CFL excitement rankings: Week 2

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.

Thanks to Marcus Thigpen, the second week gave commentators and journalists to preemptively declare this season the 'Year of the Return'. We hope that the horrendous specialty teams tackling continues, because, again, we love exciting games over good football.

1: Montreal Alouettes

The Als hold the top spot thanks to Ricky Ray's second-half spastic performance, allowing Montreal to rally and play in their second straight game decided after the third quarter. The terrible performance by the team in the second half against Saskatchewan and in the first half against Edmonton doesn't bode well for the team's future performances.

2: Hamilton Tiger Cats

The Tabbies can take solace in their 0-2 start knowing that they popped up second in these rankings thanks to the play of the afore-mentioned Thigpen and a pretty respectable passing attack.

3: Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Dear sabermetricians (is it sabremetrician in Canada?), figure this one out: Buck Pierce is second in passing touchdowns but first in rushing touchdowns. He leads the league in completion percentage and fifth in overall rushing. Unfortunately, going onto the road will lessen the Bombers' "beer snake sighting" stat, an important factor. A happy fan is a drunk fan, and a drunken fan stacks cups.



4: Calgary Stampeders

Usually unflappable Sandro DeAngelis missed a kick against his old team, then had one blocked late, and then the rookie kicker Rob Maver sealed it with ten seconds to go for the Stamps in Week 2. Henry Burris wasn't as effective as we thought he'd be against the Cats, throwing for "just" 257 yards.

4: Saskatchewan Roughriders

We have a tie for fourth, actually. Darian Durant is leading the league's best offense, who have put up a league-leading 91 points so far. Durant has 6 touchdowns and has yet to throw a pick.

6: Toronto Argonauts

The Argos won their first in nine this week against the Bombers, who really made them work for it. Credit to E.J. Kuale who punted a kickoff return in the dying seconds of the first half for a single, in one of the year's most interesting plays.

7: Edmonton Eskimos

An abysmal 0-2 start at home. The boo-bird is apparently a native of Edmonton, giving the recent performances by the Eskimos and the Oilers. TSN has stopped talking about Ricky Ray.

8: BC Lions

Shame to see the 'first' outdoor game at Empire Fields go so wrong for the Lions. They have a terrible offensive line and a wimpy defense. Playing in two blow-out games is a sure-fire way to end up at the bottom of the list.

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What to take from this? Well, in an effort to double the amount of CFL posts I write, I will begin to run a preview for each week every Thursday, but do it in a way to not bore you with knowledge or any tactical insight.

Also, Saskatchewan is 2-0. Can somebody please step in here?