Mitchell on regular season finale vs. BC: ‘It’s do or die for us’

CALGARY — For the past few years, the last week of the regular season has been a time for the Calgary Stampeders to rest their starters and get ready for the post-season.

This time around is a little different.

The Stamps now need to win their Week 21 contest in order to clinch the West Division and host the Western Final on November 18.

“It’s been a while since this last week has meant something to us like this,” quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell said this week after practice. “It’s a Grey Cup-like feeling, playoff type feeling and it’s do or die for us.”

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Bo Levi Mitchell and co. need a win this weekend to clinch the West Division (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)

“I think it’s a good situation to look at it like that after losing a couple times and having our backs against the wall,” receiver Markeith Ambles said, agreeing with his quarterback. “We really have to go out and fight this game and get this win.”

Mitchell, Ambles and the rest of the Stampeders squad face a red-hot BC Lions team this weekend in Vancouver. Even though the Lions’ playoff fate has already been determined – they’re crossing over to the East to play the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Eastern Semi-Final – Mitchell knows BC won’t let off the gas on Saturday night.

“It’s a Wally Buono team so we know that they’re not giving up on anything,” Mitchell said. “It doesn’t matter that this game doesn’t mean anything in the standings. They were playing really well there for a while and had one hiccup of a game late week. So we know we’re getting everything they’ve got. They’re not going to rest guys or try to sit guys out to try and be ready for playoffs. They’re going to come bringing it so we’ll be ready.”

Calgary is riding an uncharacteristic losing skid, dropping their last three contests. Mitchell and co. are using those losses as lessons as they eye heading into the playoffs.

“The losses are good because we get to learn from them,” said Mitchell. “If you don’t learn from them that’s where it doesn’t count, it’s not worth anything. I think we’ve learned a lot from those losses. It’s helped us with the tight-game situations. Understanding with turnovers, when we win the turnover battle we’re 10-0. When we lose it, we’re 0-5.”

“If we can get this win then we can go to the playoffs feeling better about ourselves,” said Ambles. “(Then we can) keep it rolling and win the Grey Cup.”

– With files from Stampeders.com