By Mike Hardiman
Special to Stampeders.com

The Pregame

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are next up for the Stampeders as Calgary returns home after its last Eastern road trip of the year.

Calgary (10-3) beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at their temporary home in Guelph by a score of 35-11 and, in doing so, avoided losing back-to-back games for the first time since Weeks 2 and 3 of last season. Under head coach and general manager John Hufnagel (back to and including the 2008 season), the Stamps have only lost back-to-back games on five occasions and have never lost three games in a row. 

The Bombers are not so fortunate as they are currently on a three-game losing streak and also endured a seven-game skid earlier this season. Winnipeg (2-11) lost to the Lions by a 53-17 score at home last week, the 53 points being the highest total given up by any team this season so far.

Calgary and Winnipeg met earlier in the 2013 season, with the Stamps winning 37-24 back in Week 5 in Winnipeg.

Calgary is 10-0 in the last 10 games played at McMahon between the two teams dating back to 2003 and the Stamps have scored more than 30 points in eight of those 10 games.

Calgary is 5-1 at home and 6-1 against the East while the Bombers are 1-5 on the road and 1-6 against Western teams. 

The Kickoff

When/Where: Saturday, Oct. 5 at 4:30 p.m. at McMahon Stadium in Calgary
Television: TSN, ESPN3
Radio: News Talk 770, Sirius Satellite Channel 157, XM Satellite Channel 160
Internet: www.newstalk770.com

The Stampeders 

The Stamps defence was front and centre in the win last week over Hamilton, allowing a season-low 11 points (the third time this season Calgary has given up fewer than 15 points) and holding Ticats QB Henry Burris to just 134 yards passing.

Calgary picked off Hamilton quarterbacks a season-high five times and chipped in six pass knockdowns for good measure. The Stamps defence also enjoyed good success against Winnipeg in the win in Week 5, holding the Bombers to less than 300 yards of offence — including just 194 passing yards — while collecting three sacks and forcing three turnovers.

Calgary’s offence was its usual efficient self last week with 398 yards —  highlighted by 160 rushing yards — while giving up only one turnover and two sacks. The Stamps have at least 300 yards of offence in 12 of 13 games played this season and have had more than 100 yards rushing in 10 of those games.

Calgary scored four touchdowns in the game. It’s the eighth time this year they have scored three or more touchdowns in a game and the fifth time with at least four majors.

Against the Bombers in Week 5, Calgary had 490 yards of offence (including a season-high 376 yards passing) and three touchdowns. The Stampeders average 34.6 points per game during their current home 10-game winning streak against Winnipeg and the average margin of victory has been 16.6 points. 

Who to watch:          

Jon Cornish, RB, #9
2013 stats – 183 carries, 1,207 yards rushing, 6.6 yard average, 8  rushing TDs – second in CFL in rushing
Last Week – 15 carries, 114 yards rushing, 7.6 yard average, 0 TDs vs Hamilton –  fifth 100-yard rushing game of the season
2013 vs Wpg.  – 22 touches, 175 yards from scrimmage, 0 TDs in Week 5

Jabari Arthur, SB, #81
2013 stats – 34 catches, 445 yards receiving, 13.1 yard average, 2 TDs –  third on team in receiving
Last Game – 4 catches, 103 receiving yards, 25.75 yard average, 2 TDs – first 100-yard receiving game, first multi-touchdown game; named the CFL’s Canadian Player of the Week
2013 vs Wpg.  – 2 catches, 12 receiving yards, 6.0 yard average, 0 TD in Week 5

Kevin Glenn, QB, #15
2013 stats – 218 attempts, 148 completions, 67.9% completion rate, 1,729 passing yards, 12 TDs, 5 INTs, 100.5.8 QB rating  – leads team in passing
Last Week – 26 attempts, 17 completions, 65.4% completion rate, 238 passing yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT, 117.1 QB rating vs Hamilton – season high in TD passes, fifth game of over 100.0 QB rating     
2013 vs Wpg.  – did not play, injured

Jamar Wall,  HB, #29
2013 stats – 35 tackles, 4 INTs, 2 pass knockdowns in eight games played – leads team in interceptions
Last Week  – 6 tackles, 2 INTs vs Hamilton
2013 vs Wpg.  – did not play in Week 5

Eric Fraser, S, #7
2013 stats – 16 tackles, 6 special teams tackles, 1 INT, 1 pass knockdown
Last Week  – 5 tackles, 1 special teams tackle vs Hamilton
2013 vs Wpg.  – 1 tackle in Week 5

The Blue Bombers                                                                     

The record indicates it has been a trying season for both the Bombers and their fans. At 2-11, Winnipeg has the worst record in the CFL and is challenging the club record for losses in a season, which is 15.

Both sides of the ball have had their struggles but the offence has had a particularly rough season, and it starts with the carousel at quarterback. QB Max Hall (#15) should get the start but no Bombers QB has yet hit 1,000 yards passing and the team is last in passing rating at 63.8.

SB Terrence Edwards (#82) leads the team in catches with 37 while SB Corey Watson (#81) should return from injury this week to boost the receiving corps. RB Will Ford (#30) fills in for the injured Chad Simpson and will run behind an offensive line that played three import o-linemen last week.

Winnipeg’s defence is last in the league in points allowed and total offence but does play the run relatively tough.

Winnipeg’s D-line can get after the quarterback with DE Kenny Mainor (#54) having the fewest sacks amongst the group with six. In the secondary, DB Alex Suber (#21), DB Demond Washington (#7) and S Jovon Johnson (#2) are all veterans who make plays each and every game despite the Bombers’ woes. Johnson is a former CFL Most Outstanding Defensive Player (2011).

Who to watch:

Clarence Denmark, WR, #89
2013 stats – 41 catches, 560 yards receiving, 12.6 yard average, 3 TDs –  leads team in receiving
Last Game – 6 catches, 118 receiving yards, 19.6 yard average, 2 TDs – led team in receiving
2013 vs Cgy.  – 2 catches, 21 receiving yards, 10.5 yard average, 0 TDs in Week 5

Alex Hall, DE, #96
2013 stats – 30 tackles, 4 tackles for losses, 15 sacks, 3 forced fumbles – leads CFL in sacks
Last Week  – 3 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble vs BC
2013 vs Cgy. – 4 tackles in Week 5

Henoc Muamba, MLB, #10
2013 stats – 76 tackles, 14 special teams tackles, 7 tackles for losses, 1 sack, 1 INT, 1 pass knockdown – second in CFL in tackles
Last Week  – 8 tackles, 3 special teams tackles, 1 pass knockdown vs BC
2013 vs Cgy. – 10 tackles in Week 5

Stats

Here are the two teams’ offensive and defensive totals and league rankings after last week’s games

The CFL this Week

Friday, Oct. 4, 5 p.m. – Hamilton (6-7) at Toronto (9-4)
Friday, Oct.  4, 8 p.m. – Saskatchewan (8-5) at BC (9-4)
Saturday, Oct. 5, 1:30 p.m. – Montreal (5-8) at Edmonton (3-10)