SportsCage.com Week 15 CFL Power Rankings: Roughriders rising, Lions sliding

There isn't much debate at the top of the SportsCage.com CFL Power Rankings. The Montreal Alouettes are the team to beat.

Montreal remains No. 1 for another week after turning what looked like a frustrating night into another impressive victory, rallying from behind to beat the B.C. Lions 37-30 on Friday. The Alouettes exploded for 20 points in the third quarter, improved to 10-2 and punched their ticket to the playoffs. More importantly, Montreal keeps finding different ways to win.

When the offence struggled, the defence took over. When B.C. appeared to have control, the Alouettes flipped the game. That's what good teams do, and right now, Montreal looks like the CFL's most complete team. And the voters were unanimous.

1. Montreal Alouettes (10-2) — LW: 1

At this point, what more do the Alouettes have to prove?

They're 10-2, a perfect 7-0 at home and already in the playoffs. Davis Alexander continues to play well, Tyson Philpot is becoming impossible to contain, and this defence keeps making big plays.

Montreal isn't just No. 1 because of its record. It's No. 1 because nobody has given us a better reason to move it.

2. Edmonton Elks (8-3) — LW: 2

The Elks didn't exactly make a convincing case for No. 2 on Monday.

Edmonton trailed Calgary for most of the afternoon before completely taking over in the fourth quarter and storming back for a 38-28 victory. That comeback deserves credit, but let's be honest: Edmonton made this one much harder than it needed to be.

Still, wins are wins, and the Elks remain the biggest threat to Montreal's top spot.

3. Saskatchewan Roughriders (8-4) — LW: 4

The Riders are back where they belong.

Saskatchewan moves up one spot after surviving Winnipeg 32-26 in overtime in front of a raucous Mosaic Stadium crowd. Trevor Harris threw for 362 yards. Dhel Duncan-Busby finally had his breakout game with 148 yards. Tommy Stevens scored three touchdowns. And when the game was on the line, the Riders made the play they needed.

Is Saskatchewan perfect? Absolutely not. But at 8-4, the Riders have proven they can win games in different ways, and that's why they're moving back into the top three.

4. B.C. Lions (6-6) — LW: 3

The Lions had a five-game winning streak. Had. B.C. looked like it might have Montreal on the ropes after holding the Alouettes to just 13 first-half points, but then the game flipped completely. The Lions gave up 20 points in the third quarter and couldn't recover.

Nathan Rourke threw for 375 yards and two touchdowns, so this wasn't exactly an offensive disaster. But good teams don't let a 13-10 halftime lead turn into a 37-30 loss.

The Lions drop a spot.

5. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (6-6) — LW: 5

The Bombers deserve credit for making Saskatchewan sweat. Winnipeg looked dead early, failed to record a first down on its first four possessions and trailed late.

Then Zach Collaros found a way back into the game, and Dorian Singer's touchdown with the clock at zero forced overtime. But Winnipeg couldn't finish.

At 6-6, the Bombers remain firmly in the playoff race, but they're running out of excuses for games that slip away late.

6. Toronto Argonauts (6-6) — LW: 7

Toronto moves up after taking care of business against Hamilton. That's really what the Argos needed.

They haven't been particularly convincing this season, but wins over teams they're expected to beat matter at this point of the year. Toronto is still trying to prove it belongs in the upper half of the CFL.

For now, sixth feels about right.

7. Calgary Stampeders (5-7) — LW: 6

This is getting uncomfortable in Calgary. The Stamps looked like they had Edmonton under control for three quarters Monday. Then the fourth quarter happened.

Calgary surrendered the lead, gave up a decisive touchdown run and watched a game it appeared to have in hand turn into a 38-28 loss. That's the kind of collapse that should have voters asking some uncomfortable questions.

Calgary drops to seventh.

8. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (4-9) — LW: 8

Hamilton stays put after a 37-22 loss to Toronto. There's simply not enough happening with the Ticats right now to justify moving them up.

They're not the worst team in the CFL, but they're also not giving anyone much reason to believe they're ready to make a serious move up the rankings.

9. Ottawa Redblacks (0-11) — LW: 9

Ottawa remains at the bottom. And unlike the teams above them, the Redblacks aren't giving voters much to debate. Ottawa was a unanimous No. 9 selection this week.

That's about as strong a statement as a power-ranking vote can make.

SportsCage.com Week 15 CFL Power Rankings

Montreal remains the class of the CFL. Edmonton is hanging onto second. And Saskatchewan is making a move.

The Riders' 8-4 record is no fluke and, after another win over Winnipeg, they're starting to look like a team nobody wants to see when the games really matter.