CFL Week 19 Offensive Line Rankings: No changes as regular season nears its end

• Winnipeg holds its ground during bye: Three Blue Bombers are among the 10 highest-graded offensive linemen in the CFL.

• Martez Ivey shines for Elks: The left tackle finished as the top-graded offensive lineman this week (81.1).

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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 (No Change)

LT Stanley Bryant
LG Geoff Gray
C Chris Kolankowski
RG Asotui Eli
RT Jermarcus Hardrick

• The idle Blue Bombers remain at No. 1.
• Winnipeg has three offensive linemen who rank in the top 10 in PFF grade this season. Liam Dobson (74.0), Hardrick (73.4) and Kolankowski (73.2) rank seventh, eighth and ninth in overall grade among qualified offensive linemen.

Upcoming Week: Edmonton Elks

• The Blue Bombers have run all over the Elks' defense this season. Edmonton sports a 56.9 team run-defense grade against the Bombers, with an average tackle depth of 6.1 yards.

2. Montreal Alouettes (No Change)

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

• The Alouettes' offensive line eliminated any threat posed by the Elks' pass rush. Montreal held Edmonton to a 5.6% pass-rush win rate, the second-lowest mark of any team this season.
• The interior three of Matte (85.8), Lestage (85.0) and Lawrence (83.1) each surrendered zero pressures allowed and weren't beaten in pass protection.
• Philippe Gagnon is one of the best sixth linemen in the CFL. This past week, he earned a 73.9 overall grade across 17 snaps.

Upcoming Week: BYE

3. Toronto Argonauts (No Change)

LT Isiah Cage
LG Ryan Hunter
C Darius Ciraco
RG Dylan Giffen
RT Trevon Tate

• The Argonauts' offensive line neutralized the Redblacks' pass rush this past week. The unit earned an 86.3 pass-blocking grade and allowed pressure on only 13.2% of snaps.
• Isiah Cage's return was a welcomed sight for the offensive line. Cage had been out since Week 15 and recorded an 84.2 pass-blocking grade with no pressure allowed this past week.

Upcoming Week: Saskatchewan Roughriders

• The Roughriders were unable to muster up any pass rush in the last meeting. The Argonauts' offensive line held them to an 18.2% pressure rate.

4. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (No Change)

LT Jordan Murray
LG Brandon Revenberg
C David Beard
RG Coulter Woodmansey
RT Tyrone Riley

• The Tiger-Cats had six offensive linemen finish with 60.0-plus run-blocking grades last week. Sixth offensive lineman Dayton Black (80.8) played 16 run-blocking snaps and earned a positive grade on 25.0% of them. He was the top-graded run-blocker in the CFL last week.
• Riley and Woodmansey also won often, finishing with a 23.8% positively graded run-block rate across 21 snaps. Both finished with run-blocking grades above 71.0.
• Pass protection was an issue this week for the Tiger-Cats. Riley (48.6), Woodsmansey (37.4) and Revenberg (31.8) each earned pass-blocking grades below 50.0.

Upcoming Week: BYE

5. Edmonton Elks (No Change)

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

• Martez Ivey had himself a week, finishing as the top-graded offensive lineman this week (81.1). He ranked second in run-blocking grade (78.9) and ninth in pass-blocking grade (83.9).
• This group cleared the way for the Elks' running backs. On 17 rushing attempts, they provided 3.3 average yards before contact last week.

Upcoming Week: Winnipeg Blue Bombers

• The Bombers' pass rush and the Elk's pass protection have created an even matchup this season. The Elks have a 69.0 pass-blocking grade against the Bombers, and the Bombers have a 63.6 pass-rushing grade against the Elks.

6. British Columbia Lions (No Change)

LT Jarell Broxton
LG David Knevel
C Michael Couture
RG Sukh Chungh
RT Kent Perkins

• Guards Knevel (70.5) and Chungh (67.9) earned pass-blocking grades above 67.0 — a large jump from the 26.5 average pass-blocking grade from the team's guard positions over the past five weeks.
• Jarell Broxton was the top pass protector in the CFL last week. Over 37 pass-blocking snaps, he earned an 87.6 grade, allowing zero pressures.

Upcoming Week: Calgary Stampeders

• The Lions have succeeded most in pass protection against the Stampeders this season. The Stamps have the lowest pass-rush grade (64.2) and pressure rate (29.1%) when facing the Lions.

7. Saskatchewan Roughriders (No Change)

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

• Philip Blake had a perfect week in pass protection this past week. He earned an 85.5 pass-blocking grade and allowed zero pressures.
• Lofton had one of his best pass-blocking games of the season, posting a 74.8 grade and letting up only one pressure.
• This group was also able to provide running lanes for their backs this week. On average, the Saskatchewan running backs secured 2.3 yards before contact.

Upcoming Week: Toronto Argonauts

• The Argonauts eliminated the Roughriders' running game in their previous matchup. The Argos earned an 84.9 team run-defense grade with five defensive stops and an average tackle depth of just 2.9 yards.

8. Calgary Stampeders (No Change)

LT D’Antne Demery
LG Zack Williams
C Sean McEwen
RG Ryan Sceviour
RT Joshua Coker

• It was a perfect week in pass protection for Coker. Over 30 pass-blocking snaps, he earned an 86.0 grade and allowed zero pressures.
• Four Stampeders starters, Williams (71.3), McEwen (64.0), Sceviour (62.0) and Coker (60.6), earned 60.0-plus run-blocking grades.

Upcoming Week: British Columbia Lions

• The Lions have earned a season-long 80.0 pass-rush grade when playing the Stampeders. Josh Banks (83.7) and Woody Baron (83.6) are the team's two highest-graded pass-rushers against Calgary this season.  

9. Ottawa Redblacks (No Change)

LT Dino Boyd
LG Hunter Steward
C Cyrille Hogan-Saindon
RG Jacob Ruby
RT Zack Pelehos

• It was another tough week for the Redblacks in pass protection. Hogan-Saindon (45.0), Pelehos (43.0), Dontae Bull (27.7) and Ruby (21.8) all played at least 15 pass-blocking snaps, and each finished with a sub-45.0 pass-blocking grade.
• The unit provided some good movement on the line of scrimmage last week, clearing the way for an average of 2.4 yards before contact on runs.
• Pelehos (72.2) and Boyd (70.4) notched 70.0-plus run-blocking grades.

Upcoming Week: BYE