By Mike Hardiman
Special to Stampeders.com

The Pregame

It’s the biggest game of the year so far as the Calgary Stampeders and Edmonton Eskimos meet in their annual Labour Day showdown at McMahon.

This year’s classic sees the two teams sporting identical 7-1 records, the best records for the two rivals at this point in the season since 1994 when Calgary was 7-1 and Edmonton was 6-2. Calgary won its third straight game last week by beating the RedBlacks in Ottawa by a 32-7 score while the Eskimos kept pace by beating Toronto 41-27. The win was also Edmonton’s third straight.

Calgary holds the top spot in the West by virtue of a 26-22 win over Edmonton back in Week 5 and has now won eight straight games against the Eskimos. Edmonton’s most recent win over the Stamps was on Labour Day in 2011, a 35- 7 score. Calgary is 7-3 over the past 10 games played at McMahon against Edmonton (dating back to 2008) and is 4-2 in the past six Labour Day Classics. Calgary has only played two games against West opponents thus far and is 1-1. The Stamps are 3-1 at home while Edmonton is 2-1 against the West and a perfect 4-0 on the road. 

The Kickoff

When/Where: Monday, Sept. 1 at 2:30 p.m. MDT at McMahon Stadium in Calgary
Television: TSN, ESPN2
Radio: News Talk 770, SiriusXM 167
Internet: www.newstalk770.com

The Stampeders

Calgary’s defence posted some of its best numbers in last week’s win over Ottawa, the Stamps’ second victory against the RedBlacks in three weeks. The Stamps allowed just 65 rushing yards (second best this year), 132 passing yards and 159 total yards, each of the latter two figures being the lowest totals of the season.

Calgary did not give up an offensive touchdown for the third time in eight games and also held an opponent to less than 10 points for the third time. Calgary’s defence is neck and neck with the Eskimos defence in the league rankings but holds the edge in points allowed and touchdowns allowed.

The Stamps allowed 262 yards to the Eskimos in the Week 5 win in Edmonton, including 98 yards rushing.

DE Junior Turner led the team last week with six tackles, a career high, while DB Jamar Wall continued to hold a hot hand, collecting four tackles and an interception, his third pick in three games.

Calgary’s offence also posted good numbers with 458 yards of offence including 181 yards along the ground, both season highs. Calgary has rushed for more than 100 yards in seven of the eight games played this season including 115 against Edmonton in Week 5.

WR Joe West was named the CFL’s top offensive player after catching four passes for 129 yards against Ottawa, the highest single-game total for a Calgary receiver this year. WR Sederrik Cunningham had the first two touchdowns of his young career, a 20-yard run and a 67-yard punt return. It was the first punt-return TD for Calgary since 2007.

Calgary should get another weapon back this week as WR Maurice Price is expected to return from injury after missing seven games due to injury. 

Who to watch:

Maurice Price, WR #17
2014 stats –  1 reception, 102 yards,  1 TD – one game
Last game –  1 reception, 102 receiving yards, 102.0 yard average,  1 TD – Week 1 vs Mtl
2013 Labour Day – 5 receptions, 165 receiving yards, 33.0 yard average, 3 TDs

Jon Cornish, RB, #9
2014 stats – 30 carries, 141 yards rushing, 4.7-yard average, 1 rushing TD  – two games
Last game – 14 carries, 67 yards, 4.8-yard average, 1 TD – Week 9 vs Ott.
2013 Labour Day  – 17 carries, 60 yards rushing, 3.5 yard average, 0 rushing TDs

Joe West, WR, #85
2014 stats –  11 receptions, 268 receiving yards, 24.4-yard average – leads CFL in yards per catch
Last game –  4 receptions, 129 yards, 32.3-yard average – Week 9 vs Ott.; led team in receptions; CFL offensive player of the week
2013 Labour Day – did not play due to injury

Charleston Hughes, DE, #39
2014 stats – 21 tackles, 1 special teams tackle, 1 tackle for loss, 7 sacks, 2 pass knockdowns, 3 forced fumbles – leads team in sacks, tied for second in CFL
Last game – 1 tackle, 1 sack  – Week 9 vs. Ott. 
2013 Labour Day – 4 tackles, 3 sacks

Shawn Lemon, DE, #40
2014 stats – 11 tackles, 2 tackles for losses, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble – second on team in sacks
Last game – 1 tackle, 1 sack – Week 9 vs. Ott.
2013 Labour Day – did not play 

The Eskimos                                         

Edmonton head coach Chris Jones came to the Eskimos as a defensive guru after six trips to the Grey Cup with three different teams as their defensive coordinator (including the 2008 win with Calgary) and defence has been the biggest improvement in Edmonton from a year ago.

The Eskimos rank in the top two in 23 of 25 defensive categories and lead the CFL in 10 of them, including fewest total yards allowed. Edmonton is doing it with pressure as they are second in the CFL in sacks with 29 and three of their four starting D-linemen rank in the top 11 in sacks. DE Odell Willis (#41) and Almondo Sewell (#90) are tied for second in the CFL with seven sacks each.

MLB Rennie Curran (#35) leads the team in tackles with 31 and former CFL top defensive player J.C. Sherritt (#47) is working himself back into the lineup after a lengthy absence due to injury. The Esks also lead the CFL in interceptions with 14, with LB Dexter McCoil (#45) leading the way with four.

On offence, the biggest question going into Monday’s game is the health of QB Mike Reilly. Reilly hurt his hand in last week’s win over Toronto and if he can’t go this week, QB Matt Nichols (#16) should get the start.

Edmonton has also had to do without SB Fred Stamps and RB John White of late due to injury but have taken a page from Calgary’s book and used the “next man up” philosophy to rank second in the CFL in points scored. RB Kendial Lawrence (#32) and SB A.J. Guyton (#82) have stepped up when called upon while WR Shamawd Chambers (#17) and RB Tyler Thomas (#24) are others on Edmonton’s offence to watch.

Who to watch:

Adarius Bowman, SB, #4
2014 stats –  49 receptions, 619 receiving yards, 12.6-yard average, 5 receiving TDs – leads CFL in receiving
Last game – 8 receptions, 87 yards, 10.8 yard average – Week 9 vs Tor.
2013 Labour Day –  did not play due to injury

Almondo Sewell, DT, #90
2014 stats – 20 tackles, 2 tackles for losses, 7 sacks – tied for team lead in sacks
Last game  – 3 tackles, 1 sack – Week 9 vs Tor.
2013 Labour Day – 3 tackles

Dexter McCoil, LB, #45
2014 stats – 25 tackles, 5 special teams tackles, 2 tackles for losses, 1 sack, 4 INTs, 2 pass knockdowns, 2 TDs
Last game  – 5 tackles, 2 INTs, 2 TDs – Week 9 versus Toronto; CFL defensive player of the week
2013 Labour Day – did not play

Stats

The CFL this Week

Friday, Aug. 29,  5:30 p.m. – Ottawa (1-7) at Montreal (1-7)
Sunday, Aug. 31,  2 p.m. – Winnipeg (6-3) at Saskatchewan (6-2)
Monday, Sept. 1,  11 a.m. – Toronto (3-6) at Hamilton (1-6)
Bye: BC