TORONTO — Week 7 brought plenty of drama, from Winnipeg’s stunning comeback in Ottawa to Montreal surviving another late Calgary rally and Edmonton continuing to make its case as one of the CFL’s elite teams.
With Saskatchewan on a bye, there isn’t much movement near the top of this week’s AMSOIL Power Rankings, but several teams made strong cases to either hold their spot or begin climbing the ladder.
Here’s how the voters stacked all nine teams heading into Week 8.
1. Montreal Alouettes
Last week: 1
Last game: 38-32 win over Calgary
Next game: vs. Hamilton, July 26
Worth noting: The Alouettes continue to prove they deserve the No. 1 spot in the Power Rankings. Davis Alexander added another chapter to his stellar campaign by setting the CFL record for consecutive pass attempts without an interception, while Montreal built a 21-point lead before surviving Calgary’s furious comeback with one final touchdown drive. That’s become a theme for this group, they’re finding different ways to win every week. They’ll look to keep that momentum rolling in Week 8 when the Tiger-Cats come to town for another East Division showdown.
2. Edmonton Elks
Last week: 2
Last game: 19-17 win over BC
Next game: at Saskatchewan, July 23
Worth noting: The Elks picked off Chase Brice four times, generated constant pressure and leaned on another efficient outing from Cody Fajardo to improve to 5-1. Even with Justin Rankin held in check on the ground, Edmonton found enough offence and once again relied on a defence that’s becoming one of the league’s best. Now comes another tough test: a trip to Regina to face the Roughriders.
3. Saskatchewan Roughriders
Last week: 3
Last game: 38-7 win over Hamilton
Next game: vs. Edmonton, July 23
Worth noting: Saskatchewan welcomes the surging Elks to Mosaic Stadium in Week 8 in what could be one of the most important West Division matchups of the season to date, with both teams looking to strengthen their case as Grey Cup contenders. Both teams currently only have one loss, meaning whoever wins would temporarily hold first place in the division.
4. Calgary Stampeders
Last week: 4
Last game: 38-32 loss to Montreal
Next game: at Winnipeg, July 24
Worth noting: The Stampeders may have lost their second straight game to Montreal, but there were still positives to take away. Vernon Adams Jr. helped lead a fourth-quarter comeback from 21 points down, Dedrick Mills continued to power the running game and Calgary showed plenty of resilience before ultimately falling just short. The challenge now shifts to another heavyweight opponent as the Stamps travel to Winnipeg looking to get back into the win column.
5. Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Last week: 5
Last game: 36-34 win over Ottawa
Next game: vs. Calgary, July 24
Worth noting: For three quarters, it looked like Winnipeg was headed for a loss. Then Dru Brown and the Bombers delivered one of the league’s most memorable performances of the season, rallying the Bombers from a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat his former team in overtime. The Blue and Gold have now won three straight and will look to make it four when they return home for an important West Division clash with Calgary.
6. Toronto Argonauts
Last week: 6
Last game: 24-23 loss to Hamilton
Next game: at BC, July 25
Worth noting: Chad Kelly threw for more than 300 yards and nearly engineered a late comeback before a missed field goal ended the Argonauts’ hopes in Hamilton. There are encouraging signs on offence as Kelly continues to guide an explosive unit each week, and the team will try to turn that into a win as they hit the road to face the Lions at BC Place.
7. Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Last week: 8
Last game: 24-23 win over Toronto
Next game: at Montreal, July 26
Worth noting: The Tiger-Cats continue to battle even without their starting quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell. Tre Ford got the starting nod in Week 7 and made life difficult for the Argonauts through the air and on the ground. The defence was once again a strong point, holding Kelly and the Boatmen to 23 points, including an interception by former Argonaut Jamal Peters. They’ll get another measuring stick this week when they travel to Montreal to take on the top-ranked Alouettes.
8. BC Lions
Last week: 7
Last game: 19-17 loss to Edmonton
Next game: vs. Toronto, July 25
Worth noting: Losing Nathan Rourke just two offensive plays into Friday’s game changed everything for the Lions, who were forced to lean on Chase Brice the rest of the way. Despite the quarterback change, BC’s defence kept the game within reach until the closing minutes before Edmonton’s pass rush slammed the door shut. The Lions will hope for positive news on Rourke’s status ahead of a home date with the Argonauts.
9. Ottawa REDBLACKS
Last week: 9
Last game: 36-34 loss to Winnipeg
Next game: vs. Montreal, July 31
Worth noting: The REDBLACKS played as close of a game against the Bombers in Week 7 as it could be. Ottawa appeared well on its way to its first victory under Ryan Dinwiddie before watching Winnipeg erase a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit and steal the game in overtime. While the result is not what they were hoping for, there were encouraging signs from Jake Maier and an offence that has shown improvement in recent weeks. Ottawa heads into its bye looking to regroup before hosting Montreal in Week 9.
