Noeller Posted July 22, 2015 Report Posted July 22, 2015 ...and Penton's had us in 7th.....tough to get a read on anything this year.
TBURGESS Posted July 22, 2015 Report Posted July 22, 2015 CBC's Take: 1. Calgary Stampeders (Unchanged) Record: 3-1 Streak: Won 2 Next: @ Ottawa White Stallions looked lousy in the first quarter, falling down two touchdowns, but talent will win out in the end and Calgary chipped away. RB Jon Cornish ate up yards and time (15 carries for 120) and that made up for Bo Mitchell's ordinary 12-for-21, 165-yard effort. The offensive line is patchwork and lost another body in this game, making Mitchell's reads more difficult because he has less time. Did enough to win, and that's the idea 2. Toronto Argonauts (Unchanged -- BYE) Record: 2-1 Streak: Lost 1 Next: @ B.C. Injury news out of the bye week included the status of QB Ricky Ray, who coach Scott Milanovich said is a few weeks or so away. So, the Double Blue continues in the hands of backup Trevor Harris, who has done pretty well so far with the highest QB efficiency rating in the league (121.5). They are relying too much on big plays and have to find some balance as other teams adjust. Defence has been average, but is learning to play together. 3. B.C. Lions (Up from 4) Record: 2-1 Streak: Won 2 Next: Toronto A great opening drive against the Riders that featured a Travis Lulay palpitation-inducing scamper set the Lions off on the right paw for about 47 minutes when the defence went to sleep, allowing 13 points andalmost giving this one up. But, the Leos didn't. And that last TD was really late, anyway. So let's concentrate on the good stuff for a team that has won two in a row. How about 200 yards rushing? How about everybody covers their eyes every time the oft-injured Lulay takes off, as he did for 105 yards. 4. Edmonton Eskimos (Up from 6) Record: 2-1 Streak: Won 2 Next: Winnipeg When it's raining cats and urban wildlife, you need a ground game to keep things under control, and out steps Shakir Bell who surfs (no shark)18 times for 144 clock killing yards in a win at Ottawa. Here's why this column likes QB Matt Nichols: having a so-so game and tossing a couple of bad picks, he needs points and finds them by laying a letter-perfect ball in the downpour up for Kendial Lawrence, who runs it in to seal the game. Nice. Good defensive effort. 5. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Down from 3) Record: 1-2 Streak: Lost 1 Next: @ Saskatchewan Kent Austin's Kitties were dog awful this week. QB Zach Collaros was 23 of 34, 234 yards, a TD (not bad), but three huge picks. The first was right into Chip Cox's hands – the Larks' defender didn't even have to move. Late in the game, Collaros didn't see a Montreal linebacker in his line of site for another key pick. Didn't help that every time the Hamilton offence looked up it had 90 yards to go. Even then, they had a shot until Terrence Toliver fumbled. Cats haven't won in Montreal since 2002. 6. Montreal Alouettes (Up from 7) Record: 2-2 Streak: Won 1 Next: BYE When rookie QB Rakeem Cato first arrived at camp and saw receiver SJ Green his reaction was probably "Oooh … he's good." Now Cato's the starter, through injury, and he remembered. Green has been the No. 1 target, and this week you could see why when he made a spectacular grab in the third that put the Larks up to stay in what was a poor game for both offences. Defence was terrific, however, holding Cats to just 13 points. Now, another Fred Stamps moment -- seven catches, 119 yards for his new team. 7. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Down from 5) Record: 2-2 Streak: Lost 1 Next: @ Edmonton There are two ways to approach this. One, the Bombers built up an early 16-point lead then only found another nine points the rest of the way. Or, Big Blue gave the defending champs a run for their money on the road, just falling short at the end. Late in the season, a loss is a loss, but this early it could be a big confidence boost. Drew Willy was strong (22-of-27, 289 yards) with two TDs and a pick. Four turnovers killed them, plus a blocked punt that went the other way for a TD. 8. Ottawa Redblacks (Unchanged) Record: 2-2 Streak: Lost 2 Next: Calgary Look, nobody picked this club to win the Grey Cup in its second year, so let's take this a game at a time. Some good offence in the air (272 yards) wasn't going to take the RBs anywhere in a downpour unless they could also run. They couldn't (only 46 yards, 21 of them by QB Henry Burris). Good drives came up short time and again. The defence was strong against the pass (three interceptions) but Sponge Bob porous on the ground. Caution: This receiving corps is turning out to be worth the money, and will be trouble all season for opposing defences. 9. Saskatchewan Roughriders (Unchanged) Record: 0-4 Streak: Lost 4 Next: Hamilton Rider fans must be scratching their noggins at this start. How can a club that leads in 13 of the main 15 offensive categories be 0-4? Start with the idea they're last or second last in 17 of 25 defensive listings, and you get it. This column's pre-season pick to represent the west in the Grey Cup is on that brink between pulling it back and disarray. Here's hope: the D tightened considerably against B.C. this week, shutting down Travis Lulay in the air. Of course, it also allowed 200 yards combined on the ground, but we're grasping at straws here, so play along for a while.
gbill2004 Posted July 22, 2015 Report Posted July 22, 2015 In my opinion, we're not as good as 4th and we aren't as bad as 7th.
TrueBlue4ever Posted July 22, 2015 Report Posted July 22, 2015 In my opinion, we're not as good as 4th and we aren't as bad as 7th. Who would you put behind us? Saskatchewan for sure, and Ottawa is for this ranking and feels about right. Montreal maybe since we beat them, but they've beaten Calgary and Hamilton, the consensus 2 best teams in the league on paper. We are behind Toronto, Edmonton and BC in the standings. Calgary is Calgary and just beat us, and Hamilton has a losing record, but should have beaten Calgary and thoroughly waxed us at home. Who do we bump out of the top 6?
iso_55 Posted July 22, 2015 Report Posted July 22, 2015 After watching that game in Calgary & how we lost it, seventh seems about right. I've no reason to think the Bombers are any better.
gbill2004 Posted July 22, 2015 Report Posted July 22, 2015 In my opinion, we're not as good as 4th and we aren't as bad as 7th.Who would you put behind us? Saskatchewan for sure, and Ottawa is for this ranking and feels about right. Montreal maybe since we beat them, but they've beaten Calgary and Hamilton, the consensus 2 best teams in the league on paper. We are behind Toronto, Edmonton and BC in the standings. Calgary is Calgary and just beat us, and Hamilton has a losing record, but should have beaten Calgary and thoroughly waxed us at home. Who do we bump out of the top 6?I think right now we're a better team than BC and maybe Edmonton.
BBlink Posted July 22, 2015 Report Posted July 22, 2015 This year everyone seems to be beating everyone else; even Calgary is very beatable. If Burris is hot, Ottawa isn't a speed bump either. Can't think of a single team this year that would be an "easy win" or a "for sure loss".
TBURGESS Posted July 22, 2015 Report Posted July 22, 2015 Edmonton's like Montreal in that their defense can win games by themselves so the QB just has to manage the offense to get wins. With Reilly, they are a top contender, maybe better than Calgary. As long as Nichols doesn't throw 3 ints a game, they should be able to get a bunch of wins. Heck... they won against Ottawa even with the 3 ints. BC will go as far as Lulay can take them and he's healthy right now. Will be interesting to see how they play this week against better competition than the Riders and the Redblacks.
Tracker Posted July 22, 2015 Report Posted July 22, 2015 Bombers in 7th at the moment seems about right. The good news: even if they lose to the Esks this weekend, they will still be 7th, but if they win, fourth would be appropriate.
BBlink Posted July 22, 2015 Report Posted July 22, 2015 Bombers in 7th at the moment seems about right. The good news: even if they lose to the Esks this weekend, they will still be 7th, but if they win, fourth would be appropriate. You gotta think that if we are 3-2 after playing away games in Sask, Edm and Calgary...that should be considered a success story.
Goalie Posted July 23, 2015 Report Posted July 23, 2015 hmm. 7th seems way to low really... means nothing but... regardless BC has beat sask twice who is ranked dead last.... Edmonton has beat ottawa twice who is ranked 8th overall... how are we 7th? we have beaten the worst team but we have also beaten a team who beat calgary and hamilton.. The one time Edmonton didn't play Ottawa, they got embarassed. The one time BC didn't play SASK, they lost too, to OTTAWA... I'd have the bombers around 4th or 5th, I'd put us above Montreal even because we beat them.
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