Week 16 showed fans of this great league a combination of hard-hitting football, impressive special team performances, and some exciting catches. Montreal won a defensive battle over Toronto. BC lit up the scoreboard over Calgary. Winnipeg squeaked out a win over Ottawa. And Edmonton lost a close one to Hamilton.
Hello CFL fans, here are your CFL News Hub Power Rankings – the aftermath of week 16.
Record: 10 – 3
Previous ranking: 1
Saskatchewan had the week off and watched the outcome unfold for week 16 from the comfort of their homes. With the Calgary loss, and by default, the Roughriders obtain a 2–game lead over Calgary for 1st place at the moment.
Next game: Saturday, September 27th, 2025, in Edmonton.
2 – Hamilton Tiger – Cats
Record: 9 – 5
Previous ranking: 3
It was not a pretty win. But a win is still a win. Hamilton tangled with Edmonton in a game that the Elks had almost caused an upset in Hamilton. As a common trend for the 2025 edition of the Hamilton Tiger–Cats, the comeback was complete. It was a short deficit, and it was accomplished with a Marc Liegghio field goal to solidify a 29-27 victory as time expired.
Next game: Saturday, September 27th, 2025, vs. Winnipeg.
3 – BC Lions
Record: 7 – 7
Previous ranking: 5
For a team that was struggling and has let leads slip away, the BC Lions appear to be more focused on their current 2-game winning streak. Nathan Rourke was spectacular, going 20 for 24, 331 passing yards, and 2 touchdown passes. It did not stop there for Nathan, as he also ran for 3 touchdowns. Let us just say he made a lot of people happy for CFL Fantasy Football. Zander Horvath had a monster game on the ground, with 152 yards and 1 touchdown.
Next game: Friday, September 26th, 2025, vs. Toronto.
Record: 8 – 5
Previous ranking: 2
It was a game that could have gone either way. For Calgary, the turnovers were costly, along with Veron Adams Jr. leaving the game during the 2nd quarter after a 10-yard run. He would not return after being officially ruled out in the 3rd quarter. The reins would then be taken by PJ Walker, who could do only so much in handling the BC defensive penetration. They would fall 52-23 to the Leo’s, who played a physical game. With the recent surge by BC, the West Division is going to be exciting during the last 5 weeks of the season.
Next game: Friday, September 26th, 2025, in Montreal.
Record: 7 – 7
Previous ranking: 7
Next game: Friday, September 26th, 2025, vs. Calgary.
Montreal arrived at Toronto for week 16 in a game that had a lot on the line. The Alouettes had already won the series between Toronto 2-0. However, there was still the possibility of Toronto putting itself in a spot to creep up in the standings. Montreal had a hard time cracking the Toronto defence. The score is 10-9 for Montreal heading into the 4th quarter. After an exchange of blows, it was an interception by Wesley Sutton that sealed the deal for Montreal with 00:19 left in the game for a 21-19 victory.
Record: 7 – 7
Previous ranking: 6
It didn't appear good for Winnipeg when they took on Ottawa at TD Place Stadium. It was the special team’s touchdown by Tre Vaval, who is making a strong case for a special team player of the year, with a 128-yard return from a Lewis Ward missed field goal. Add the 4 field goals from Sergio Castillo, and for the most part, those were the big plays that engineered most of the Winnipeg scoring. It was nothing pretty, but Winnipeg will take any victory they can with their recent struggles.
Next game: Saturday, September 27th, 2025, vs. Hamilton.
7 – Toronto Argonauts
Record: 5 – 9
Previous ranking: 4
The Boatmen were looking to keep within distance of 2nd place in the East Division, with a potential crossover this year from the West Division. Unfortunately for Toronto, they (on record) had to dress Jarret Doege as the starting quarterback. With limited playing time in the last two seasons, the rust was exposed with many 2-and-out series for the Argos. It was not until the 4th quarter that the offence looked better. The defence played as well as it could have to put the offence in a good position for a win. The short comeback did not come to life after an interception at the wrong time and was denied a possible win.
Next game: Friday, September 26th, 2025, in BC.
8 – Edmonton Elks
Record: 5 – 9
Previous ranking: 8
Edmonton was in a good spot to continue its playoff push. On the other side of the field were the Tiger-Cats, who have been consistent for the majority of the 2025 season. The Elks kept the pace by possibly winning this game against Hamilton. It was a tough defensive battle, but Edmonton kept pushing through to the end. It would come to an abrupt end, with once again, Bo Levi Michell orchestrating a drive with 1:33 left in the 4th quarter to set up a game-winning field goal for Hamilton.
Next game: Saturday, September 27th, 2025, vs. Saskatchewan.
9 – Ottawa Redblacks
Record: 4 – 10
Previous ranking: 9
Dru Brown played a good game, even with the 2 interceptions. His 406 passing yards and 2 touchdown passes were still not enough to halt the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Eugene Lewis, 155 receiving yards, and Justin Hardy, 101 receiving yards, were the engines of the offence. The lack of the running game was an X-factor for the Redblacks as it was a one-dimensional offence. Even with Winnipeg struggling with a good showing of the Ottawa defence, the Ottawa offence faces the same against the Winnipeg defence.
Next game: Ottawa will be on a bye week. Their next scheduled game will be on Friday, October 3rd, 2025, vs. Saskatchewan.