CFL PREVIEW

The Edmonton Sun n Thursday, June 26, 2014

EDMONTON ESKIMOS

Reading the CFLs tea leaves

Our Eskimos writers fearlessly predict how the league will shake out over the 2014 season
terry

jones

terry.jones@sunmedia.ca
@sunterryjones

WEST DIVISION

1. B.C. LIONS

gerry

moddejonge

gerry.moddejonge@sunmedia.ca
@SunModdejonge

WEST DIVISION

1. SASK. ROUGHRIDERS

n Betting line favourite, but Travis Lulay isnt

ready to start the season and theres plenty of
pressure as Grey Cup hosts.

n Losing big names to the NFL means

reinforcements come September. They shored up
their running backs stable with Hugh Charles.

2. CALGARY STAMPEDERS

2. Calgary Stampeders

n Are Bo Levi Mitchell and Drew Tate going

to lead John Hufnagels team to the promised
land?

3. SASK. ROUGHRIDERS

n Bolstered by the best 2014 draft of any CFL

club, they have the leagues top running back and
hes Canadian. Their biggest question is at QB.

3. Edmonton Eskimos

n Lost a few key components on offence. With

Grey Cup hangover expect slow start.

n They could be twice as good as last season

and still not reach .500. A new head coach is the
fastest way to put a 4-14 record behind them.

4. EDMONTON ESKIMOS

4. B.C. LIONS

n Most improved team in the league. Should

be 10-8. But thats on paper.

5. WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS

n Going to regret theyre back in the West.

EAST DIVISION

1. TORONTO ARGOS

n Keep Ricky Ray healthy and they should be

able to finish first despite losses on defence
with Jones departure.

2. HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

n Just because they got to Grey Cup last year

doesnt mean theyll be back.

3. MONTREAL ALOUETTES

n Life without Anthony Calvillo is going to

have the same effect on Als as Eskimos losing
Ricky Ray.

4. OTTAWA ROUGE ET NOIR

n Itll take a while despite excellent job putting

team together.

n Not only is their starting QB coming off

of shoulder surgery, but they are missing a
staggering number of veterans.

5. WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS

n Their biggest problem is getting bumped
from an East Division where there would at
least be an expansion team to kick around.

EAST DIVISION

1. HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

n Made a push all the way to the Grey Cup

final a year ago and only got better over the
off-season.

2. TORONTO ARGOS

n A healthy Ricky Ray has shown he can put

up ridiculously efficient passing numbers in
Milanovichs offence.

3. MONTREAL ALOUETTES

n The acquisition of larger-than-life Chad

Johnson helps the Alouettes, but ocho might be
the number of wins this team is looking at.

4. OTTAWA REDBLACKS

n No one expects miracles in a franchise

season. Slow and steady wins the race, but
strike three and youre out.

con

griwkowsky

con.griwkowsky@sunmedia.ca

WEST DIVISION

1. CALGARY STAMPEDERS

n Any team with Jon Cornish on it has to be a

contender.

2. SASK. ROUGHRIDERS

n Plenty of changes on Grey Cup champs

roster.

3. EDMONTON ESKIMOS

n This team will go as far as its defence

allows.

4. B.C. LIONS

n Will be in heated playoff battle with Eskimos

all season.

5. WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS

n At least theyre back in the right division.

EAST DIVISION

1. TORONTO ARGOS

n As long as Ricky Ray continues to let his

receivers do the work.

2. HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

n Zach Collaros showed last season hes a

legitimate CFL starter.

3. MONTREAL ALOUETTES

n A franchise whose downward spiral not even

Ocho Cinco can reverse.

4. OTTAWA REDBLACKS

n Rick Campbell a rookie head coach in an

expansion franchise.