The Way-Too-Early 2019 Nissan Power Rankings

[WestCoastJoe]

https://www.cfl.ca/2019/07/09/nissan-ti ... team-beat/

NISSAN TITAN POWER RANKINGS: THE UNQUESTIONED TEAM TO BEAT
The Canadian Press

CFL.CA STAFF

TORONTO — We’re a month into the CFL season and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are the team to beat.

From a savvy veteran special teams unit and a diverse, explosive offence to a defence that’s allowed just one offensive touchdown all season, the 3-0 Bombers are as complete a team as you will find.

On offence, quarterback play has been critical — whether it’s Matt Nichols or Chris Streveler throwing the football — as the Bombers have a CFL-best quarterback rating of 116.3.

On defence, no team has taken the football away more than Winnipeg, whose 10 takeaways have led to a CFL-best turnover ratio of plus-five.

And if that’s not enough, it was the special teams making the biggest game-changing play in a Week 4 win over Ottawa, when Justin Medlock deflected his own punt out of bounds for a game-changing recovery.

Can anyone stop the Blue and Gold? More in the Nissan Titan Power Rankings:

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1. Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Record: 3-0
Last Week: 1
Adam Bighill, Matt Nichols and Chris Matthews were all on the sideline at one point in Week 4, but it didn’t matter as the Bombers allowed just 236 yards and controlled possession for two thirds of the game in a 29-14 win over Ottawa. You can feel the power shifting in the highly-competitive West. It’s Winnipeg’s to lose.


2. Edmonton Eskimos
Record: 2-1
Last Week: 2
Already leading the CFL with 485 yards per game, the Esks’ offence could get even more dangerous in Week 5 if DaVaris Daniels returns out of the bye week. So far Daniels’ absence hasn’t affected them as Trevor Harris, C.J. Gable, Ricky Collins and Greg Ellingson have formed the league’s most dominant attack through four weeks.


3. Calgary Stampeders
Record: 2-1
Last Week: 4
Nick Arbuckle proved his 9-for-9 performance in Week 3 was no fluke, completing 86 per cent of his passes in a decisive win over the Riders. Winning at Mosaic is no easy task for a first-time starter, but Arbuckle is showing that no moment is too big in the absence of Bo Levi Mitchell. Don’t write this team off just yet.


4. Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Record: 3-1
Last Week: 3
The Ticats had no answer for William Stanback, letting him rush for 203 yards and three touchdowns in an Alouette victory. It’s a concerning trend for the Tabbies, who are giving up a league-worst 144 yards per game on the ground. On the other side, the absence of injured tailback Sean Thomas Erlington looms large.


5. Ottawa REDBLACKS
Record: 2-1
Last Week: 5
The REDBLACKS had a tough time against the top-ranked Bombers, failing to find the end zone on offence while barely managing 20 minutes of possession. We know what Dominique Davis can do, but week to week consistency might be a question all season long for the first-time starting quarterback.


6. BC Lions
Record: 1-3
Last Week: 7
Sometimes it really is a game of inches. If Sergio Castillo’s game-winning rouge hits the upright, or Chris Rainey fields the football a half step forward, perhaps the BC Lions are still seeking win No. 1 of the 2019 season. They’ll take it though; the question now becomes what do they make of the momentum?


7. Montreal Alouettes
Record: 1-2
Last Week: 8
Khari Jones might just be on to something in Montreal. In his third game as head coach the Alouettes racked up a season-high 456 yards, 265 of which coming on the ground. William Stanback is the star they’ve been looking for, and Vernon Adams Jr. looks like he might be the answer behind centre. Things seem to be looking up for the Als.


8. Saskatchewan Roughriders
Record: 1-3
Last Week: 6
Cody Fajardo faces his first bit of adversity as a CFL starting quarterback, coming off an 89-yard, two-interception game in a loss to Calgary. Of more concern might be the defence, which has forced a league-low three turnovers in the absence of the departed Chris Jones. The bye week has come at the right time in Regina.


9. Toronto Argonauts
Record: 0-3
Last Week: 9
From a competitive standpoint the Argos were much improved in their Week 4 battle with BC, losing on the game’s final play following a rouge. Still, the offence continues to struggle, having converted just seven of their second down attempts in the loss and amassing 23 minutes of possession. By the way, has anyone seen Derel Walker?

[WestCoastJoe]

WPG. O'Shea can lead a team. This CFL fan continues to have doubts whether Nichols is a championship level QB.

EDM. Maas can obviously coach the hell out of offence.

CGY. Lose a coach. Lose a QB. Lose players. No matter. Dave will have the team in good shape.

HAM. This fan credits Austin and Jones for putting the winning spirit and culture there. Austin self-combusted. Jones moved on. And new HC Steinauer has the guys playing well.

OTT. As long as Desjardins and Campbell are there, I expect the RedBlacks to be competitive.

BC. Very, very narrow escape for BC vs the Argos. Maybe we turned a corner. Some questions remain. INT receivers? DL, LB and DB talent level? Overall team focus?

MTL. Congrats on the win. Well done, Khari, William and Vernon. 456 yards of offence.

SSK. Jones dumped them. Not so sure Craig Dickenson is the answer at HC.

TOR. Very narrow loss to BC. If. If. If. If Castillo's FG attempt hit the upright. If Rainey does not step on the endline. If they do not pooch the kickoff. Et cetera. Not so sure Chamblin can make this team competitive.
..........

Just some quick comments by a CFL fan.

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[WestCoastJoe]

After Week 5

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[WestCoastJoe]

TORONTO — Last year the Montreal Alouettes never climbed higher than eighth in the Nissan Titan Power Rankings.

Things have changed, as a two-game winning streak has the Als on the rise in this week’s ranking. They’re also making moves in their division, as a 2-2 record ties them for second place in the East, just two games back of the first-place Tiger-Cats.

Vernon Adams is now 5-2 in his career as a starting quarterback and has taken a firm grasp of the starting job in Montreal. William Stanback has emerged as arguably one of the top running backs in the CFL. And as a team, the Als’ plus-six turnover ratio is the second best in the league.

Can the Alouettes prolong their new-found success? More in the Nissan Titan Power Rankings:

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1. Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Record: 4-0
Last Week: 1
You knew it was going to be a long night for the visiting Argos when Lucky Whitehead returned the opening kickoff 104 yards for a touchdown. The Bombers can win football games in so many different ways and are the most complete team in the CFL through five weeks of the season.


2. Edmonton Eskimos
Record: 3-1
Last Week: 2
It was Déjà vu for the Eskimos against their former pivot Mike Reilly, sacking him five times while holding their offence to just 177 net yards in a convincing 33-6 victory. Offensively, Esks quarterback Trevor Harris has only been sacked once in 2019, while that unit leads the CFL by a wide margin with 451 yards per game.


3. Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Record: 4-1
Last Week: 4
Does any one player in the CFL make an impact like Brandon Banks? The receiver/returner continues to amaze, finding the end zone three times including a 115-yard missed field goal return touchdown in a win over Calgary. The Ticats needed to bounce back from a Week 4 loss and are now 4-1 heading to the bye.


4. Calgary Stampeders
Record: 2-2
Last Week: 3
Two special teams touchdowns cost the Stamps, who fell to the Ticats despite their defence giving up just 196 net yards on the road. The good news is Nick Arbuckle was impressive for a third straight game. The bad news is he was sacked four times, putting Calgary third-worst in the CFL with 12 sacks allowed.


5. Montreal Alouettes
Record: 2-2
Last Week: 7
The dismissal of GM Kavis Reed shouldn’t affect the Alouettes on the field, as they seem to be finding their stride after back to back wins over division rivals. The underlying numbers back up this sudden success, especially on offence where the Als rank fourth in the CFL with 384 net yards per game.


6. Ottawa REDBLACKS
Record: 2-2
Last Week: 5
After a strong first half, the REDBLACKS’ defence struggled, allowing four Vernon Adams touchdowns in 30 minutes in a loss to the rival Alouettes. A visit to Winnipeg could provide an accurate reading of where this Ottawa team stands, one that’s had trouble finding consistency on both sides of the ball.


7. BC Lions
Record: 1-4
Last Week: 6
BC just couldn’t get anything going offensively against the Eskimos, failing to find the end zone while being sacked five times in the first 30 minutes of the game. It’s hard to count out any Mike Reilly-led team, but something has to change fast if the Lions are going to bite back in top-heavy West.


8. Saskatchewan Roughriders
Record: 1-3
Last Week: 8
Mid-July is usually too early to start talking about must-win games, but this feels like an exception as the Riders and Lions aim to avoid falling further behind the pack when they clash in Week 6. It’s especially a big game for Cody Fajardo, who’s had two great performances and two that were not so good.


9. Toronto Argonauts
Record: 0-4
Last Week: 9
Four big plays sunk the Argos in Week 5, including two on special teams as Lucky Whitehead and Charles Nelson almost had Winnipeg up 14-0 without even running an offensive play. At least Derel Walker finally got involved, racking up a career-high 188 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the loss.

[WestCoastJoe]

Following Week 6, prior to the Nissan rankings being printed, this is how I see the teams.

Winnipeg. Long may you run, Andrew, straight into the CFL Hall of Fame. (I remember some thought the junior football player from the V.I. Raiders could not have played at an NCAA college team.) Nichols is making believers. LaPolice knows how to create an offence.

Hamilton. I have not seen them play, but the defence seems effective. Credit Steinauer of course. But perhaps Mark Washington knows how to do it, now that he is in a new organization.

Calgary. Dickie and Huff.

Edmonton. Maas can coach.

Montreal. Happy to see Khari doing well.

Ottawa. Missing some pieces.

Saskatchewan. Cody doing very well. Run. Pass. Crossover will be difficult this year.

BC. Yeayy. We're #8. Out of the picture. Ed, DeVone, Jarious and Rich, not doing well. Just a matter of learning the systems? It seems to be much more than that.

Toronto. They almost beat us.

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[WestCoastJoe]

Nissan Rankings after Week 6

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[WestCoastJoe]

https://www.cfl.ca/2019/07/23/riders-ga ... -rankings/

1. Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Record: 5-0
Last Week: 1
Allowing just 13.2 offensive points per game, the defence has been the engine of the Bombers’ 5-0 start. But even without Chris Matthews this offence has looked as dangerous as any, led by Matt Nichols‘ 12:1 touchdown to interception ratio and 129.1 QB rating. You’re looking at a legitimate CFL powerhouse.


2. Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Record: 4-1
Last Week: 3
The Ticats’ offence will see a true measuring stick in Week 7 with a clash against the CFL’s top-ranked defence. Jeremiah Masoli will need to limit the turnovers against an opportunistic Bomber defence, as the two division leaders settle in for a potential Grey Cup preview.


3. Edmonton Eskimos
Record: 3-2
Last Week: 2
The CFL’s most explosive attack looked ordinary against Montreal, failing to find the end zone for the second time this season in a loss to the Als. Still, there’s plenty to like about the Eskimos on both sides of the ball, from a league-leading 19 sacks on defence to an offence averaging 425 yards per game.


4. Calgary Stampeders
Record: 3-2
Last Week: 4
The defending champions are difficult to put a finger on early in 2019. They gave up 410 yards to the struggling Argos and managed just 244 yards themselves, winning on the strength of seven turnovers. Yet they’re doing it without Bo Levi Mitchell, with sophomore Nick Arbuckle playing just fine in his absence.


5. Montreal Alouettes
Record: 3-2
Last Week: 5
Don’t look now but the Alouettes are tied for third in the CFL following a three-game winning streak. Vernon Adams Jr. has been a punch in the arm in Montreal, yet Bob Slowik’s defence has been just as critical to the Alouettes’ success, most recently keeping the high-octane Eskimos out of the end zone.


6. Saskatchewan Roughriders
Record: 2-3
Last Week: 8
It doesn’t appear Cody Fajardo is going anywhere. The Riders’ pivot tightened his grip on the starting job, averaging 12.1 yards per attempt and totaling three touchdowns in a win over BC. If Fajardo can find consistency in his game, the Riders aren’t a stretch to host a playoff game this November.


7. Ottawa REDBLACKS
Record: 2-3
Last Week: 6
R.J. Harris and Dominique Davis were clearly missed by the REDBLACKS, who totaled just 12 first downs and 175 net yards in a 31-1 loss to Winnipeg. On the bright side, John Crockett looks pretty good at running back, while Jonathon Jennings gets at least one more week to try and figure things out.


8. BC Lions
Record: 1-5
Last Week: 7
Protection continues to be an issue for the Lions, who had no answer for Riders defensive end Charleston Hughes. Still, the Lions’ offence showed signs of life, tallying 432 yards of offence and 27 first downs on the road. It may not be too early to call Week 7’s rematch with the Riders a must-win game for BC.


9. Toronto Argonauts
Record: 0-5
Last Week: 9
The Argos showed signs of growth in their trip to Calgary, stifling the Stampeders’ offence while racking up 400-plus yards of their own. But they won’t have a chance if they continue to turn the ball over, coming off a seven-turnover game and leading the CFL with 21 giveaways this season, leading to 66 points the other way.

[KnowItAll]

no way the argos can hang onto last place.

[WestCoastJoe]

After Week 7, prior to the Nissan rankings in midweek, some comments, mostly based on win/loss records.

Winnipeg. Still tough. Talented enough to win it all? Maybe.

Hamilton. Terrible blow, losing Masoli. Just raised Peg's chance to win it all.

Calgary. I expect them to get better as the season goes on.

Edmonton. Playing well with Harris at QB.

Montreal. Quite happy for Khari. He might know how to coach, after not looking so good here.

Saskatchewan. Fajardo looking good. D Line good.

Ottawa. Why they let Harris go is a head shaker. Same with Ellingson.

BC. We won one, barely. The team is in chaos. Blame can be assigned everywhere, including Mike Reilly, imo. Hervey went All-In on Reilly. Money. Promotion. Maybe too much. Maybe too much pressure on Mike Reilly. Last week, it was sad to see him grimacing in pain after the low hit, but gathering himself to go back in, when the game was out of reach. Mike does not need to lead the team in physical courage, as he does. He should not have that role, imo.

Toronto. They almost beat us, and look incapable of beating anyone else.

[WestCoastJoe]

Standings

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[DanoT]

What does the 2020 draft class look like? Lions will get the 1st or 2nd pick overall. Of course Ed might trade his picks because, you know, he already has more NATs starting than the min required, so he probably figures that he doesn't need 1st or 2nd round draft picks.