2022 CFL REGULAR-SEASON PREVIEW- WEST DIVISION

CFL / Football

Written by Joel Lefevre

Now that a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the league and the Players Association has been reached, we can focus on what to look for in the upcoming regular season.

The West division has been dominant over the past few CFL seasons, capturing the last three Grey Cups and compiling 36 wins between the five teams last year, which was nine more than the Eastern teams accumulated in 2021.

Opening night will feature the Montreal Alouettes and Calgary Stampeders going toe-to-toe at McMahon Stadium in Cowtown on Thursday.

Source (Background Photo/s): Jeff McIntosh/CP

Here is a breakdown of the teams in the West and where I see them finishing this season.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Key additions

Greg Ellingson (wide receiver), Liam Dobson (offensive lineman), Tyrell Ford (defensive back).

Key Subtractions

Andrew Harris (running back), Darvin Adams (wide receiver), Kenny Lawler (wide receiver).

Biggest strength

For those who still believe in the adage that defense wins championships, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are proving that theory to be correct.

Even though the two-time Grey Cup champions had numerous threats on offense in 2021, including the Most Outstanding Player Zach Collaros, along with the top offensive lineman in Stanley Bryant, this team’s strength lies in how they play defensively.

That should be the case again this season, as their biggest moves heading into this campaign were to shore up their defensive line.

They re-signed Jackson Jeffcoat, Willie Jefferson, Brandon Alexander, Winston Rose and last year’s top defensive player Adam Bighill.

Winnipeg was the top defensive unit in the league against the run last year, while they also allowed the fewest receiving yards in the regular season and finished second in interceptions.

In 2022, head coach Mike O’Shea should not have any concerns about his veteran group on that side of football, with several all-stars at every position.

Last year, the d-line was always there to kill any momentum the opposition might acquire whenever the offense sputtered or turned the ball over.

They will be counted on to do the same this season, with the Bombers losing several veteran receivers through free agency.

Biggest Weakness

If there was an Achilles heel during their championship-winning season a year ago, it would be on special teams.

Andrew Harris is an inspirational leader and a fan-favourite but given how well Brady Oliveira filled in for him late last season, plus the depth that Zach Collaros can count on, I do not believe those losses will be as significant as one might think.

In 2021 Bomber fans cringed every time they lined up to try a field goal or extra point, and understandably so as their kickers rarely looked convincing or confident.

Ali Mourtada was 8 for 15, and Marco Liegghio went 5 of 8 before the club ended the season by signing Sergio Castillo.

Tom Hackett will be their punter, an Australian native who won the Ray Guy Award for an outstanding punter in college football but with little experience professionally.

Castillo is not on the roster, and at the moment, it is between Mourtada and Liegghio to handle the kicking duties.

They got through last season in spite of that flaw, but if they get into some close games this year and need a field goal or extra point to win or force overtime, it will by no means be a sure thing, no matter where the ball is lined up.

Projection- First in West Division

No team since the Edmonton Elks in the 1980s has completed a three-peat, and even though they lost some solid veterans in the receiving corps, there are still enough weapons that should enable them to move the ball well.

They should also be a stout defensive unit, that will be tough to run or throw against, and that will allow them to win more often than not.

Saskatchewan Roughriders

Key Additions

Derrick Moncrief (linebacker), Darnell Sankey (linebacker), Charleston Hughes (defensive end).

Key Subtractions

William Powell (running back), Louchiez (cornerback), Micah Johnson (defensive tackle).

Biggest strength

Jeremy O’Day did not make a huge splash in the free-agent market, but it seems as though the linebacking corps in Saskatchewan has drastically improved. This team was hit hard at this position last year with injuries, but the newcomers joining the green and white are rugged, versatile players with some championship pedigree.

Darnell Sankey led the league with 97 tackles in 2021 with the Calgary Stampeders. Combine that with the return of former all-star Derrick Moncrief, and you see how this could be a tough team to beat through in the middle.

Biggest weakness

The offensive line was inconsistent last year, and it remains unclear whether or not Craig Dickenson has the right fit going into 2022.

Saskatchewan was eighth in the CFL last season in terms of sacks allowed, relying heavily on the scrambling ability of Cody Fajardo.

The Riders pivot has done incredibly well at creating plays out of nothing, but it would help if he could get a little more protection up front, allowing him to hit his big-play targets like Duke Williams.

Projection- Second in West Division

Saskatchewan has been right in the thick of the Grey Cup race over their previous two campaigns, falling just short both times to their prairie rivals.

With Fajardo, they have a quarterback who can command an offense and make big plays happen, though it remains to be seen how they will be running the football and how the offensive line will hold up.

They have not suffered any significant losses, and thus there is no reason to believe that they will not be near the top of the West standings once again.

Calgary Stampeders

Key additions

Elie Bouka (defensive back), Cameron Judge (linebacker), Jordan Williams-Lambert (wide receiver).

Key subtractions

Markeith Ambles (wide receiver), Darnell Sankey (linebacker), Ucambre Williams (offensive lineman).

Biggest Strength

Besides the team’s vast experience on offense, not to mention two brilliant minds on the sidelines and the front office in Dave Dickenson and John Hufnagel, this team should do a lot of damage on the ground.

Ka’Deem Carey was second in the league in rushing, accumulating 869 yards in 13 games last season, averaging 5.3 yards per carrying with seven major scores.

He is excellent at finding the holes and can be difficult to bring down in the open field.

If he can average around that same amount this season, it should take a lot of pressure off quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell.

Biggest Weakness

Calgary is still a pretty solid defensive unit which allowed the third-fewest points in the league last year while finishing fourth in sacks in 2021, but their secondary did not step up and make plays as much as needed.

They only had six interceptions over the previous regular season, and that will need to improve if they want to compete with the Riders and Blue Bombers in 2022.

Projection- Third in West

Their corps may be getting older, but this is still a team that has been there, done that, and it may be a good thing that they are under the radar as no one seems to be looking at them as a serious contender.

There is still enough talent on the defensive and offensive sides to make a run at the title, but they have to step up and improve their takeaway ratio on defense.

Edmonton Elks

Key Additions

Emmanuel Arceneaux (wide receiver), Kenny Lawler (wide receiver), and Chris Jones (head coach).

Key Subtractions

Greg Ellingson (wide receiver), Sean Whyte (kicker), Derrick Moncrief (linebacker).

Biggest Strength

The running game was one of the few positive notes that this decorated franchise had it going for them in a dismal 2021 campaign where they went 3-11.

James Wilder did not show any rust when coming out of retirement last season, rushing for 770 yards on 142 carries in 12 games.

He still has a quick burst of speed, is difficult to bring down, and can also be effective catching passes, with 226 receiving yards on 28 receptions last year.

Biggest Weakness

It is hard to pinpoint one area which hurt their 2021 season, but they certainly did not do themselves any favours in the trenches.

The Elks gave up a league-high 1,654 yards on the ground last year, conceding an average of 118.1 per game, which was only a tad better than the Toronto Argonauts at 118.6.

They got some veterans at the defensive back position with the likes of Duron Carter and Ed Gainey, but none of that will matter if they allow so much time for quarterbacks in the pocket and can’t force opposing teams into second-and-long situations.

Projection- Fourth in West Division

Chris Jones has a proven track record of success when it comes to turning franchises around just like he did in his first tenure in Edmonton.

However, correcting all of their flaws from last season will not happen overnight, and while I expect them to win more than three games, it might take some time for these players to develop a solid continuity early on.

BC Lions

Key Additions

Antonio Pipkin (quarterback), Mathieu Betts (defensive lineman), David Menard (defensive lineman).

Key subtractions

Mike Reilly (quarterback), Emmanuel Arceneaux (wide receiver), Shaq Johnson (wide receiver).

Biggest strength

The linebacking corps of BC should be strong this year, anchored by Jordan Williams, who led them in tackles in 2021 with 97.

He will get some help in the form of Bo Lokombo, who was hard to get away from last season and did a great job at stopping running backs in the open field.

They are strong at that position and should be able to limit gains from opposing teams on that side of the field.

Biggest Weakness

The retirement of Mike Reilly leaves a lot of question marks for this team behind center heading into the regular season.

It is between Victoria native Nathan Rourke and former Alouettes quarterback Antonio Pipkin for the starting job.

Both have a lot of raw talent, but we don’t know how they will handle the spotlight in Vancouver, given that Rourke mainly held a clipboard last season and Pipkin did not see a lot of action last year in Toronto.

They will have to prove that they can command an offense, and there will be some veteran receivers to depend on, but neither QB have shown an ability to be consistent, mainly because they have not been given a chance to play regularly.

Projection- Fifth in the West Division

When your most significant question mark is also the most critical position in the field, it is hard to be optimistic. There are two unproven quarterbacks on this team, and it could be another difficult season for the Lions in Vancouver.