Tag Archives: Calgary Stampeders

Stampeders’ TD horse belatedly named Grey Cup MVP by Toronto alt-weekly

Posted by gruesomegreg on

The Calgary Stampeders may have left Toronto empty handed, but their trusty steed Marty, a stand-in for regular TD horse Quick Six, was awarded a Menchie by alt-weekly The Grid two days ago.  In a brief writeup, the alt-weekly noted that “The Ikea monkey got more press, but it was Marty—a 15-year-old horse from a Stouffville petting zoo—who really shook up the city” when he was initially denied, and later granted, entry into the Royal York Hotel.  “See, Toronto? Loosening your harness can be kinda fun,” The Grid concludes.

Interestingly enough, no Toronto Argonauts appear to have won a Menchie award this year.  Not that it takes the sting out of losing the Grey Cup or anything… :(

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The agony of defeat… (with pictures)

Posted by gruesomegreg on

Man, I gotta say I’ve been in a bit of a funk since Sunday.  My Grey Cup memories from ’08 were nothing but good times, seeing the Stamps go into Montreal and beat the Als in the big game–but this year, it was totally different.  From the early going, it was quite clear that Calgary did not show up to play against Toronto; costly turnovers in their own zone, missed opportunities at the other end, a paltry 53 yards rushing…  About the only area the Stamps played pretty well was special teams, with Paredes, Maver and Taylor leading the way.  But hey, if you’re kicking four field goals and punting six times, you’re probably not putting enough points on the board to win; as was the case for Calgary.  Ironically, their 22-point output was the exact same as in the 96th Grey Cup–but giving up 17 points to Toronto in the second quarter made all the difference.

Anyways, congrats must go to Toronto.  There were a lot more Argos jerseys than I expected to see in the crowd, and hopefully having one winning team in town leads to a boost in attendance next season.  But then again, I hear the Jays are supposed to be pretty good next year, too…

Anyways, I did manage to take a few pictures for prosperity.  A couple years from now, after a conflict-of-interest lawsuit against Eric Tillman causes the Argos to forfeit the 100th Grey Cup (c’mon, they got Ricky Ray for nothing!), I can always say I was there when the Stamps won it all. ;)

I was seated in Section 134D, which meant I had a pretty good view of the action–when it was on the south side of the field:

On the other hand, this was my view of the other side.  I had to look up at the Jumbotron to see if the ball crossed the plane of the end zone…

That said, I did snap a couple decent shots of the Calgary player introductions:

The pre-game show, however, was a different story.  I was actually seated behind the stage, which was facing away from me, so I only really got a side-view of some of the action.

Likewise, I only saw the side of Burton Cummings…

…but hey, cheerleaders!

I also had to watch the halftime show on the Jumbotron.  Hey, the beer line wasn’t that long…

Alas, this was about as close as I came to Justin Bieber:

On the other hand, when I decided to make my exit with just under five minutes left to play, the Mounties happened to be bringing the hardware right down my aisle–with Toronto’s names already engraved on it, no doubt.

Time to revisit my Grey Cup prediction…

Posted by gruesomegreg on

Don’t get me wrong, as a Stamps fan, I wanted to say “Calgary all the way!” when I first made my playoff predictions a couple weeks back.  But I admit, I got caught up in the quarterback confusion, and with visions of Rob Johnson fumbling in my head, ultimately decided that Drew Tate did not have what it takes to be Inkmaster Grey Cup champion–at least not in this injury-plagued season.  But as it turned out, Tate played great in pulling off a last-minute win over the Riders–then he broke his wrist in practice, forcing the Stamps to go back to Kevin Glenn in the West Final.  The rest, as they say, is history.  Some 303 yards, 3 TDs and 34 points later, Glenn and the Stamps were headed to the Grey Cup–and so am I, having shelled out some big bucks for second-hand tickets.

On the other hand, I had pegged the Argos for a Grey Cup appearance when I first made my picks, assuming–correctly, as it were–that Montreal could be beaten on its home turf.  I even nailed the margin of victory in the Eastern Semi, though I was four points per side off from the actual score.  But then I predicted that both East Final participants would put up a lot more points than they actually did, before Toronto would fall to B.C. in the Grey Cup final.  Then again, they aren’t playing the Lions, so it’s time for me to revisit my prediction for tonight’s game.

Looking back at the schedule, the Stamps and Argos played a couple close games this season.  In fact, their Week Two matchup, which I attended, was decided by a last-second field goal, as the Double-Blue walked off with a 39-36 victory before a meager crowd of 20,682.  Then in late August, on the not-yet frozen tundra of McMahon Stadium, the two teams put forth a much lower-scoring affair; though once again, Toronto prevailed, 22-14, on a 300-yard passing day from Ricky Ray and five(!) Swayze Waters field goals.  But hey, that was three months ago.  After that loss, the Stamps reeled off four straight wins, and would only lose two more games (to Saskatchewan and B.C.) the rest of the way.  On the other hand, the Argos stumbled down the stretch, going 5-6 to end the year–with three of those wins coming over last-place Hamilton.  True, they have won four in a row, including two playoff games, but you could argue that they’ve had an easier road to get here.  After all, Edmonton finished last in the West, and Calgary beat the Esks four (that’s right, four!) times this year…

While the Stamps dominated Edmonton this season, and the Argos beat ‘em pretty bad in the first round, it’s worth noting that the Esks were without their franchise quarterback, Ricky Ray, who they traded to Toronto in the off-season.  Likewise, Stamps starter Kevin Glenn was an off-season acquisition, though he wasn’t handed the job until Drew Tate went down in Week Two.  That said, while the QBs have just settled in to their new cities–it will be interesting to see what happens to Glenn next year, though–they’re quite familiar with the opposing teams.  Ricky Ray is used to seeing the Stamps at three times a year, and had a respectable 4-5 record against Calgary on Labour Day–not bad considering it was always a road game for the Eskimos.    Speaking of the Labour Day Classic, Glenn lead the Ti-Cats to lopsided wins over Toronto in 2009 and 2010, before the league gaffed by not scheduling the traditional Argos-TiCats matchup last season.  However, Hamilton almost became accustomed to early playoff exits under Glenn, to the point that he was made expendable.

Last year, after leading his team to an improbable win over Montreal in the Eastern Semi, Glenn threw for just 113 yards in the snow as Hamilton lost 19-3 to Winnipeg.  His last best chance to reach the Grey Cup came in 2007, where he threw for 201 yards in a Winnipeg win over the Argos, but broke his arm late in the game and missed the final, in which the Bombers lost to Saskatchewan.  So now, after 12 years in the league, he finally gets his chance in the big game.  Of course, Ray’s been here a few times before, and has won a couple rings, but while there’s no question that most teams would take Ray over Glenn in any situation, I wouldn’t count out the feel-good, first-time veteran storyline.  I mean, chances are Tate regains the starting job next year, and provided that he proves to be more durable than a current Bombers QB *cough*Beat-Up Buck*cough*, he could send Glenn to the sidelines for good.  Thus, this could very well be KG’s last chance at leading a team to the Cup–and I’m sure it isn’t lost on him.

I gotta say, I see a lot of parallels between this year’s game and 2008, the Stamps’ last Grey Cup win.  For one thing, there should be a lotta Bomber blue in the stands, as Winnipeg is coming off a Grey Cup loss last year, just like they were in ’07.  Of course, the Stamps were also the de-facto road team in the 96th Grey Cup, facing the Montreal Alouettes in a raucous Big O–which they ultimately silenced with their shutdown defence and frequent second-half field goals.  Like the man he was traded for last year, Henry Burris came into the game with a reputation as a shaky, unpredictable quarterback who had never really succeeded in the postseason.  But after a Western Final where Calgary held B.C. to a whole lotta field goals, he came through in the big game, throwing for 328 yards and rushing for 79 en route to being named Grey Cup MVP.  The final score, coincidentally, was 22-14, the same as the Week Eight game between the Stamps and Argos this season…

That said, I think it’s gonna take a few more points to pull it off tonight.  The Stamps averaged just under 30 points per game this season, while the Argos have been red-hot since Ray returned from injury.  Going back to their Week Two shootout, Glenn completed 15-of-19 passes for 172 yards and two scores in just over three quarters of football, erasing a nine-point halftime deficit by answering Toronto’s big plays with several of his own.  And based on last week’s impressive road win, I think it’s safe to say that given a full four quarters, Glenn can put up even more points, ending his season right where it began with a Grey Cup win.

It’s also worth noting that the man who kicked the game-winner in Week Two, Noel Prefontaine, is now Toronto’s punter, having ceded the placekicking duties to the awesomely-named Swayze Waters, who made a respectable 32-of-43 field goals in this, his rookie season.  But on the other side, Calgary’s Rene Paredes was darn-near perfect, connecting on 40 of 43 attempts.  Did I mention that Sandro DeAngelis–another Canadian kicker–hit five FGs for the Stamps in ’08, and was named Most Valuable Canadian?  Likewise, I think Paredes kicks Calgary to victory in this one.  Just don’t expect Glenn to run for 80 yards.  Stamps 32, Argos 26.

You can take our horse off the sideline, but you can’t take the horses off our helmets!

Posted by gruesomegreg on

The Calgary Stampeders might hafta hold their horse on Sunday, unless an 11th-hour agreement can be reached to allow Quick Six, the Stamps’ touchdown steed, to run wild within the Rogers Centre.  As Global News reports, “The horse’s rider Karyn Drake said she was told Monday afternoon that she would not be travelling to Toronto for the Sunday game against the Argos due to rules at the Rogers Centre.”  Rule number one of Rogers Centre: No fun allowed in Rogers Centre!

The unjust ruling has a host of Calgary celebrities, from Theo Fleury to Ralph the Dog, up in arms.  Perhaps Ralph said it best, tweeting “So Toronto doesn’t want my pal Quick Six at Grey Cup, eh? Too bad, the 42 guys with a white horse on their helmet are still coming. #WinItAll”  Darn tootin’!

It’s worth noting that for Calgary’s last Grey Cup appearance, which came in 2008 at Montreal’s Big O, a last-minute agreement was reached between the team and the stadium, allowing Quick Six to gallop his stuff.  Mind you, his presence was hardly required, as the Stamps scored just one major en route to a 22-14 win.  Methinks this one stands to be slightly higher-scoring, however…

COMMENT OF THE DAY: Who needs the Grey Cup when you’ve got Rob Ford?

Posted by gruesomegreg on

From: http://www.straight.com/article-837051/vancouver/reflecting-bc-lions-loss-calgary-stampeders

As a Vancouver alt-weekly laments the B.C. Lions’ loss to Calgary in the CFL Western Final, one Lions fan offers his support to the Stamps in the Grey Cup:

(Frankly, I think having Rob Ford would negate the need for comedy troupes more so than football championships…  But the Stamps are still gonna win on Sunday!)

Instead of fantasizing about OJ Simpson, Nik Lewis should be focused on driving his, erm, black Bronco through the Lions defence…

Posted by gruesomegreg on

Drew Tate may have been the Calgary Stampeder who got his bell rung during Sunday’s West Semi-Final, but it’s Nik Lewis who was seemingly suffering from a mental deficiency when he posted the following insensitive, albeit puzzling tweet the next day:

Not knowing whether OJ Simpson’s gloves were actually for sale on EBay (most of the Page 1 hits for “OJ Simpson gloves EBay” on Google are related to the Lewis tweet, though the New York Law School blog speculates that OJ’s murder weapon could someday be up for grabs), it looks like Lewis is suggesting he wants to murder an unfortunately-named white woman here, even if that likely wasn’t his intent.  Alas, while @nikel18 is one of the CFL’s most entertaining tweeters—I once had an amusing exchange with him about the Hamilton Tiger-Cats—I think in this case, Lewis, as he predicted, did go #MaybeALittleTooFar with that one.

All I can say is that if this lapse in judgment forces Lewis to sit out the Western Final, it won’t matter if the spirit of Doug Flutie inhabits Tate’s grey matter—the Stamps will likely lose without their go-to receiver.  According to the Calgary Herald, “The CFL social media policy reads: ‘If a player, team employee or league employee uses social media … in a manner that may bring the CFL into disrepute, including posts that condone harassment, discrimination or violence … they will be subject to discipline from the commissioner’s office.’”  As a Stamps fan, here’s hoping the league doesn’t mandate any further punishment than a few extra suicide sprints in practice…

Here’s hoping that Hufnagel’s decision doesn’t set the stage for a McMahon Stadium Miracle…

Posted by gruesomegreg on

In a hotly-anticipated announcement, Stamps coach John Hufnagel decided today that Drew Tate would be his starting QB for the playoffs.  This, despite the fact that Tate had only played in parts of four games this season, whereas backup Kevin Glenn led the team to a 10-5 record in his absence.  Sure, Tate started the season on top of the depth chart, and Glenn has been an inconsistent journeyman his whole career, but is this really the right choice?

The Calgary Herald points out that Tate “looked good in the first half of Friday’s regular-season finale in Edmonton,” and quoted Hufnagel as saying “He has shown during the past two games he is fully recovered from his shoulder injury.  He is throwing accurately and seeing the field well.”  But I dunno, having watched the first half of last Friday’s game, where he went 11-of-15 for 139 yards and a score, I thought he hardly lit the field on fire.  In fact, Glenn put up very similar numbers (137 yards, one TD) in the second half, despite throwing three fewer passes.  If you were basing it solely on that game, well, it was basically a dead heat.  So why not dance with the one that brought ya?

Furthermore, it’s worth noting that in Tate’s only playoff appearance, he also played just the first half.  Against Edmonton in the West Semi-Final, he was 5-for-10 for just 99 yards passing and a pick, and was benched for Henry Burris at halftime.  On the other hand, Glenn played much better that day, throwing for 275 yards, one TD and a pick in leading Hamilton to an upset win over Montreal.  Of course, it’s not a very apt comparison, as they were playing for different teams—and going up against two very different opponents—but the fact that Glenn has more experience and better postseason results still stands.

As for this weekend’s opponent, the slumping Saskatchewan Roughriders lost four straight games to end the season, and shouldn’t be considered too much of a threat, though it did take a dramatic comeback by the Stamps to beat ‘em at home in OT early in the year.  Mind you, it was Kevin Glenn who led the charge in that one, with 385 yards and four TDs…

I guess I just can’t get past the fact that recent quarterback switcheroos in the playoffs have been largely, and epically, unsuccessful.  In 2004, with ex-Stamps star QB Dave Dickinson suffering an early-season injury, Casey Printers came in and put up a Most Outstanding Player season for the BC Lions.  But Wally Buono decided to go back to Dickinson for the 92nd Grey Cup, where the Leos scored just 19 points in a loss to Toronto. 

And of course, in a 1999 playoff game that still has Buffalo Bills fans crying in their Labatt Blues, another former Stamps star, he of the Flutie Flakes, was benched for Rob Johnson based solely on the latter’s Week 17 performance.  The Bills led the Tennessee Titans by one with just seconds to play in that game, until a controversial kick return gave the home team the win.  All I hafta say is the Stamps better look out for the lateral on their kick coverage this Sunday!!!!

CFL POWER RANKINGS: Week 19

Posted by gruesomegreg on

Most teams didn’t have much to play for in Week 19, but we still got two great games decided by a last-second field goal.  On the other hand, Saturday’s action wasn’t very exciting, what with three out of the four participants more concerned with resting key players for the postseason.  But hey, at least Winnipeg won its last game at CanadInns.  I mean, the new stadium will be ready for next season, right?

Preseason Predictions

Week 2 Rankings

Week 3 Rankings

Week 4 Rankings

Week 5 Rankings

Week 7 Rankings

Week 8 Rankings

Week 9 Rankings

Week 10 Rankings

Week 11 Rankings

Week 12 Rankings

Week 13 Rankings

Week 14 Rankings

Week 15 Rankings

Week 16 Rankings

Week 17 Rankings

Week 18 Rankings

Week 19 Power Rankings

1. Calgary Stampeders (12-6) Last Week: 2.  Yeah, I know that B.C. hasn’t had anything to play for (except to not get injured) these past couple weeks, but no team is heading into the playoffs hotter than the Stamps, winners of four straight.  And sure, their last two opponents might not have been giving it their all, but by putting up 32 points per game in October, the league’s second-highest scoring offence looks primed for the playoffs.  There is some question as to who starts at QB next week, but me, I’d take the continuity of Kevin Glenn here.  Drew Tate didn’t do enough to impress against Edmonton, and he still looks a little rusty after missing most of the year.  Should make for an interesting battle in training camp next season–though Glenn probably has the edge if he leads this team to the Grey Cup. ;)

2. B.C. Lions (13-5) Last Week: 1.  It’s kind of hard to fault a team that held its opponent to just six points last night, but keep in mind that the Riders were starting journeyman J.T. O’Sullivan at QB for the second half.  Even the Hamilton defence could (maybe) hold ‘em under 20 in those circumstances.  And hey, Travis Lulay’s back, but his 9-for-14, 88-yard performance was nothing to write home about.  In fact, O’Sullivan threw for just three fewer yards in as many completions and attempts!  Don’t get me wrong, the Lions are still poised to defend their title, but I think Calgary’s the hotter team heading into the postseason, even if it remains to be seen whether they can win at B.C. Place.

3. Montreal Alouettes (11-7) Last Week: 3.  Like B.C., Montreal hasn’t had anything to play for the past couple weeks.  Unlike the Lions, their starting QB didn’t see a single snap on Saturday, and while Adrian McPherson had a good game on the ground, rolling up over 100 yards rushing, he didn’t do too much in the passing attack.  Mind you, that’s entirely irrelevant to Montreal’s fortunes; the backup quarterback was simply auditioning for a job next year–in Winnipeg, where Joe Mack is bound to be stabbed if he brings back Beat Up Buck as his QB next season.  In any case, the Als will have a big home-field advantage at the Big O for the Eastern Final, but hey, it’s not like they’ve never lost there before…

4. Toronto Argonauts (9-9) Last Week: 4.  Talk about an embarrassing beatdown.  Ricky Ray and Chad Kackert didn’t see a snap between them, and Chad Owens was pulled as soon as he broke the all-purpose yardage record–and yet, the Argos still put up 43 points on Hamilton in a must-win game for their opponent.  Not that there’s any QB controversy in TO after the passing exploits of Jarious Jackson and Zach Collaros; Ray has looked sharp in his two starts back from injury, and the team is finally putting some points on the board.  The flipside is that their usually-reliable defence has given up 40+ in two of the last three weeks–and one of those games was against Winnipeg.  We should be in for some exciting postseason football in the T-Dot, one way or another!

5 (tied). Edmonton Eskimos (7-11) Last Week: 5.  Saskatchewan Roughriders (8-10) Last Week: 6.  Though they both stumbled into the playoffs, there are no real winners here.  The Esks and Riders combined for just one win in October–and that came when Edmonton beat Saskatchewan in Week 16.  If Edmonton has the upper hand here, it’s because by crossing over, they’ll face an easier road to the Grey Cup; but I don’t expect a legion of Eskie fans to travel to Toronto for the Eastern Semi, the way Rider Nation would.  (Besides, there’s bound to be a bunch of ‘em in Calgary next Sunday–some of whom might not even live there!)  That said, I foresee an early playoff exit for both of these teams.

7. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (6-12) Last Week: 8.  While they finished the season tied for the worst record in the league, at least Winnipeg ended the year on a winning note.  But unless they can rebuild Buck Pierce with robot parts, they’re going to need to shake some things up this off-season.  Hey, maybe they can land Ricky Ray once the Argos realize that even with an elite QB at the helm, Torontonians still can’t be bothered to go to their games.  I mean, he was probably a one-year, get-us-to-the-Grey-Cup rental anyways…

8. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (6-12) Last Week: 7.  Never thought I’d say this, but I actually feel bad for Henry Burris.  The man throws for just under 500 yards and four TDs, and yet his defence gives up 43 points–to the Argos’ second- and third-stringers.  Hell, if I was Hank, I think I’d demand a trade to Winnipeg.  At least the Bombers D can hold teams under 30!  (29.5 ppg allowed, which is still better than Hamilton…)

Tune in next weekend for my playoff predictions!

CFL POWER RANKINGS: Week 16

Posted by gruesomegreg on

This week, things pretty much went according to plan.  The B.C. Lions, Calgary Stampeders and Montreal Alouettes all won, the last two clinching playoff spots in the process (B.C. already clinched last week).  The one big surprise was the Saskatchewan Roughriders, winners of three straight, losing–and losing badly–in Edmonton.  The Esks not only look to have third place in the East locked up via crossover, they could very well finish third in the West if they can string a couple more wins together.  Here’s how I saw things this week.

Preseason Predictions

Week 2 Rankings

Week 3 Rankings

Week 4 Rankings

Week 5 Rankings

Week 7 Rankings

Week 8 Rankings

Week 9 Rankings

Week 10 Rankings

Week 11 Rankings

Week 12 Rankings

Week 13 Rankings

Week 14 Rankings

Week 15 Rankings

Week 16 Rankings

1. B.C. Lions (11-4) Last Week: 1.  They came, they saw, they conquered.  Though they weren’t facing the toughest opposition, B.C. came away with a convincing 20-point road win this week.  They’re still the team to beat.

2. Calgary Stampeders (9-6) Last Week: 2.  Week 15 was a tale of two halves for the Stampeders.  They came out all guns blazing in the first, piling on 26 points, but were subsequently outscored 7-6 by the Bombers in the second half.  That said, they still picked up an 11-point win, largely due to their defence forcing eight turnovers–including three end-zone interceptions.  It looks like Calgary’s likely got second-place sewn up, but it’ll take a Week 18 win over B.C. and some help to be hosting the West Final, not the Semi-Final…

3. Montreal Alouettes (9-6) Last Week: 4.  It’s starting to look like the East will go through Montreal this year.  With a two-game lead on the Argos and a tiebreaker in hand, thanks to today’s 24-12 win, the Als appear to be the Beasts of the East for yet another season.  But will this be Anthony Calvillo’s last stand?  The 40-year-old QB has started to look his age of late, though he’s missing some key targets due to injury.  Still a lotta question marks on this team, if you ask me.

4. Saskatchewan Roughriders (8-7) Last Week: 3.  Going into Week 15, the Riders had the second-best defence in the CFL, giving up just over 20 points per game.  But that was before they got torched by a 40-year-old quarterback (OK fine, Kerry Joseph’s 39) and the league’s second-worst offence.  They didn’t execute so well offensively either, Darian Durant throwing for just 204 yards with two scores and two picks.  A significant setback for a team that had really gotten it together these past three weeks–especially considering that Edmonton now owns the tiebreaker should it come down to who stays in the West for the first round.

5. Edmonton Eskimos (7-8) Last Week: 6.  When the Esks scored 35 points against Hamilton last week, I had chalked it up as a bit of a fluke, them going up against the CFL’s worst defence.  But when they followed it up with a 37-point performance against the Riders, well, lightning doesn’t strike twice, right?  Whodathunkit that Kerry Joseph, who hadn’t won a game since ’09, would be the spark this team needed to get back into playoff contention?  Mind you, if there’s one knock against Edmonton right now, it’s that their two big wins both came at the friendly confines of Commonwealth Stadium.  The team is just 2-5 on the road this season, and in all likelihood will hafta travel to meet their playoff opponent.  A nice little run, but they’re probably one-and-done.

6. Toronto Argonauts (7-8) Last Week: 5.  With the Jays’ season over, the Argos have a significant stretch of home games before they call it a year.  But their homestand hasn’t gotten off to a good start–back-to-back losses in which they’ve averaged a mere 11 points per game.  Without Ricky Ray, number two receiver Dontrelle Inman and starting RB Chad Kackert, the Argos just can’t get anything going offensively.  In fact, with a loss to Hamilton in Week 19, they could conceivably be on the outside looking in come playoff-time.  Get well soon, Ricky (and Dontrelle and Chad and whoever else I missed)!

7. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (4-11) Last Week: 7.  Neither Winnipeg nor Hamilton played well this week, but had the Bombers turned a couple of those INTs into TDs, they could’ve beaten Calgary.  Aaaaand if my aunt had balls, she’d be my uncle.  No excuses for Loseapeg!

8. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (5-10) Last Week: 8.  If this team makes the playoffs, it will only be because they’ve got Winnipeg and Toronto left on their schedule.  And even that doesn’t look likely; one more win by Toronto or Edmonton, and the Tabbies will be punted out the doggie door.  To all the pundits who put them in first place this preseason, I fart in your general direction!  (For what it’s worth, I had them finishing fourth, albeit with an 8-10 record that they likely won’t achieve…)

CFL POWER RANKINGS: Week 15

Posted by gruesomegreg on

Not much movement at the top of the rankings this week–aside from the top spot, while B.C. regains its perch after one week at number two.  Saskatchewan is surging with its third straight win, but still sits behind the Stamps in the standings since Calgary beat them twice.  And while Montreal has now lost to the two worst teams in the league in consecutive weeks, the only East Division team that won this week was Winnipeg–and they’re not moving ahead of the Als, that’s for sure.  Instead of two equal halves, the league can really be divided into a Top Five and a Bottom Three–and whichever member of the second group sneaks into the playoffs is most likely headed for an early exit.  Here’s how things stand after Week 15.

Preseason Predictions

Week 2 Rankings

Week 3 Rankings

Week 4 Rankings

Week 5 Rankings

Week 7 Rankings

Week 8 Rankings

Week 9 Rankings

Week 10 Rankings

Week 11 Rankings

Week 12 Rankings

Week 13 Rankings

Week 14 Rankings

Week 15 Rankings

1. B.C. Lions (10-4) Last Week: 2.  With the win over the Stamps, the Lions became the first team in the league to clinch a playoff spot.  And since they’ve got a two-game advantage and the tiebreaker over Calgary, it’s almost certain that the road to Toronto runs through Vancouver this year.  I think it’s very likely they’ll be back to defend their title, too.

2. Calgary Stampeders (8-6) Last Week: 1.  To Calgary’s credit, their loss to the Lions last weekend was a vast improvement over the 34-8 beating they took in Week Five.  However, they still weren’t able to beat B.C., and now they’ve got Saskatchewan hot on their heels.  Fortunately, they get a break in the schedule over the next two weeks, facing off against Winnipeg and Hamilton.  Then again, I suppose you could ask the Montreal Alouettes how playing the Bombers and Ti-Cats back-to-back worked out for them…

3. Saskatchewan Roughriders (8-6) Last Week: 3.  The Riders showed they could win away from home this week–although with all those green jerseys in the stands, it hardly felt like a road game for Saskatchewan.  Still, this is a team on a roll that could very well end up hosting a playoff game in November.

4. Montreal Alouettes (8-6) Last Week: 4.  If the Als don’t drop in the rankings after losing to the Bombers on their home turf, it’s only because they protected their house a whole lot better than the Argos did.  Sure, there is definitely cause for concern in the Alouette camp, but they remain the best team in the CFL’s junior circuit–for now, anyways.  The Als travel to Toronto to take on the Argos this coming Sunday…

5. Toronto Argonauts (7-7) Last Week: 5.  The only positive the Argos can build on going into next week’s clash with Montreal is that Ricky Ray should be healthy enough to start.  If he isn’t, they’re screwed.  The team did nothing offensively under Jarious Jackson, and they gave up a boatload of points to the Riders, to boot.  Suffice to say that 36-10 thrashing would be even more embarrassing had Saskatchewan not settled for five field goals.  I have a feeling that a fired-up Alouettes squad will put some points on the board next week–it’ll be up to Ray and company to match ‘em.  Stay tuned!

6. Edmonton Eskimos (6-8) Last Week: 7.  Edmonton moves up a spot this week as they set their sights on that crossover spot in the East Division, and they did so by wiping out their main competition on Friday.  The Esks are taking this race seriously, too: they’ve named Kerry Joseph their starting quarterback for the rest of the season.  Ooooh, scary.  But the Ti-Cat defence made Joseph look like a young Ricky Ray last week–which shows you the kind of team they’re up against.  For the record, I think Edmonton will steal that sixth and final playoff spot.

7. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (4-10) Last Week: 8.  With the win in Montreal, the Bombers have now equaled the Ti-Cats’ road win total.  They’ve also beaten Hamilton twice.  I guess we can call them the second-worst team in the CFL, at least for this week.

8. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (5-9) Last Week: 6.  A streaky team throughout the first half, Hamilton has been so up-and-down lately, you’d swear they still had Kevin Glenn at quarterback.  But no, they traded him for Smiling/Frowning Hank Burris, whose lofty passing statistics have failed to translate into wins.  Their lack of a shut-down defence hasn’t helped, either.  Like Winnipeg, I expect Hamilton to be on the outside looking in come playoff time.