’ll want it on Saturday, in the event that they’re going to maintain up with a REDBLACKS group that appears to be figuring itself out somewhat extra every week. The Ticats haven’t been ranked larger than this sixth spot all season. To try this and to maintain their season alive, they’ll must have a run as the very best model of themselves.

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7. Saskatchewan Roughriders (5-7-1)

Final Week: 7
Final Sport: 26-21 loss to Winnipeg
Subsequent recreation: At Calgary, Fri. Sept. 20

Value noting: Whereas figuring out this week’s rankings, one voter who was arguing for the Riders to be larger than this seventh spot stated one thing to the impact of, ‘it is a excellent soccer group with the small element being that they will’t win video games proper now.’ It’s a kind of issues that once you hear it out loud, you notice the way it sounds. For the voters, it sealed the Riders’ destiny on this spot for an additional week. When you rely their tie on this slide, it marks the third season in a row that the Riders have gone winless in seven video games. That stated, their sturdy begin to the season and the West’s parity signifies that there’s nonetheless time for them to show issues round. The Riders maintain the third and last playoff spot within the West proper now, only a level forward of the Elks. That’s protected for this week, as they’re each on a bye. The wins want to begin coming for this group, although, in the event that they’re going to play into November.

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8. Toronto Argonauts (6-6)

Final Week: 6
Final Sport: 41-27 loss to Ottawa
Subsequent recreation: At BC, Fri. Sept. 13

Value noting: Some could also be stunned to see a .500 group — one which holds a three-game lead on Hamilton for the East’s last playoff spot — this low within the rankings. That is extra about current developments although, and never standings. Of their final three video games, the Argos eked out a win on a rouge in opposition to the Riders, misplaced on Labour Day to the Ticats and with an opportunity to realize floor on the REDBLACKS final week, laid a rotten egg in a six-turnover displaying that had them down 31-3 at halftime. The Argos have the blessing of that three-game cushion lead over the Ticats for some playoff hope safety, however they’ll have to sharpen as much as end that job. They go cross-country this week to go to the Lions, then have an necessary recreation in Week 16 in opposition to the Ticats, earlier than internet hosting the Als to shut out the month. They’ll get again on monitor, but it surely’s not a straightforward haul for them.