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. Montreal Alouettes (No Change)
LT Nick Callender
LG Pier-Olivier Lestage
C Justin Lawrence
RG Kristian Matte
RT Jamar McGloster
• Losing All-CFL right tackle Landon Rice to the six-game injured list will be challenging for the Alouettes to overcome.
• New right tackle Jamar McGloster performed well in his first start of the season, earning grades above 60.0 as both a pass-blocker and run-blocker.
• Pier-Olivier Lestage is the highest-graded run-blocker in the CFL (84.0).
Upcoming Week: Hamilton Tiger-Cats
• Malik Carney is the key piece in the Tiger-Cats pass rush. His 25 pressures ranks tied for sixth in the CFL. He's racked up five sacks, seven hits and 13 quarterback hurries.
2. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (No Change)
LT Stanley Bryant
LG Liam Dobson
C Chris Kolankowski
RG Patrick Neufeld
RT Jermarcus Hardrick
• The Bombers enjoyed a Week 8 bye. The unit has given up 12 sacks, nine hits and 43 hurries so far, and they rank second to only Montreal in overall grade and run-blocking grade.
• Center Chris Kolankowski is having a terrific year. Through eight weeks, he ranks first among all qualifying interior offensive linemen in PFF grade (76.0).
Upcoming Week: British Columbia Lions
• The last time these two teams matched up, the Lions defensive front exposed the Bombers' offensive line to the tune of 15 pressures, including six sacks.
3. Toronto Argonauts (No Change)
LT Trevon Tate
LG Ryan Hunter
C Darius Ciraco
RG Peter Nicastro
RT Dejon Allen
• Ryan Hunter (83.3), Darius Ciraco (81.3) and Dejon Allen (76.9) finished top-10 in the entire league in pass-blocking grade this past week.
• Left tackle Trevon Tate recorded his first positively graded run block this past week with a devastating pancake block in the first quarter.
Upcoming Week: Calgary Stampeders
• The Stamps' run defense has been a weak spot all year. They are allowing 2.0 yards before contact per rush attempt and have missed 24 tackles in the process.
4. British Columbia Lions (No Change)
LT Jarell Broxton
LG Andrew Peirson
C Michael Couture
RG Sukh Chungh
RT Kent Perkins
• Three B.C. offensive linemen earned outstanding pass-blocking grades last week. Sukh Chungh (83.5), Jarell Broxton (82.8) and Michael Couture (78.0) all ranked among the top 10 pass protectors.
• Michael Couture had his best week of the season. He earned a season-high pass-blocking grade (78.0) and run-blocking grade (68.4).
Upcoming Week: Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• The Blue Bombers have the second-worst run defense in the CFL. They have earned a 60.0 grade so far this season and have allowed a league-worst 5.7 yards per attempt.
5. Saskatchewan Roughriders (Up 1)
LT Brandon Council
LG Evan Johnson
C Peter Godber
RG Logan Ferland
RT Colin Kelly
• Peter Godber's much-anticipated return gave this unit the boost it needed. As a unit, the team's pass-blocking grade jumped back above 60.0 for the first time since Godber went down with injury.
• The Riders improved on their run-blocking this week but still need to improve to climb higher in these rankings. The Riders running backs were given 1.6 yards before contact this week instead of -0.2 last week.
Upcoming Week: Ottawa Redblacks
• The Redblacks fielded the only defensive unit that graded below 60.0 in the pass rush last week, as they earned a 58.1 grade on the day.
6. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Up 1)
LT Brandon Kemp
LG Brandon Revenberg
C David Beard
RG Coulter Woodmansey
RT Kendrick Sartor
• Four of the five starters had outstanding pass protection grades this past week. David Beard (80.9), Brandon Revenberg (77.6), Coulter Woodmansey (75.3) and Kendrick Sartor (74.7) all graded above 74.0.
• On the flip side, left tackle Brandon Kemp had the worst pass-blocking grade of any offensive lineman this week at just 4.6.
Upcoming Week: Montreal Alouettes
• Mustafa Johnson was the top pass-rusher in the CFL last week. He earned an 86.7 grade to go with six total pressures, including a sack.
7. Calgary Stampeders (Down 2)
LT Bryce Bell
LG Zack Williams
C Sean McEwen
RG Ryan Sceviour
RT D.J. Coker
• Calgary’s offensive line struggled without starting left tackle D’Ante Demery. Replacement left tackle Bryce Bell surrendered five pressures and earned a 54.4 grade.
• Normally a solid pass-protecting center, Sean McEwen had his worst performance of the season, earning a 26.3 pass-blocking grade this week.
Upcoming Week: Toronto Argonauts
• The Argonauts had three of the four highest-graded pass-rushers this past week. Folarin Orimolade (79.2), Wynton McManis (76.9) and Shawn Oakman (76.3) all produced pass-rush grades above 76.0.
8. Ottawa Redblacks (No Change)
LT Dino Boyd
LG Drew Desjarlais
C Cyrille Hogan-Saindon
RG Jacob Ruby
RT Zack Pelehos
• Right guard Jacob Ruby had his best pass-blocking game of the season. He graded above 70.0 for the first time in the campaign, earning a 72.5 mark across 42 snaps.
• Run-blocking was a concern for the Redblacks last week, as the running backs averaged just 1.5 yards before contact per attempt.
Upcoming Week: Saskatchewan Roughriders
• The Roughriders' defensive unit has the lowest pass-rush grade in the CFL (70.4). They fell from first in pass-rush win rate to fifth after last week.
9. Edmonton Elks (No Change)
LT Martez Ivey
LG David Foucault
C Mark Korte
RG Tomas Jack-Kurdyla
RT Brett Boyko
• Another week means more struggles for the Elks. Mark Korte (45.1), David Foucault (39.8), Martez Ivey (38.9) and Tomas Jack-Kurdyla (23.2) all finished with pass-blocking grades below 46.0.
• On the flip side, right tackle Brett Boyko played to an All-Star level. He earned an 83.1 pass-blocking grade on 38 snaps.
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