KEY MATCHUPS
Calgary QB Bo Levi Mitchell threw for 5,385 yards this season, while Ottawa’s 41-year- old QB Henry Burris has been a force down the stretch.
1 REDBLACKS QB HENRY BURRIS VS. STAMPEDERS QB BO LEVI MITCHELL
It was a strange year for the 41-year-old Burris, who broke the pinky finger on his throwing hand in Week 1, then, still not fully healed, returned after an injury to Trevor Harris. When Harris was healthy, Burris was benched, but got his job back in time to lead Ottawa down the stretch. He’s only a year removed from being named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player. Mitchell is, of course, outstanding in his own right. Named MOP Thursday night, he threw for 5,385 yards and 32 touchdowns this season, with just eight interceptions.
2 REDBLACKS COACH RICK CAMPBELL VS. STAMPEDERS COACH DAVE DICKENSON
Friends away from the field, Campbell and Dickenson worked together in Calgary. Campbell was the Stampeders’ defensive coordinator, while Dickenson was the offensive play-caller. Neither coach seeks out the spotlight, letting what happens on the field do the talking. While Campbell is in his third season as a head coach, it’s the first year for Dickenson, who took over when John Hufnagel stepped aside to focus on his duties as the team’s president and GM.
3 STAMPEDERS KR ROY FINCH VS. REDBLACKS SPECIAL TEAMS
The Redblacks front office and coaches are pretty familiar with Roy Finch — they had him in 2014 as a running back and returner, before cutting him. The 5-foot-7 Finch resurfaced with the Stampeders, returning 71 punts for 993 yards (a 14-yard average, with one of them going for 85 yards), second best in the CFL behind only Montreal’s Stefan Logan. He also returned 43 kickoffs for 1,060 yards (24.7-yard average). Ottawa’s cover teams will have to be sharp in a game where there’s very little room for error.
4 STAMPEDERS DL CHARLESTON HUGHES VS. REDBLACKS OL JASON LAUZON- SEGUIN
Lauzon-Seguin, a first-round draft pick earlier this year, will have his hands full. Hughes has been terrorizing opposing quarterbacks this season, with 16 regular-season sacks, which led the CFL. Add in 47 tackles and three forced fumbles and it’s been an amazing season for the 32-year-old. Lauzon-Seguin is up for the challenge. The Redblacks have placed a lot of faith in the rookie, playing him at guard and both tackle spots. Keeping Hughes off Burris’s back is a must.
5 STAMPEDERS P ROB MAVER VS. REDBLACKS P RAY EARLY
Maver, a seven-year CFL vet, is a model of consistency, averaging 46.9 yards on his punts during the regular season (99 for 4,641 yards), with his career average at 45.4. But that doesn’t tell the whole story. Maver is a master at pinning opponents deep with well-placed kicks. Early has been good, but not great, for the Redblacks, averaging 41.3 yards (19 punts for 624 yards). In only his second CFL season, Early — who was with Saskatchewan last year — is the latest in a long line of Ottawa punters.