BACK PRACTISING
Calgary QB could play Saturday when CFL’s top team hosts limping Als
Bo Levi Mitchell is back practising with the Calgary Stampeders.
The veteran quarterback returned to the field Monday in equipment after suffering a knee injury in Calgary’s 27-3 road win over the Ottawa Redblacks on Thursday night. He watched Friday’s rundown wearing a sleeve on his injured right knee.
Calgary head coach Dave Dickenson is taking a cautious approach regarding whether Mitchell will play Saturday night when the Stamps (4-0) host the struggling Montreal Alouettes (1-3).
“He was able to do some noncompetitive drills, so that’s a good sign,” Dickenson told reporters. “But it’s going to be day-today, if not week-to-week.
“There’s certainly some injury, so you have to be smart about it. But I think a lot of pro athletes have played with injuries. It’s just whether or not he can be not only capable, but we can do a good job running our offence.”
Mitchell was injured with just over five minutes remaining in the second quarter after taking a low hit from Ottawa defensive lineman Danny Mason, who received a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty. Mitchell remained in the game for three more plays as Calgary boosted its lead to 17-0 on a Rene Paredes 17-yard field goal, but went to the dressing room before Calgary’s next possession.
He returned to the sidelines in uniform in the second half and watched the remainder of the game as Nick Arbuckle handled the offence.
“I’m a believer in you need to practise to play,” Dickenson said. “I’m going to play him if he’s healthy and ready.
“And when I say healthy it’s that he can function at a high level and he can move around and avoid hits. That was the main thinking as far as last week. He even probably could’ve finished, but you’re kind of a sitting duck back there if you can’t move, so it’s just not worth it. I’m hoping he does everything possible to get healthy and then I can make the decision whether or not to play him.”
With Calgary’s win, Mitchell became the fastest quarterback in CFL history to reach 60 career victories. He improved his overall mark to 60-10-2 (. 847), breaking the
record established by Winnipeg’s Ken Ploen, who achieved the milestone in his 78th start, a 24-15 win over Edmonton on Sept. 23, 1963.
RECORD STREAK: It’s the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ turn to again try to halt Jeremiah Masoli’s record run.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback has recorded a record-tying nine straight 300-yard passing games heading into Thursday night’s home game versus Saskatchewan. Masoli has tied the mark first set by Sam Etcheverry in 1956 and later tied in 1991 by Kent Austin, the former Ticats head coach/vice-president of football operations who remains a consultant with the club.
Masoli faces the Riders’ defence for the second time this year. He was 23-of-43 passing for 333 yards and an interception July 5 in an 18-13 loss in Regina.
But Hamilton fans won’t see former Ticats starter Zach Collaros in action for the Riders. Collaros, who was dealt to Saskatchewan in the off-season, is on the six-game injured list with a concussion.
Brandon Bridge, of Mississauga, will make his third straight start. But Riders head coach/GM Chris Jones has rotated the Canadian with David Watford. The six-foot-five, 235-pound Bridge was 11of-13 passing for 101 yards, while rushing four times for 30 yards earlier this season versus Hamilton.