3DownNation CFL Achievement Rankings: Nathan Rourke, Lions Leapfrog Stampeders – 3DownNation

Week 9 of the CFL season is officially in the books, bringing with it a number of changes to our performance ladder. Only one team has stood the test of last week, while the rest of the list has changed, including a top three that has stayed the same for quite some time.

3DownNation’s Power Rankings are created by eleven of our contributors independently ranking each team from #1 to #9 and then averaging the scores. The previous week’s ranking is in brackets.

Enjoy the rankings and Feel free to toast us on Twitter for everything you think we were wrong.

1. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1)

Stop us if you’ve heard this before: Winnipeg played well and won a football game. Crazy, right? Overcoming a mediocre start, the Blue Bombers had 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, using all three stages of the game to generate big plays. This team has just one game left before their bye week and it’s hard to imagine they wouldn’t be 10-0 when it comes down.

2. BC Lions (3)

That noise you’re hearing across the country is Nathan Rourke’s fans cheering, “MOP! MOP! MOPP!” Whatever you want to call the Canadian sensation — Air Canada, West Jet, the Lion King, or Queen Elizabeth — he’s now thrown for 2,418 yards, 21 touchdowns and six interceptions in just seven games. The CFL is a tough league for quarterbacks that they can be successful at, but Rourke makes it look that way Driving me crazy in beginner mode.

3. Calgary Stampeders (2)

Remember Calgary’s win over Ottawa? If you don’t, we won’t blame you – it was easily the most memorable game of the CFL season so far. Defense completely crushed the Red-Blacks, although offense largely stagnated with Bo Levi Mitchell completing less than 50 percent of his passes. On the plus side, Dedrick Mills ran for 100 yards in place of an injured Ka’Deem Carey.

4. Toronto Argonauts (8)

Could the real Toronto Argonauts please stand up? No, seriously – could the real Toronto Argonauts please stand up? We need to know where to place you. The Boatmen have become the most unpredictable team in the CFL, equally capable of sailing over their opponents or being blown out of the water. This team is becoming a unit to be sure to keep an eye on if you never know how they will play.

5. Saskatchewan Roughriders (4)

The Riders fell down a spot during their bye week, where they probably should have stayed all along anyway, considering they’re on a three-game losing streak. The good news? Saskatchewan plays Edmonton this week. The bad news? Seven of the club’s last nine games come against BC, Calgary and Winnipeg.

6. Hamilton Tigercats (5)

The Ticats squandered a 17-6 lead this week as defense softened and offense generated only one drive to speak of in the second half. It was a huge blow for a team that was climbing our Power Rankings, especially given that the loss was attributed to the top-ranked Argonauts. Hamilton can still catch Toronto in the standings – they have three meetings over the next four weeks – but they need to improve quickly.

7. Montreal Alouettes (9)

The Alouettes have moved up two spots in our rankings, but that’s largely due to the ineptness of the teams below them. They played tight against Winnipeg for three quarters before finally collapsing in the final frame when they conceded a punt return touchdown and Trevor Harris threw two interceptions. And the discipline problems Danny Maciocia complained about under Khari Jones? Yeah, they still haven’t gotten any better.

8. Ottawa Redblacks (7)

Have you ever heard the phrase “one step forward, two steps back”? There’s no better way to describe the Red Blacks at the moment as they put in a terrible performance against Calgary after their first win of the season. Caleb Evans was praised by head coach Paul LaPolice last week but was replaced by Nick Arbuckle against the Stamps after throwing for 66 yards and interceptions. whoops

9. Edmonton Moose (7)

Nathan Rourke cut through Chris Jones’ defense like a hot knife through butter, completing 91.9 percent of his passes for 477 yards and five touchdowns. The offense wasn’t much better – Derel Walker was the only weapon making plays consistently – and the return leg was impotent. Edmonton have a chance to end their notorious losing streak at home this week and it looks like they’ll need a lot of luck to make that happen.