CFL Week 14 Offensive Line Rankings: Winnipeg moves up to No. 1

• A new No. 1: The Winnipeg Blue Bombers' offensive line helped pave the way for 2.8 yards before contact, eight explosive runs and 263 rushing yards in Week 14.

• Alouettes drop to the second spot: They supplied only 0.4 yards before contact this past week, the lowest mark in the CFL.

• Argonauts move into top three: It was a nearly perfect week in pass protection for the Argos' offensive line. The unit allowed only one pressure across 30 pass-blocking snaps.

Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

Few things are more important to a team’s success than the quality of its offensive line. Disastrous lines, or even disastrous weak-link mismatches, can determine the outcome of games, while strong units give an incredible advantage to an offense.

This CFL season, we will be keeping track of PFF’s offensive line rankings as well as highlighting the biggest weak-link player and their upcoming opponent to identify any obvious matchup advantage one way or the other.

Key:
Red text = weakest link

1. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Up 1)

LT Stanley Bryant
LG Geoff Gray
C Chris Kolankowski
RG Patrick Neufeld
RT Jermarcus Hardrick

• A stellar week sees the Blue Bombers reclaim the top spot in the rankings. Winnipeg's offensive line helped pave the way for 2.8 yards before contact, eight explosive runs and 263 rushing yards in Week 14. The rushing yards total was the highest single-game mark in the CFL this season.
• The usually solid Jermarcus Hardrick struggled this week. He allowed four total pressures and a 15.4% pressure rate, earning a 27.0 pass-blocking grade.

Upcoming Week: Hamilton Tiger-Cats

• Interior defender Casey Sayles racked up six quarterback pressures last week, earning a 74.2 pass-rush grade.

2. Montreal Alouettes (Down 1)

LT Nick Callender
LG Pier-Olivier Lestage
C Justin Lawrence
RG Kristian Matte
RT Jamar McGloster

• Montreal held onto the top spot for a long period of time, but a string of lackluster performances drops them to No. 2.
• Justin Lawrence struggled in pass protection this week, earning a 35.4 grade across 32 snaps.
• As a unit, the Alouettes could not provide much space at the line of scrimmage. They supplied only 0.4 yards before contact this week, the lowest mark in the CFL.

Upcoming Week: Toronto Argonauts

• The Argos' run defense was formidable against the Alouettes last week, earning an 80.3 grade and recording an average depth of tackle of 2.2 yards. They get the Alouettes again and will look to maintain those figures.

3. Toronto Argonauts (Up 1)

LT Isaiah Cage
LG Ryan Hunter
C Darius Ciraco
RG Peter Nicastro
RT Dejon Allen

• It was a nearly perfect week in pass protection for the Argos' offensive line. The unit allowed only one pressure across 30 pass-blocking snaps.
• All five starters earned 72.0-plus pass-blocking grades, and the interior three of Peter Nicastro (84.0), Ryan Hunter (83.7) and Darius Ciraco (82.2) posted grades above 82.0.

Upcoming Week: Montreal Alouettes

• The Alouettes' pass rush was abysmal last week. Their 53.3 team grade was the worst mark in the CFL last week.

4. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Down 1)

LT Joel Figueroa
LG Brandon Revenberg
C David Beard
RG Coulter Woodmansey
RT Jordan Murray

• New right tackle Jordan Murray struggled in his CFL debut, earning a 43.3 overall grade, a 51.2 run-blocking grade and a 26.2 pass-blocking grade.
• This offensive line could not get any push on the line of scrimmage in Week 14. The unit provided only 0.7 yards before contact on average.

Upcoming Week: Winnipeg Blue Bombers

• Edge defender Jackson Jeffcoat was a superstar last week. He earned a 92.6 pass-rushing grade with a sack.

5. British Columbia Lions (No Change)

LT Jarell Broxton
LG Andrew Peirson
C Michaek Couture
RG Sukh Chungh
RT Kent Perkins

• The idle Lions remain at No. 5 this week.
• Left tackle Jarell Broston is putting together an all-star-worthy season. He ranks third in overall grade (75.9), fourth in run-blocking grade (76.0) and third in pass-blocking grade (70.5) among qualified tackles.

Upcoming Week: Ottawa Redblacks

• Blessman Ta’ala was the CFL's top-graded pass rusher in Week 14. He earned a 93.6 grade with a sack.

6. Edmonton Elks (No Change)

LT Martez Ivey
LG David Focault
C Mark Korte
RG Tomas Jack-Kurdyla
RT Brett Boyko

• The right side of the Elks' offensive line had a perfect week in pass protection. Tomas Jack-Kurdyla (84.4) and Brett Boyko (82.8) earned grades above 82.0 and allowed no pressure.
• Mark Korte had a rough week in protection, though, surrendering three pressures and earning a 31.0 pass-blocking grade.
• This unit paved the way for their running backs last week, helping them average 3.2 yards before contact — the highest mark in the CFL.

Upcoming Week: Saskatchewan Roughriders

• The Riders' defense was exposed on the ground last week, allowing 263 yards and earning a 54.8 team run-defense grade.

7. Saskatchewan Roughriders (No Change)

LT Eric Lofton
LG Logan Bandy
C Peter Godber
RG Logan Ferland
RT Brandon Council

• It was a tough week for Brandon Council (26.8), Eric Lofton (23.5) and Logan Bandy (21.2), all of whom earned pass-blocking grades below 30.0.
• Council was the CFL's top run blocker this past week. He earned an 85.7 grade and won 33.3% of his reps.

Upcoming Week: Edmonton Elks

• Mark McLaurin was solid in run defense last week. He earned a 77.1 grade with two defensive stops.

8. Calgary Stampeders (No Change)

LT Brandon Weldon
LG Zack Williams
C Sean McEwen
RG Ryan Sceviour
RT D.J. Cooker

• D.J. Cooker was the top run blocker in this group last week, earning a 70.0 run-blocking grade across 25 snaps.
• Sean McEwen (83.9) and Ryan Sceviour (81.0) each earned pass-blocking grades above 80.0.

Upcoming Week: BYE

9. Ottawa Redblacks (No Change)

LT Dino Boyd
LG Drew Desjarlais
C Cyrille Hogan-Saindon
RG Jacob Ruby
RT Dontae Bull

• Week 14 was an average showing from the Redblacks' offensive line. They earned unit grades of 58.0 in run blocking and 62.1 in pass blocking.
• Rookie Dontae Bull had an outstanding game in pass protection. He earned an 83.4 grade with zero pressures allowed.
• Drew Desjarlais had a second bad week, posting a 29.9 pass-blocking grade after allowing four total pressures.

Upcoming Week: British Columbia Lions

• Mathieu Betts has been a star pass rusher for the Lions this season. He sports an 82.5 pass-rushing grade along with 13 sacks and 54 total pressures.