CFL Excitement Rankings, Week 1

Websites and other news organizations often compile statistics to determine how good a team is and call them 'Power Rankings'. These rankings are completely meaningless since the only true indicator of how good a team is is by its win-loss record, which is the same way that the league determines it.

These rankings are not totally useless, however, since they've given the 'Eh' Factor an idea into compiling statistics to determine how exciting the team is played. While close defensive battles may be a signature of the game of football, we all know that high-octane passing attacks put butts in the seats and close games keep you tuned in on the couch.

Call these what you will. 'Excitement Rankings' suffice for us.



The first week provided us with one absolute classic and three blowouts. Since only one game has been played for each team, opponents from the first week are bunched together, and these rankings should even themselves out in a few weeks.

1: Montreal Alouettes

Anthony Calvillo proved he still has it, throwing for 368 yards. Receiver SJ Green gave us our highlight of the year with his overtime catch. While they gave up a 21-point lead, they took part in a game that drew more viewers as it went on and even drew interest down South. The Als end up with the top spot thanks to a missed field goal return by Tim Maypray.

2: Saskatchewan Roughriders

Darian Durant threw for 478 yards in the double overtime win over the Montreal Alouettes. He led his team back from a 21-point deficit in the third quarter and threw two touchdown passes in the extra frame.

3: Calgary Stampeders

The second Canada Day game provided a nice comedown from the excitement of the first one, but wasn't as close and the outcome was never really in doubt. Henry Burris found six receivers more than once and led a clinical passing attack.

4: Hamilton Tiger Cats

Despite the big loss to the Blue Bombers and a brutal passing game (somebody find this team a quarterback, for the love of God) the Tiger Cats are in the top half of the rankings thanks to two returns by Marcus Thigpen, one off of a 119-yard missed field goal that also saw action down South.

(No more ESPN Top Plays in this post. We know our inferiority complex is showing.)

5: Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Buck Pierce may prove to be the best acquisition this year on any team. As a Lions fan, watching him throw for a couple of TDs while Casey Printers keeps under throwing his check down receiver makes me question Wally Buono's sanity.

6: Toronto Argonauts

Cleo Lemon had a disastrous debut, as expected, throwing for under 200 yards and throwing an interception. This is just a bad football team with a bad offense.

7: Edmonton Eskimos

Speaking of bad football teams, I truly hope that none of you were caught watching the Edmonton/BC game yesterday. While the rain on the new field turf at Commonwealth had people falling all over the place, Ricky Ray couldn't establish an offense and they were the lowest scoring team in week number one.

8: BC Lions

And coming in last place is BC. They were the only team to win their first road game and did it in completely disappointing fashion, with Paul McCallum having to kick six field goals. Casey Printers didn't throw a touchdown and his only highlight running was bumping into a table during the second quarter.

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Based on this, Saturday afternoon's Calgary/Hamilton game is supposedly our game of the week. That's probably proof our ranking system needs a few more games to become relevant, since this is likely to be a blowout, if Winnipeg lighting up that defense for 49 points is any indication.

Stay away from the Argos/Bombers game, which is the Friday Night affair. Glen Suitor being part of the broadcast team may make that a little easier.