Week 5 CFL Power Rankings: Winnipeg Blue Bombers Cling To Top Spot

There is a very clear divide between teams in the CFL East and West Divisions, and so it goes with the Power Rankings, too, as the West dominates the top of the board.

The two-time defending-champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers maintain their hold on top spot, but they are facing pressure from the Calgary Stampeders and B.C. Lions, the other two unbeaten teams through the first four weeks of the CFL schedule.

Here are the latest CFL Power Rankings, with Grey Cup odds via DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM.

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CFL Power Rankings

1. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (4-0)

Relying on the opposing kicker to miss an extra point late in the fourth quarter is hardly the signature of a dominant, No. 1-ranked team, but the Blue Bombers escaped Toronto with a 23-22 win and a 4-0 record, while allowing just 63 points in those four wins, is enough to stay in top spot.

2. Calgary Stampeders (3-0)

The Stamps will come out of their bye week for Thursday’s game at Edmonton, and it should be a good test for a Calgary team that has won all three of its games but has only outscored the opposition by a margin of 13 points, total.

3. B.C. Lions (3-0)

After a couple of routs to start the season, the Lions earned a hard-fought 34-31 win at Ottawa, with Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke putting up huge numbers, completing 74.2% of his passes for 359 yards and two touchdowns, along with 87 rushing yards and another touchdown. He threw a pair of interceptions, too, but Rourke’s emergence as a potential star has been the story of the early season in the CFL.

4. Saskatchewan Roughriders (3-1)

After getting stomped 37-13 at Montreal in Week 3, the Riders returned the favor with a 41-20 home victory against the Alouettes in Week 4. After he was limited to just 14 rushing yards on four carries the previous week, RB Jamal Morrow stepped up and ran for 103 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries against the Als.

5. Toronto Argonauts (1-2)

It is somewhat comical that the Argos lead the East with a 1-2 record, having been outscored 86-45, but they rallied and were right there with the Blue Bombers late in the fourth quarter Monday before kicker Boris Bede missed a potential game-tying extra point in a 23-22 home loss. Turnovers killed the Argos, but they could move the ball against Winnipeg’s vaunted defense, gaining 426 yards, so there are some positives to take from an otherwise disappointing result.

6. Montreal Alouettes (1-3)

After a strong showing at home against Saskatchewan, the Alouettes could not keep pace with the Roughriders in a 41-20 loss, turning the ball over four times in the process. Trevor Harris passed for 198 yards and zero touchdowns with two interceptions, which is not quite the steady hand that the Als expect from the veteran QB.

7. Edmonton Elks (1-3)

On the board with their first victory of the season, the Elks returned a fumble for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter to cap a rally from a 22-9 deficit in the third quarter. Canadian quarterback Tre Ford made his first start for the Elks and his numbers were modest, completing 15-of-26 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown, with six carries for 61 yards on the ground, but two wins in the same week for Canadian quarterbacks feels like a big moment for the CFL.

8. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (0-4)

Edmonton’s win came at the expense of the still winless Tiger-Cats, and Hamilton was not supposed to be this bad. At the start of the season, they had the second or third shortest odds (depending on the sportsbook) to win the Grey Cup. The good news is that, even at 0-4, they are not that far from the lead in the East Division.

9. Ottawa REDBLACKS (0-3)

Essentially, the same goes for Ottawa. Maybe the expectations weren’t quite the same, but even at 0-3, they are a game behind the division-leading Toronto Argonauts. While the 34-31 home loss to B.C. might seem close, that flattered Ottawa, as the Lions outgained them 509 yards to 253 over the course of the game.Make sure to keep an eye on our Live Odds page throughout the week to get the best lines possible and connect with others in the SBR community on our popular sports betting forum.