CFL East Preview

1- Montreal Alouettes
Predicted Record: 11-7
Since about 2005, each Montreal Alouettes season preview has ended "...but eventually, Calvillo, Cahoon, and crew will start to slow down."  It hasn't happened. 

The Alouettes have a lot going for them; they're arguably the league's best-run franchise, and have happily feasted on weaklings in the East.  They deny it, but this has cost them in championships; last year aside, they simply haven't been able to find the next gear when it counts, because it's seldom necessary. 

The Als return the vast majority of their key players from last year's championship team, with Centre Bryan Chiu the lone exception.  Barring injury or freakish bad luck, there's no reason to assume Montreal's hegemony over the east won't last another season.  Hamilton may push them - certainly more than last year's five-game cushion - but top to bottom, it's hard to see any weaknesses on this team. 

2- Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Predicted Record: 10-8

This year's sexy pick, the Tiger-Cats have a lethal combination: first, a reasonably stout defence, including the league's most underrated linebacking corps. Second, an balanced offence with a lot of weapons, not least a dominant ground game and big-play receivers.  Third, they've added the best kicker in league history in Sandro DeAngelis, worth as many as two victories on his own. 

One problem: they're still not quite sure who their quarterback is.  They'd like it to be Quinton Porter, but he's been conclusively outplayed by journeyman Kevin Glenn.  Glenn is a classic 'tweener: a second-tier starter, or a top-flite backup.  Still, with this offence, Glenn can probably do enough damage to worry the Montreals and Saskatchewans of the world. 

3- Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Predicted Record: 6-12


One thing's for sure: the press conferences will be significantly less entertaining.  What is it with Winnipeg and clueless but soundbite-friendly coaches?  Once every 15 years, they hire a Jeff Reinebold or Mike Kelly, and fall to pieces while leading the league in "he said WHATs" 


The Bombers have the pieces of a decent team, but suffered through the worst quarterbacking in the league last year - Toronto was so bad it didn't even count.  When retread Michael Bishop was even average, they were in almost every game, but "average" seemed to be Bishop's ceiling.  (Which was, in turn, a lot better than presumptive starter Stefan LeFors, who was deported retired.)

This year's QB situation is a classic gamble: a much higher ceiling, but much greater risk.  Buck Pierce will enter the season behind centre, but is a documented concussion risk and almost certainly won't survive all 18 games.  Behind him are Steven Jyles, an intriguing if untested option, and a field of green. 


There probably isn't a team with a greater gulf between best- and worst-case scenarios.  The defence and special teams are adequate, but won't win any games on their own.  If Pierce can stay healthy, he's an accurate, gutsy leader, capable of surprising even the league's heavyweights.  If he misses a lot of time - and those are at least even odds - this team may struggle to win more than a handful of games. 

4- Toronto Argonauts
Predicted Record: 5-13

The CFL's only real trouble spot - sadly both off and on the field - the Argos will almost certainly be better than last year.  It would be genuinely difficult for professional players to be worse.

Let's start with the positives: the defence, as usual in Toronto, is stout.  The defensive line usually gets ignored (occupational hazard on a horrid team) but is actually among the league's better units.  The linebackers and secondary are better than average.

That's about it. 

The offence underwent an almost-total overhaul.  Again, it would be hard to match last year's incompetence, but there is precious little experience anywhere.  The team did well to add slotback Jeremaine Copeland from Calgary (which looks like a steal with P.K. Sam hurt yet again), both for a reliable target and locker room sensei.  With Calgary's receivers dropping like flies, Copeland dragged his team almost single-handedly to several key divisional wins - he may have been superceded by Nik Lewis and Ken-Yon Rambo, but he's still an elite player. 

Who's going to get him the ball?  Toronto's three quarterbacks have exactly zero CFL experience, aside from backup Dalton Bell's brief apprenticeship in Regina.  Bell was the best performer in preseason, but the starting assignment still went to NFL veteran Cleo Lemon.  He'll be watched very carefully by new coach Jim Barker, but you have to imagine there will be a fairly long leash. 

The club also lost its top runner in Jamal Richardson to BC, clearing space for another rookie in Cory Boyd.  He's looked promising in preseason. 

As better writers than I have put it, the Argos could be significantly better than last year while winning fewer games.  Barring a complete collapse by Winnipeg and at least one Western team, the playoffs seem out of reach for now.