Stamps, Redblacks look to earn home wins in playoffs

Forgive the Winnipeg Blue Bombers if they’d rather forget about the last time they faced Bo Levi Mitchell and the Calgary Stampeders at McMahon Stadium.

On Aug. 25, Mitchell threw for 452 yards three touchdowns in a 39-26 home win. The two teams return to McMahon Stadium on Sunday in the West Division final.

To be fair, much has happened since then. Most notably, Winnipeg clinched a playoff berth Oct. 26 with a 29-21 home victory over Calgary, its first victory over the Stamps in nine tries.

The Bombers also handed Mitchell a career-first third straight loss, but the Stamps ended that streak with a seasonending 26-9 road victory over B.C. to finish atop the West Division.

Kamar Jorden played a big role in Calgary’s home victory over Winnipeg. He had a club-record 249 yards before suffering a season-ending knee injury later in the year.

Then again, former Bomber Chris Matthews had five catches for 113 yards in last month’s loss to Winnipeg. Over the two games, Mitchell has completed 47-of-77 passes for 726 yards with four

TDs as Calgary chases a third straight Grey Cup appearance and its first championship since 2014.

But Winnipeg starter Matt Nichols has won his last six straight starts with eight TDs and just one interception over that span. Nichols had a seasonhigh 358 yards and two TDs in the home win over Calgary.

A big key to the Bombers ending their title drought could be running back Andrew Harris.

For the second straight year the Winnipeg native was the CFL’s rushing leader (1,390 yards) and was named a finalist for the league’s top Canadian award.

Prediction: Calgary

East Division Final Tiger-Cats at Redblacks (Sunday afternoon)

The Redblacks swept the season series 3-0. That included winning back-to-back games last month to clinch top spot in the East Division.

Quarterback Trevor Harris completed 70-of-97 passes (72.2 per cent) for 836 yards with four TDs and no interceptions over that span. In his last six starts, Harris has amassed 1,895 passing yards with 11 TDs and two interceptions.

Harris has no shortage of capable receivers. Brad Sinopoli (116 catches, 1,376 yards four TDs) anchors a receiving corps that also includes Greg Ellingson (91 catches, 1,086 yards, five TDs) and Diontae Spencer (81 catches,

1,007 yards, seven TDs).

Sinopoli’s receptions total was a CFL single-season record for a Canuck and he’s a finalist for the league’s top Canadian honour for a second straight year. In the 2015 East final, it was Ellingson’s late 93-yard TD grab that earned Ottawa a thrilling 35-28 home win over Hamilton.

Hamilton heads to TD Place off a 48-8 East Division semifinal win over B.C. Jeremiah Masoli, the East Division nominee for the CFL’s top player award, threw for 259 yards and three TDs while averaging a season-best 13.6 yards per attempt.

Masoli was the CFL’s secondleading passer with 5,209 yards this season. He completed 74of-120 passes (58.3 per cent) for

937 yards with four TDs and four interceptions versus Ottawa.

Luke Tasker had two of Masoli’s three TD strikes against B.C.Prediction: Ottawa