We had two outstanding football games in Week 7, one involving the Riders and Bombers, the other with B.C. and Hamilton. After the dust settled, these were the Week 8 CFL power rankings as our CFL panel sees them.

1. Calgary Stampeders

They’ve barely put a foot wrong this year, other than splitting a pair of close ones against decidedly weaker teams, beating Hamilton by only three and losing to B.C. by a single point. Edmonton or Saskatchewan could quickly replace them at the top if they falter, but with Bo Levi Mitchell in rare form, leading an offence that’s capable of bullying opponents for plenty of points, Calgary is unquestionably on top right now.

2. Edmonton Eskimos

A bye in Week 6 followed by games against Montreal and Ottawa will keep Edmonton on pace for staying on top of the Western division. Mike Reilly has had a breakout year and the entire team is stepping up and playing with unexpected ferocity. Injuries are a concern, and Fred Stamps’s production has been surprisingly low so far this season, but the team just keeps winning games.

3. Saskatchewan Roughriders

All is well in Riderville: after the slow start at the beginning of the season, Saskatchewan has improved weekly. They picked up a huge win on the road this week in Winnipeg to move their winning streak to three in a row. The Riders also unleashed yet another running back in the well-travelled Jerome Messam on Thursday night, who had 19 carries for 131 yards. Messam has teamed up with Will Ford and Darian Durant who is always a danger on the run, giving the Riders a triple threat most teams would love to have.

4. Winnipeg Blue Bombers

The Blue Bombers have shown some vulnerability of late, especially after their most recent loss to the hated Saskatchewan Roughriders. After a perfect 3-0 record through the first three weeks of the season (all against eastern teams), Winnipeg has been 2 and 2. An impressive victory over the Lions in week 5 is the Bombers’ only victory over a Western conference opponent. The good news? It’s back to the East this week for a Tuesday night tilt against the Argos.

5. B.C. Lions

The Lions are surging back into the kings of the CFL jungle that they were a few years ago, bit by bit. They might not be at the level of Calgary, Edmonton or Winnipeg but they are certainly better than they were earlier in the season. Kevin Glenn did extremely well as Travis Lulay’s stand-in, but a quarterback controversy may be brewing once Lulay is 100% – he did suit up last game but didn’t play. We shall see how they fare against a tired Toronto side on Sunday.

6. Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Like the Lions, the Tiger-Cats are regaining the killer instincts of their namesake, getting better and better as the weeks go by. Dan LeFevour is doing better than Zach Collaros and may have stolen the starting job from him. They were the only team from the East this week than kept a marginally close score against a West team and that slingshots them into the best East position – sixth.

7. Toronto Argonauts

A bye last week keeps the double blue slotted in at number seven. That recuperation may be just what the doctor ordered, though, with the Blue Bombers coming into town on short rest. Coach O’Shea will have his homecoming back in Toronto as the Winnipeg bench boss, but the Argos may be able to spoil his party. It was early, but we have seen this team beat a Western opponent in week two, and it could happen here with Toronto coming off a week’s repose and Winnipeg coming off a losing battle last week and a short practice week.

8. Ottawa Redblacks

They’re coming off back-to-back blowout losses against Western opponents, and it’s not going to get any easier in Week 8 with the Eskimos are coming to town. Ottawa will have the comforts of home for this game and will hopefully rectify the issues they had at TD Place in Week 6 against Saskatchewan. Burris played better in Week 7; you’d expect a better effort in Week 8 – after all, this is why Ottawa pays him the big bucks, right?

9. Laval Rouge et Or

The two-time defending Vanier Cup winners will be full speed ahead to kick off the CIS football season, with an established program that produces results like no other. Take notice: this team is on the rise.

10. Montreal Alouettes

Because they’ve been playing like a university team the past three weeks, Montreal drops down to the number ten spot. They did actually manage to score a touchdown last week, albeit in garbage time at home against Edmonton. That might be a victory in itself for the Alouettes, but this team is in serious trouble, even if they are located in the East. We would hope to see a much better performance in Week 8, but they are facing a Western team as they travel to Regina to take on the Riders who have won three in a row. Can they sink lower than tenth in a nine-team league? We shall see.

That`s our week 8 collaborative power rankings for the CFL, from Matt Bin (@LastWordOnCFL), Nicholas Di Giovanni (@lwosnick), Steve Gifkins (@lwossteve), and Lance Keiser (@lwosLance).

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