CONFIDENCE BOOST
Jackson regains his swagger
Don Jackson needed the game he had in Week 21 against the B.C. Lions.
The Calgary Stampeders needed a big game from their running back, too, but that’s different.
By his own admission, Jackson had lost some confidence in the month leading up to the Stamps’ CFL West Division-clinching victory Nov. 3 over the Lions.
Jackson hadn’t been bad in the previous five games, but his numbers had fallen off compared to earlier in the season and he was honest Thursday when asked about his mindset heading into the game against the Lions.
“My confidence probably wasn’t where it needed to be and when I got into that situation I leaned on God, I leaned on my teammates," Jackson said. “All my guys, they talked to me every single day (saying), ‘You know what type of player you are, you know what you can do.’
“My teammates kept me up. I’ll be honest, if it weren’t from them, I wouldn’t have been able to climb out of that hole. The offensive line, the coaches, everybody stayed on me diligently to makes sure I didn’t lose my confidence all the way.”
Against the Lions, Jackson showed up.
He ran the ball 11 times for 91 yards — his highest total since the Labour Day Classic — and scored a touchdown as well. One of his runs, a 39-yarder, gave him more rushing yards than he’d had the entire game a week earlier when the Stamps lost to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Jackson also added two catches for 16 yards, showing a versatility that could be extremely useful for the Stamps as they try to knock off the Bombers Sunday in the Western Final at McMahon Stadium (2:30 p.m., TSN/770 CHQR).
The Stampeders need a big game from Jackson and whoever else plays running back with him and they’re not pretending otherwise.
“We had a nice Week (21) running performance,” said Stamps head coach Dave Dickenson. “I think we’re building as an offensive line and some of that requires good blocking by our fullbacks and receivers as well. We need to break a play here or there. It’s hard to just sit there with three-, four- or five-yard gains to score touchdowns.
“We are looking for our tailbacks, all three of them, whoever the two are that are going to play. We need some production. We need a (20-plus-yard run). We need a big catch. We need some of those plays to win.”
I think we’re building as an offensive line and some of that requires good blocking by our fullbacks and receivers as well.
That’s going to be a challenge against the Bombers, who allowed the third-fewest rushing yards in the CFL this season — the Stamps allowed the fewest — and limited Jackson to 46 yards on nine carries when the teams first met Aug. 25 at McMahon Stadium.
He then had 38 yards on eight carries in their second matchup in Winnipeg.
The Stamps will need more Sunday, but Jackson showed up in a big way against the Lions in Week 21 and his numbers this season don’t lie.
In his first season in the CFL, Jackson ran the ball 160 times for 924 yards, the fourth most of anyone in the league.
He has proven he belongs and can be a difference maker on the field and there’s an excitement in his voice when he talks about this weekend’s Western Final.
“We know what we’re here to do,” Jackson said.
“If this doesn’t bring the best out of you, if you don’t want to play right now, then you’re in the wrong business. There’s no reason for you to be here.”