NO REST FOR ESKS IN THEIR QUEST FOR HOME-FIELD PLAYOFF GAME
Edmonton needs victory Saturday against Calgary, while Stamps may need some rest
In Calgary, head coach Dave Dickenson has much to consider before he brings his Stampeders north to Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday.
Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell has admitted he’s been throwing with a wounded wing much of the season.
Does he play him? Or rest him? With first place and a bye to the Western Final locked up, would it make sense for Dickenson to give Mitchell the Edmonton game off and then bring him back next weekend against Winnipeg?
The form chart would suggest Calgary will not likely rest Mitchell, mostly because the offence isn’t clicking and he needs to re-establish some chemistry with his receivers.
The philosophy also seems to be that the Stamps aren’t going to rest anyone because they don’t want to give a Western rival a boost right before the playoffs.
Dickenson, however, also has to think about Stampeders history. It’s that time of year again when, after dominating all season, his horsemen usually step in a cow pie.
In a 30-7 loss to Saskatchewan last week, his team showed little resemblance to the team that rolled through the first 15 games with a 13-1-1 record.
Better now than losing to Ottawa in the Grey Cup game like last year after getting to the show with a 15-2-1 record and a win in the Western Final.
Since they went 13-5 and won the Grey Cup in 2008, the Stampeders followed up with 10-7-1, 13-5, 11-7, 12-6, 14-4, 15-3, 14-4, 15-2-1 and to this point 13-2-1 records.
That’s a 117-40-3 running total. One Cup.
Maybe it’s time to change their end-of-season philosophy? We’ll see.
The Eskimos?
As illustrated last week with his sideline meltdown on special teams co-ordinator Cory McDiarmid, who called for giving up a safety, Jason Maas will be doing the thinking. And Maas doesn’t think the Eskimos can consider any of the options that Dickenson and the other coaches might be debating with all six playoff teams decided, albeit with only Calgary’s positioning settled so far.
“Calgary is in a completely different situation. We’re still trying to win games because of the standings. We can still have a home playoff game and that’s a big deal,” Maas said.
If Winnipeg beats B.C. on Saturday, the Bombers will clinch second and play host to the West semifinal.
“Until we’re set with where we are, we’re not going to change anything,” said Maas.
There’s every chance the Eskimos could go down to the final game in the regular season Nov. 4 in Regina to determine whether they or Saskatchewan becomes the crossover club in the East semifinal.
“We’re going to play the best guys and play to win every week. We want to keep this momentum going. We’ve proved that we can win seven in a row. It’s going to take that again (at least) to win a Grey Cup,” Maas said.
Indeed. After a 7-0 start followed by a six-game losing streak, the Eskimos have now won three straight. With wins in their final two regular games, two playoff games and the Grey Cup they’d end up with an eight-game winning streak.
“And we’ve done that with a number of guys playing. So that’s why I’m less focused on who is actually playing.”
The other thing, no matter what Dickinson decides to do, is they’ll still be the Calgary Stampeders.
We’re going to play the best guys and play to win every week. We want to keep this momentum going.
Maas figured the Eskimos were going to win the last meeting with Calgary here in the Labour Day rematch.
“If Cauchy’s finger tips were just a little bit longer, we would have won that one,” Maas said of safety Cauchy Muamba. Calgary won it 25-22. “We’re playing in our building and we haven’t beaten them for going on two years now,” Maas said of the Eskimos’ own hang up.
Calgary can’t win late. Edmonton can’t beat Calgary.
The last time the Eskimos interrupted Stampeders win streaks was in 2015 when Mike Reilly returned from injury, won the Labour Day rematch, a late-season game like this, and then made it three straight in the Western Final and went on and won the Grey Cup.
Edmonton had lost 12 in a row to Calgary before that happened.
“There’s a lot of motivation,” said Maas.
“That was one of the best practices I’ve seen us have. It was in 60-(km) winds and our guys were on point with everything. I was watching our defence fly around, our punting units catching everything … I’m excited about this one just based on our practice right now.”
Maybe the Eskimos will see the Stampeders again in the postseason. Maybe not.
“I don’t really want to think about that. I just want to think about beating them this game. I think that’s where our players are focused.
“We just want to beat the crap out of them right now.”