SI.com CFL 2024 Week 3 Power Rankings
With only three weeks of CFL regular season play in the books, teams have already begun to separate themselves from the pack.
Let's delve into where things stand in the CFL's pecking order headed toward Week 4.
1. Montreal Alouettes (No. 1 last week)
3-0, 47-21 home victory over Ottawa in Week 3
Montreal had quite the homecoming in its 47-21 vanquishing of Ottawa. The Alouettes dominated the Redblacks in every aspect.
The reigning CFL champs are clicking on all cylinders, playing with supreme confidence, and appear to be a better squad than last season. In Week 4, they'll get a chance to prove that when they clash with a team they dethroned in 2023, the Argonauts in Toronto.
An East Final rematch that could ultimately prove to be an Eastern Final preview.
2. Toronto Argonauts (No. 2 last week)
2-0, 39-36 walk-off winner versus Edmonton in Week 3
After two games, Toronto's offense, despite all its offseason losses, has answered the call with Cameron Dukes at the controls in place of last year's Most Outstanding Player Chad Kelly.
The 2024 Argos, under Ryan Dinwiddie's watch, are still playing the same exciting brand of football that propelled them to 16 wins a year ago.
The bad news, however, for the Boatmen is that they are not sporting the same defense they had in 2023. The Argonauts survived a 39-36 shootout against old friend McLeod Bethel-Thompson and Edmonton. But if they are genuine Grey Cup contenders, Toronto must improve its defensive play. The Double Blue gets their biggest early season test in Week 4 from mighty Montreal.
3. Saskatchewan Roughriders (No. 3 last week)
3-0, 36-20 home victory over Hamilton in Week 3
The top headline in the CFL regular season after three weeks is Saskatchewan's climb back to prominence.
After back-to-back thrilling come-from-behind victories, The Roughriders ran roughshod over Hamilton in Saskatchewan's Week 3 home opener.
As a result, Corey Mace's Riders are perched atop the West undefeated. There's still a long way to go in the season, and Saskatchewan's three wins have come against two opponents who are a combined 0-6. But you get the sense that the Riders resurgence is real. They head to a bye, before returning home to face Toronto.
4. BC Lions (No. 4 last week)
2-1, 26-24 road victory over Winnipeg in Week 3
BC's victory in Winnipeg doesn't quite erase the bitterness of losing two straight West Finals to the Bombers. But the Lions exacted some sweet revenge by kicking their fallen and winless rival down even further.
BC has had its fair share of struggles early on in 2024, but the lone constant for the Leos has been quarterback Vernon Adams, who is having an MVP like season thus far.
To keep pace and distance in the West, the Lions must avoid a letdown as they host the Elks this coming Thursday night.
5. Ottawa Redblacks (No. 5 last week)
1-1, 47-21 road loss at Montreal in Week 3
After an encouraging opening home victory against Winnipeg, Ottawa was knocked back into reality getting outclassed by East rival Montreal. In the Redblacks defense, it was a challenging spot, squaring off the Alouettes in their home opener.
Ottawa may not be ready for prime-time yet with the league champs. But they can still position themselves for contention in the East as the season progresses. To that end, they have an important Week 4 home game this Sunday against winless Hamilton.
6. Calgary Stampeders (No. 6 last week)
1-1, 26-17 road loss to BC in Week 2
Calgary will be coming off its bye to face Winnipeg at home this Saturday. The Stamps have a chance to further bury the once almighty Bombers.
7. Edmonton Elks (No. 8 last week)
0-2, 39-36 road loss to Toronto in Week 3
To its credit, Edmonton has been competitive in all three of its games this season. Unfortunately, the results haven't changed. The team has found ways to lose in crunch time—an ongoing yearly theme.
The main culprit for the Elks' 0-3 start in 2024 is their defense, specifically against the run. Montreal and Toronto had a field day running all over Edmonton in consecutive weeks. Until the Elks figure that out, teams will copy what the East powerhouse's have done against them.
No rest for the weary in Week 4 as Edmonton heads to BC on Thursday.
8. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (No. 9 last week)
0-3, 26-24 home loss to BC in Week 3
The Bombers have lost their last two games by a combined six points. For most teams, that hard luck fate would serve as a moral victory. But by Winnipeg's lofty standards, silver linings don't exist. There's only winning and losing, and so far, the shocker of the CFL season is that the Blue Bombers are doing nothing but lose.
Winless Winnipeg, that's not something I thought would be a thing in the 2024 CFL season. But here we are, as the Bombers try to stop the slide in Week 4 on the road in Calgary.
9. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (No. 7 last week)
0-3, 36-20 road loss to Saskatchewan in Week 3
Things haven't gotten better for the Ti-Cats with each passing week. There have been some signs of life from the offense up until week three, but the big-ticket defense has faltered mightily,
Hamilton's veteran roster and coaching staff hasn't clicked yet. This isn't a young rebuilding team. Scott Milanovich, and his Ti-Cats cast are expected to be contenders. The early returns in 2024 have been highly disappointing. The Tiger-Cats head to Ottawa next in what is a must-win early season game.
You can find Mike Mitchell on X @ByMikeMitchell.
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MIKE MITCHELL