By Mike Hardiman
Special to Stampeders.com

The Pregame

It’s a first-place showdown between the undefeated Calgary Stampeders and their also-undefeated provincial rivals, the Edmonton Eskimos.

The Stamps ran their record to a perfect 3-0 last week, squeaking past the Tiger-Cats by a 10-7 score to move into second place in the West Division. The Eskimos stayed in first place in the West by beating the Bombers 26-3 and improving to 4-0.

The Stamps haven’t been 3-0 since 2000 (they won 12 games that season) while the Eskimos haven’t been 4-0 since 2011.

The rivals played three times in the 2013 regular season (twice in Edmonton), with the Stamps sweeping the Eskimos for a second straight year. The Stampeders beat Edmonton 22-12 in the Labour Day rematch and then again 27-13 in Week 17 in the two games played in the provincial capital.

It’s been all Stampeders lately in the Battle of Alberta as Calgary has won eight straight games against the Esks dating back to 2011 and seven straight contests in Edmonton dating back to 2009.

This is Calgary’s first game within the West Division and the team is 1-0 on the road so far. Edmonton has won both divisional games so far (BC in Week 1 and Winnipeg in Week 4) and is also 2-0 at home. 

The Kickoff

When/Where: Thursday, July 24 at 7 p.m. MDT at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton
Television: TSN, ESPN2
Radio: News Talk 770, SiriusXM 167
Internet: www.newstalk770.com

The Stampeders

The Stamps defence continued its stellar play in the early part of the season, shutting down the Ticats and not allowing a single touchdown for the second time this year. Calgary allowed only seven points in the win and has so far allowed only 30 points in three games, the best start to a season defensively since 1971 when the Stamps gave up only nine points in their first three games.

The 30 points in three games is also the fewest points allowed in a three-game span since 1996 when Calgary surrendered only 28 points.

Calgary is particularly stingy against the run, leading the CFL with 71 yards allowed per game.

The offence ranks in the middle of the pack in points scored, yards rushing and first downs. The offence is showing signs of production, however, leading the CFL in red-zone TD percentage (75 per cent) and touchdown efficiency with eight majors in 40 possessions (20 per cent). 

The Stamps were without the services of RB Jon Cornish for a second straight game and, once again, Matt Walter had a solid game as the starter, rushing for 56 yards on 10 carries.

QB Bo Levi Mitchell is now 6-0 as a starter, one win away from former Stampeders QB Jeff Garcia’s CFL record for consecutive wins to start a career. Mitchell threw for 201 yards and rated out at 73.6 for the game, both low marks over his first six wins.

Last week WR Brad Sinopoli scored the first TD of his CFL career on a terrific 26-yard run, while 2013 CFL all-star Marquay McDaniel has started to heat up with a season-best five receptions. 

Who to watch:

Brad Sinopoli, REC, #3
2014 stats –  8 receptions, 77 receiving yards, 9.6-yard average,  0 TDs
Last game –  2 receptions, 25 receiving yards, 12.5-yard average, 0 TD, 1 carry, 26 rushing yards, 26.0 yard average, 1 TD – Week 4 vs Ham.
2013 vs Edm. – 10 receptions, 118 receiving yards, 11.8 yard average, 0 TD in three games

Marquay McDaniel, REC, #16
2014 stats –  10 receptions, 134 receiving yards, 13.4 yard average,  1 TD
Last game –  5 receptions, 54 yards, 10.8 yard average, 0 TDs – Week 4 vs Ham.; led team in receptions
2013 vs Edm. – 9 receptions, 149 receiving yards, 16.5 yard average, 1 TD in three games

Jeff Fuller, REC, #31
2014 stats –  12 receptions, 170 receiving yards, 14.2 yard average,  2 TDs –  leads team in receiving, 10th in CFL
Last game –  4 receptions, 56 yards, 14.0 yard average, 0 TDs – Week 4 vs Ham.; led team in receiving yards
2013 vs Edm. – 4 receptions, 75 receiving yards, 18.8 yard average, 0 TD in one game, Week 17 in Edmonton

Juwan Simpson, LB, #12
2014 stats – 15 tackles, 2 tackles for losses, 2 sacks – tied for team lead in tackles
Last game – 8 tackles  – Week 4 vs Hamilton, led team in tackles
2013 vs Edm. – 13 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 pass knockdown in three games

Micah Johnson, DT, #93
2014 stats – 8 tackles, 3 tackles for losses, 1 sack – leads team in tackles for losses
Last game – 7 tackles, 1 sack – Week 4 versus Hamilton
2013 vs Edm. – 9 tackles, 1 sack in three games played

The Eskimos                                                           

Edmonton has had the biggest turnaround of any team in the CFL from a year ago, winning as many games in four weeks this year as the Eskimos did all season in 2013.

New head coach Chris Jones (a former Stampeders defensive coordinator) has his team firing on all cylinders, with the biggest improvement being on defence. The Esks have shaved 14.3 points per game and 105.8 yards of total offence allowed from their 2013 year-end totals. Edmonton leads the CFL in sacks and takeaways and has the stingiest defence against the pass in the league.

CB Joe Burnett (#22) leads the team in tackles with 17 (fifth best in the CFL) while LB Eric Samuels (#38) is next with 15. DT Almondo Sewell (#90), a 2013 CFL all-star, leads the CFL in sacks with five.

Jones brought former Argos CB Pat Watkins (#9), another league all-star, with him from Toronto, giving the Eskimos a strong presence in the secondary.

On offence, the Eskimos are second in the CFL in rushing due largely to the scrambling of QB Mike Reilly (#13) who leads all quarterbacks with 199 yards rushing. RB Joe White (#30) has emerged as the Esks’ starting tailback and is sixth in the league with 191 rushing yards.

The Eskimos have a host of Canadian receivers in their arsenal, led by former Dino Nate Coehoorn (#85) but veteran import SB Fred Stamps (#2) is the main weapon for Reilly and the four-time CFL all-star always saves his best for playing Calgary. 

Who to watch:

Mike Reilly, QB, #13
2014 stats – 139 attempts, 91 completions, 65.5% completion rate, 930 passing yards, 5 TDs, 3 INTs,  94.7 QB rating
Last game – 31 attempts, 18 completions, 58.1% completion rate, 192 passing yards, 1 TDs , 1 INT, 73.6 QB rating – Week 4 vs Wpg.
2013 vs Cgy –  95 attempts, 50 completions, 52.6% completion rate, 687 passing yards, 5 TDs, 3 INTs in three games

Adarius Bowman, SB, #4
2014 stats –  23 receptions, 312 receiving yards, 13.6 yard average,  4 receiving Tds – leads team in receiving; leads CFL in receiving TDs
Last game – 2 receptions, 28 yards, 14.0 yard average, 0 TD – Week 4 vs Wpg.
2013 vs Cgy – 11 receptions, 102 receiving yards, 9.3 yard average, 1 TD in two games

Odell Willis, DE, #41
2014 stats – 5 tackles, 4 sacks, 1 INT, 1 fumble return, 1 forced fumble, 1 TD
Last game  – 2 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT, 1 fumble return, 1 TD, –  Week 4 vs Wpg.
2013 vs Cgy – 2 tackles – one game played, Week 17 in Edmonton

Stats

The CFL this Week

Friday, July 25, 8 p.m. – Winnipeg (3-1) at BC (2-2)
Saturday, July 26, 5 p.m. – Ottawa (1-2) at Hamilton (0-3)
Saturday, July 26, 5 p.m.  – Toronto (1-3) at Saskatchewan (2-2)
Bye: Montreal