SI.com's Post Week 12 CFL Power Rankings: Eastern Top Teams Stay Strong, Western Division Becomes Tangled
It's been a long time coming, but after 12 weeks of play in the CFL 2024 season, the East has overtaken the West as the superior division. The league's top three teams reside out East while the West is jumbled with what shapes up as a wide-open race to the postseason.
Let's review Week 12's results and determine where teams stand in the CFL pecking order heading into Week 13.
Power Rankings (Ranking last week)
1. Montreal Alouettes (No. 1)
10-1, 21-17 home victory over Edmonton
Down 17-6 at the half, Montreal outscored Edmonton 15-0 the rest of the way to secure its 10th victory. Comeback victories have become a recurring theme for the Als this season.
This time, it was orchestrated by a returning Cody Fajardo and his partner in crime, Cole Spieker. The duo teamed up for two key scores in the rally.
Montreal is inching closer to being the first CFL team to clinch a playoff berth. The Als have a bye week upcoming and will return in Week 14 to face BC.
2. Ottawa Redblacks (No. 2)
7-2-1, 34-27 home victory over BC
The Redblacks remain red-hot and unblemished at home this season after another thrilling victory.
BC roared out to an early advantage, but it was a returning Dru Brown who helped Ottawa race back with a 22-point flurry in the second half.
Bob Dyce's team is playing great complimentary football and their confidence has grown to the point where they believe they will find a way. That's what Ottawa has been doing all season long as it erases the losing culture cultivated over the past several seasons.
The Redblacks meet the Lions again, this time at Victoria’s Royal Athletic Park next Saturday for Touchdown Pacific.
3. Toronto Argonauts (No. 4)
6-4, 20-19 rouge victory over Saskatchewan
Chad Kelly's return certainly gave the Boatmen a boost offensively as the 2023 league M.O.P. passed for 322 yards. But the Double Blue's offense nearly squandered a game they should've firmly won by coming up empty at the goal line on multiple occasions.
The Argos have made a habit of winning games unconventionally this season. That's precisely what transpired against the Riders last Thursday.
Nevertheless, with Kelly back, a dynamic return game and improving defense, Toronto has a chance to be better in the second half of the season. It'll need to be if it is to chase Ottawa and Montreal down. It starts with a pivotal Labour Day Classic game with Hamilton next Monday.
4. Saskatchewan Roughriders (No. 3)
5-5-1, 20-19 road loss to Toronto
After weeks of allowing victory to slip away from its clutches, Saskatchewan nearly stole one in Toronto. The Riders didn't play their best ball, at least not offensively, but thanks to multiple goal-line stands on defense, they seemed poised to finally win for the first time in five games.
However, the end result was still the same. For whatever reason, Corey Mace's crew has had trouble closing the deal in crunch time.
The good news for the battle-weary Roughriders is that they remain in first place atop the West, albeit by a smidge. Saskatchewan is headed back home to square off with the last team it beat this season, Winnipeg, on Sunday.
5. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (No. 5)
5-6, 26-23 home win over Hamilton
Winnipeg found a way to win after overcoming key injuries and relinquishing a two-score lead. It wasn't pretty, but when it mattered most, a vintage late scoring drive was orchestrated by Zach Collaros to secure another important step toward reclaiming the Western lead.
The Blue and Gold are back in business, thanks to their division foes faltering above them. The Bombers have found an opening through the back door. Winnipeg sits only one point behind division leader Saskatchewan. Mike O'Shea's squad heads to Regina on Sunday, looking to exact revenge against the Riders by returning to the West's top spot.
6. Calgary Stampeders (No. 6)
4-6, 31-29 walk-off loss to Ottawa in Week 11
Calgary has a crucial stretch coming off its bye week. The Stamps have back-to-back games against Edmonton, starting first with a home tilt on Labour Day. Two triumphs over the Elks would set the Stampeders up nicely for a run at the Western crown, but the rollercoaster nature of Calgary's season doesn't give off a lot of confidence in them accomplishing that task.
7. BC Lions (No. 7)
5-6, 20-11 home loss to Winnipeg
Make that five losses now in a row for the Lions. BC's effort was much more valiant in defeat this time, but it couldn't hold up against a team fully hitting its stride in Ottawa — a team on the polar opposite of the Leos' season trajectory.
In Week 13, Rick Campbell's crew will have a rematch with the Redblacks at home.
If it's any consolation, Nathan Rourke played much better in his second game back in the CFL. And because of how BC's defense has played, Kid Canada will have to continue raising his level of play for the Lions to rise again in a chaotic West.
8. Edmonton Elks (No. 8)
3-8, 21-17 road loss to Montreal
The Elks took the defending CFL champs to the limit on Sunday night but fell short of an upset victory in the closing seconds.
As a result, Edmonton's three-game win streak has been snapped. Nevertheless, The Elks have come a long way in a short time. They are playing better football in all three phases since the coaching change to Jarious Jackson.
Normally a 3-8 team would be far outside the mix for any type of playoff talk. But in the wacky West right now, anything is possible.
The Elks will play back-to-back against division rival Calgary in the next two weeks. If they can keep up their improved level of play, they'll have a chance to continue playing meaningful games down the stretch.
9. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (No. 9)
2-9, 26-23 road loss to Winnipeg
Hamilton hung tough against the Bombers but was unable to close the deal late. It was the Ti-Cats' best-played game in a while, particularly on defense with new coordinator Chris Jones.
Despite falling down to 2-9, the Ti-Cats will have no trouble getting up for next week's LDC game at home against hated Toronto, a team Hamilton beat six weeks ago in the Hammer.
The problem, however, for the Tabbies is that they are so far behind in the Eastern race, even a victory over rival Toronto won't make up for the damage that's already been done.
You can find Mike Mitchell on X @ByMikeMitchell.
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MIKE MITCHELL