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CALGARY — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Calgary Stampeders are playoff teams, but there’s still more at stake.
Both teams will play for their continued pursuit of a West Division title on Saturday at McMahon Stadium in Calgary. The game will be the Stampeders’ last home game of the season.
The Stamps and Bombers are tied at 20 points apiece in the division, but the Bombers have played an extra game and have one more loss. If the Bombers win, they’ll hold the tiebreak with one more meeting — on Oct. 25 — left this season. Winnipeg won the first matchup of the year 26-24 back in August.
“It’s awesome,” Stamps quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell told the Calgary Sun said. “I always talk to (the team) before the game, and one thing I want to ask them is, ‘If this is a playoff game, have you prepared the way you would if this was the West Final?’ Because that’s what this is. These are do-or-die situations.”
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In any situation, the winner will move into a tie for first place with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who defeated the BC Lions Friday night.
“The momentum is here,” Bombers defensive lineman Willie Jefferson said. “We know what we have moving forward. We know the type of games we got going forward with the back-to-back Calgary games. The only thing we don’t know is how things are going to shake out.
“If we play good Winnipeg football that means that we’ll have a home-field game for the playoffs.”
The Bombers know what their opposing quarterback can bring and they’ll need to stifle him in order to play good Winnipeg football. Mitchell has eight 300-yard passing games against Winnipeg, including a 452-yard performance back in Aug. 2018.
“He’s got great pocket presence,” said Bombers defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat of Mitchell. “He moves around really well and he’s a guy that doesn’t mind getting hit as he completes his throw. You just don’t want to let him get comfortable back there because he’ll tear guys apart.”
The Stampeders will need a win to keep their hopes for the division alive. Which means they’ll need to stop the Bombers’ run game. Winnipeg is armed with leading rusher and Canadian running back Andrew Harris, and quarterback Chris Streveler who is tied for the league lead in rushing touchdowns with 12.
“We’ve gotta tackle well and, hopefully, win the line of scrimmage,” Stamps head coach Dave Dickenson said.
Interestingly, Dickenson also believes the Bombers will use Zach Collaros, who was recently acquired by the Bombers and is listed as a backup for Saturday’s game.
“I think you’ll see Zach in there a little bit as well,” Dickenson said.
The Bombers will also have long snapper Maxime Latour in the lineup, replacing Chad Rempel.
Calgary made a number of changes to their lineup ahead of Saturday’s clash. Defensive back Tre Roberson and running back Don Jackson will miss the game as they’ve been put on the one-game injured list. Raheem Wilson and Jamari Gilbert will start at cornerback, while Ante Milanovic-Litre will start at running back.
Linebacker Marcus Ball has reportedly suffered a season-ending injury, while offensive lineman Zack Williams and receiver Andres Salgado have been moved to the practice roster.
Offensive tackle Derek Dennis returns from injury and he’ll start at left tackle, and they’ll also have defensive back Jamar Wall. The Stamps will also have Asnnel Robo as a backup running back, while receiver Michael Klukas and defensive lineman Sterling Sheffield will also dress.
BY THE NUMBERS
2002 — That was the last year the Winnipeg Blue Bombers won a season series against the Stampeders.
12 — Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell has thrown at least one touchdown pass in each of his last 12 games.
33 — Stamps kicker Rene Paredes is the only kicker to have not missed the point after kick following a touchdown this season. He’s made 33 consecutive one-point conversions.
43 — Bombers defensive lineman Willie Jefferson has 43 career sacks, including a career-high 12 this season.
Kickoff is at 7 p.m. ET and can be seen on TSN and ESPN+, and followed live via CFL.ca Game Tracker.
– With files from BlueBombers.com and Stampeders.com
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