We may be in the early stages of the 2011 season but when it’s the Battle of Alberta and first place in the division is on the line, it’s unquestionably a big game.
Early bragging rights in the West Division are on the line at McMahon Stadium on Saturday as the Calgary Stampeders play host to the Edmonton Eskimos in a Week 4 clash. Kickoff is at 5 p.m.
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The Stampeders are coming off back-to-back road wins to improve to 2-1. The surprising Eskimos, who finished last in the West a season ago with a 7-11 record, are off to a 3-0 start.
“The Battle of Alberta is always on everyone’s minds,” said Stampeders head coach and general manager John Hufnagel, “and the fact that they are an undefeated football team and we’re one game behind them — I think it should be a great game. There’ll be a lot of hype to it and there’ll be a lot of excitement to the game, which is what you want as a football coach and as a football player . . . and as fans.”
Calgary dominated the 2010 season Battle of Alberta series by winning all three meetings and outscoring the Eskimos 144-40.
Working under the orders of new head coach Kavis Reed, the Esks appear to be a very different team this season however as Edmonton has outscored opponents 103-55, the best points differential in the CFL. Only Montreal has scored more points than the Eskimos and only Winnipeg has surrendered fewer points.
Edmonton registered a third straight victory on Saturday by upending the BC Lions 33-17.
Calgary, meanwhile, handed the Winnipeg Blue Bombers their first loss of the season as the visiting Stampeders pulled out a 21-20 victory at Canad Inns Stadium.
Despite a 2-1 mark, the Stamps are looking for improvement, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.”
“We need to get better,” said Hufnagel. “We’ll attack this week with one of our focuses being becoming a more complete offence, an offence that can get back-to-back-to-back first downs and score points.
“It’s basically the same players (on offence) who have accomplished some very good things over the last few years and sometimes patience is needed but my patience is wearing thin. I didn’t expect us to have the same production as last year because of the respect that I have for the defences we’re playing against but you can’t just close your eyes to what’s going on.”
On the bright side, the Stamps have been strong in other areas. The defence, for instance, scored a touchdown in the win over the Bombers and created the turnover that set the stage for the winning score.
“I think they’ve done an outstanding job,” said Hufnagel. “I think the special teams have done an outstanding job for the most part. The defence has kept us in three games and made plays to give us a chance to win at the end. They’re playing good football, they’re rallying to the ball and they’re playing fast.
“We need to improve defensively and we need to improve special teams also but we’re further ahead in those two phases of the game than where we are as an offensive football team.”