CFL: Rating the teams

[WestCoastJoe]

Way too early to rate the teams? Nah ... They do pre-season ratings. After one game, played in earnest, we can make some judgments, it seems to me.

Victories count heavily, of course.

The rest is is mostly talk.

#1 Calgary ... Great run blocking within a great scheme. Did Hufnagel make adjustments over the off season. I think so.

#2 Toronto ... The Grey Cup was no fluke. IMO Scott Milanovich is a great young coach. And having Ricky Ray don't hurt.

#3 Montreal ... They got the win over the Bombers. Whoooo Hoooo ... Not sure yet what to expect here, but Calvillo may not be as comfortable in a new offence.

#4 Saskatchewan ... And they got the win over the Eskimos. Whoooo Hooooo ... Hopes are high in Regina.

#5 Hamilton ... IMO they are probably #3, but it seems to me you have to go with the wins. IMO Kent Austin is outstanding as a coach. Right up there with Hugnagel in all aspects.

#6 B.C. ... A one off stinker vs the Stampeders? Not sure. Scary performance by our Defence, in its complete inability to stop Cornish and the Stampeders running game.

#7 Edmonton ... Who knows? I believe in Mike Reilly. Not so sure about Kavis Reed. Not so sure about Ed Hervey.

#8 Winnipeg ... They did better than they showed in pre-season. And they lost.
.........

I know. I know. It is too early to rate anything. Well, it seems to me once you have rosters, you can start evaluating. And then you have games, and you can evaluate. Of course, the early results can be much differerent than how things look later. But I would not be surprised to see Edmonton and Winnipeg at the bottom throughout the year. We will see if B.C. can climb up the ladder.

If we can beat Toronto, then we might look at the no show vs the Stampeders as a one off. But if we don't beat the Argonauts, then it looks like parity has caught us, and we might struggle this year. Plus the coaching in this league just keeps getting better and better. Getting Hufnagel and Marc Trestman was great for the league. And Austin before that, and now he is back once again. And now add Milanovich to the mix, and we have some wonderful, high level coaches going at it.

How did the Stamps dissect our run defence? Schemes? Flood motivation? Hufnagel making adjustments? Got lucky? Stuff we planned, starting in the off season, may take some time to integrate?

Hufnagel kicked our butts for about 8 wins in a row, when he took over the Stampeders. It took us a while to get some results against him. Then we did better for a while, and now it seems he has "out schemed" us once again. It seems to me that Milanovich and Austin are outstanding at the schemes also. They don't just run the same stuff over and over. They tailor their schemes to each team, to each game, refining, probing for weaknesses, setting things up. And they build confidence and motivation. And they are unpredictable.

[SammyGreene]

Looks good to me WC Joe

I mentioned this in another thread but BC is about to enter the softest stretch of their schedule of the year over the next five games: Toronto (2), Edmonton (2) and Winnipeg with 3 of them at home. Anyything less than 4-1 (loss in TO?) would be a disappointment but it could result in a misleading record too. Their warts will be exposed again after the bye week when the Stamps visit here Aug. 17.

[WestCoastJoe]

Looks good to me WC Joe

I mentioned this in another thread but BC is about to enter the softest stretch of their schedule of the year over the next five games: Toronto (2), Edmonton (2) and Winnipeg with 3 of them at home. Anyything less than 4-1 (loss in TO?) would be a disappointment but it could result in a misleading record too. Their warts will be exposed again after the bye week when the Stamps visit here Aug. 17.

Thanks, Sammy.

Yeah, this does look like a relative soft spot in our schedule. Toronto will be a very good test of where we are at. And Edmonton had some success throwing against us in pre season. Not many gimmes in pro sports.

[pennw]

At this point I would put the Bombers ahead of BC and Edmonton based on the first game only . Bombers played the Als a lot better than BC did Calgary . Edmonton does deserve last for their game .

[notahomer]

At this point I would put the Bombers ahead of BC and Edmonton based on the first game only . Bombers played the Als a lot better than BC did Calgary . Edmonton does deserve last for their game .

X2 Both the Thursday games were better games, entertainment value wise for me. Obviously my favourite game of the week will ALWAYS, save bye week, be a Lions game. The Al's/Bombers rematch in Montreal will show, IMO, whether they are the BasementBombers again.....

[South Pender]

On the other hand, I'm not sure that Montreal is that good this year: new coach, aging QB, along with other factors. I wouldn't be surprised to see them end up third in the East. As a result, I don't read as much as some into how the Bombers played Montreal. And, with the Bombers, there's always the Buck Pierce health issue. Will he play a whole season this year? Probably not, given his history of injury.

[pennw]

On the other hand, I'm not sure that Montreal is that good this year: new coach, aging QB, along with other factors. I wouldn't be surprised to see them end up third in the East. As a result, I don't read as much as some into how the Bombers played Montreal. And, with the Bombers, there's always the Buck Pierce health issue. Will he play a whole season this year? Probably not, given his history of injury.

This is ratings only based on the season so far , so how Pierce hangs in there down the road is irrelevant now . Als very well may not be as good as in the past , but that remains to be determined yet , so the Bombers performance must be weighted on what we know so far and compared to egg both BC and the EE laid , I would rate them ahead after one game . Of course that probably will change later .

[TheLionKing]

After one game ?

[South Pender]

On the other hand, I'm not sure that Montreal is that good this year: new coach, aging QB, along with other factors. I wouldn't be surprised to see them end up third in the East. As a result, I don't read as much as some into how the Bombers played Montreal. And, with the Bombers, there's always the Buck Pierce health issue. Will he play a whole season this year? Probably not, given his history of injury.

This is ratings only based on the season so far , so how Pierce hangs in there down the road is irrelevant now . Als very well may not be as good as in the past , but that remains to be determined yet , so the Bombers performance must be weighted on what we know so far and compared to egg both BC and the EE laid , I would rate them ahead after one game . Of course that probably will change later .

Good point. I was seeing the Bombers faring reasonably well against a team that didn't seem very good to me, whereas the Lions stank, for sure, but against what may be the best team in the CFL.

[Toppy Vann]

Pretty good ranking on the one game but next week things could change again as with 2 preseason games these first games are not going to always go well.

Some coaches like Austin would be expected to have a very disciplined, prepared team whereas the Bombers and their blow out to Hamilton in game 2 of the preseason could not have expected to be prepared for game 1 either from a players prep or mentally even. I felt the Bombers tactics going to Hamilton weren't smart and their HC needs to wake up and look at the Austins and Hufnagels as to how they prepare their teams.

[cromartie]

I always believed you break the season into chunks:

The first two games, as you're just figuring out who you are coming out of a pre-season that is one game too short.

Then, you evaluate a team in quarters, after games 6, 10, 14 and 18. Significant personnel changes that are going to be made are typically made at those milestones barring injury.

Look at things week to week and you'll micromanage your team to death. Do it in halves and problems become systemic.

[WestCoastJoe]

Too early? Nah ... Coaches evaluate in the off season, after practice, and after games. There is a lot of tape out there. And we see two coaches looking to be struggling, Reed and Hawkins.

Ranking is tougher, but IMO it has some merit.

1 Riders ... As Durant goes, so go the Riders. Will the bubble burst?

2 Stamps ... Ahead of us because they beat us.

3 Lions ... Two strong performances in a row. Lulay and Harris. Stout D. Play like that, and they are #1.

4 Argos ... Problems on D. But they have Ricky and two Chads on O.

5 TiCats ... Austin is getting a lot out of Burris. No surprise.

6 Bombers ... 1 and 2 with Buck healthy. Took 6 sacks vs TiCats.

7 Als ... Disarray. Calvillo seemingly beside himself with frustration and anger. Hawkins yelling at the refs? LOL

8 Esks ... Kavis having a meltdown? Passion is good. Even anger can work. But extreme emotionalism ain't good in a coach, it seems to me. Anguish, upset and threats from the HC do nothing for a team. O Line and receivers unprepared.

Parity rules. And that is mostly a good thing.

[notahomer]

I think you've nailed it WCJ. Its really early and who knows how things will turn out BUT you have done a good job for the games so far.....


Riders are clearly the class, so far. Stamps looked good until they played the Riders. Lions, okay we'll see in the back half of the Esks series.

I don't think the Ticats are as bad as their record shows. Same goes for the Argos. They've had some tough games (including one against each other....). Bombers/AL's/Esks? These are the teams I am puzzled about. Missed a lot of the Al's games due to work/attending Lions game.

I makes me wonder when or how the Riders will stumble. They started strong last season too. Will this be a year they follow through and stay strong? Hope not of course but will be interesting to watch regardless.........

[MexicoLionFan]

Great job Joe...the biggest thing I see after 3 games??? Is what you said after week one...PARITY.

The league is a close as it has ever been in terms of the talent differences between teams...even looking at EDM on Saturday, their not lacking for talent, especially when you bring back their injured players. I thought our LB corp (Banks, Sol, Biggie, and McKenzie) when Biggie is back has a chance to be one of the best in a long time, but EDM has a pretty freaking good group themselves.

This is going to be a very "tight" interesting season.

[cromartie]

Great job Joe...the biggest thing I see after 3 games??? Is what you said after week one...PARITY.

The league is a close as it has ever been in terms of the talent differences between teams...even looking at EDM on Saturday, their not lacking for talent, especially when you bring back their injured players. I thought our LB corp (Banks, Sol, Biggie, and McKenzie) when Biggie is back has a chance to be one of the best in a long time, but EDM has a pretty freaking good group themselves.

This is going to be a very "tight" interesting season.

I don't think it's as tight as you think it is. I can already see the developing tiers of talent/performance in the league.

Tier 1: BC, Sas, Calgyra
Tier 2: Toronto, Montreal
Tier 3: Edmonton, Winnipeg, Hamilton

Some things in particular that stand out early.

When American coaches come up to the Canadian game, they look at the field and think to themselves "My goodness, we can go vertical all game long, look at how wide and long that field is." And then they design this game plan that they think is brilliant, and they take it out on the field and their quarterback gets killed because he has to hold on to the ball so long in order to make it happen. Congratulations, Anthony Calvillo, this is your life.

Hamilton. It isn't really about getting the most out of Hank the Chucker. You're always going to get the most out of Hank the Chucker. It's more about the fact that they've gone through six different D Line starters (with more coming off the bus as we speak), trying to find a defensive front that works. They didn't know who they were defensively coming out of training camp, and they still don't. Before you tell me I'm wrong on this, let me ask you: when is the last time a team pulled in guys off the bus in early/midseason around NFL cut time and had those guys become solid to superior contributors to a Grey Cup championship team? Carl Kidd?

Winnipeg has had the good fortune of playing Montreal twice. They aren't without talent, but they aren't as good as advertised.

Edmonton has a very good defensive front seven. But the secondary is lacking, the offensive line is a work in progress, the Lions secondary shut down that receiving corps, and the head coach's mentality and methodology has a short shelf life. I like Mike Reilly but even I acknowledge he has a learning curve to get past as a full time starter, and that screams crossover to me.