By Mike Hardiman
Stampeders.com

The Pregame

The Stampeders look to get back on track as they play host to the BC Lions this week.

The Stamps (8-3, first place in the West) had their six-game winning streak ended last week at the hands of the Eskimos, losing 27-16 in Edmonton. The Lions (4-6, third place) were roughed up by the RedBlacks 31-18 at home and have now lost three of their past four games.

Calgary won two of three games against the Lions in 2014 but BC played the Stamps tough at McMahon, winning the first game 25-24 in Week 6 and losing a close 14-7 affair in Week 14. The Week 6 loss was the only home loss for the Stamps in 2014 and one of only three regular-season losses for the entire season.

Calgary is 7-5 since 2008 at home against the Leos, including a 3-1 record over the last four home contests.

Last week’s loss dropped the Stamps’ record within the West Division to 4-1 and Calgary is still undefeated at home at 6-0. The Lions are 3-1 against Western teams but have a losing record on the road at 2-3. 

The Kickoff

When/Where: Friday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. MDT at McMahon Stadium in Calgary
Television: TSN, ESPN3
Radio: Newstalk 770, SiriusXM Channel 167
Internet: www.newstalk770.com

The Stampeders

The Stamps will be getting one of their top players back into the lineup this week as RB Jon Cornish is set to return after missing six games because of a thumb injury.

With seven games left in the season, Cornish needs to average 96 yards per game to reach the 1,000-yard plateau for a fourth straight season. Cornish averaged 98.9 rushing yards per game from 2012-2014 but has seen that average drop to 65 yards per game this season (76 yards per game in the four games he completed).

Calgary’s offence may be in need of the spark Cornish could provide after back-to-back games of 16 points scored against the Eskimos. Calgary did improve their offensive numbers in last week’s loss compared to Labour Day’s win but were done in by four turnovers. The Stamps had averaged 39.3 points per game in the three contests prior to Labour Day (all wins).

Slotbacks Eric Rogers and Marquay McDaniel continue to be the main players in the passing game and both receivers are tied for second in the CFL with 17 second-down conversion receptions. Rogers leads the CFL in receiving and is just 71 yards shy of his first 1,000-yard season. McDaniel is also fifth in the new stat of reception percentage, catching 76.6 per cent of passes thrown his way.

The Stamps defence was solid in the three games against the Lions in 2014, allowing an average of 342 yards and 16 points per game.

The defence will need to rebound this week after allowing 352 yards passing to Edmonton last week including four passing plays of more than 40 yards, two for touchdowns. LB Deron Mayo leads the team in tackles with 47 and has 12 stops and two sacks in his past three games. DE Freddie Bishop III has been putting up some good numbers as well of late with seven tackles and three sacks in his past three games, giving him a career best six sacks on the season.

Who to watch:

Jon Cornish – RB, #9
2015 stats – 61 carries, 325 rushing yards, 5.3 yard average, 3 TDs –  five games played, second on team in rushing
Last game – 37 carries, 20 rushing yards, 2.9 yard average, 1 TD – Week 5 at Ottawa
2014 vs BC – 20 carries, 156 rushing yards, 7.8 yard average, 0 TDs – Week 14 at Calgary

Bo Levi Mitchell – QB, #19
2015 stats – 351 attempts, 232 completions, 65.0% completion rate,  2,977 passing yards, 16 TDs, 10 INTs, 94.3 QB rating – second in CFL passing yards, third in CFL passing TDs
Last game – 41 attempts, 25 completions, 61.0% completion rate, 244 passing yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs,  65.5 QB rating –  Week 12 at Edmonton, tied career high in attempts
2014 vs BC – 49 attempts, 34 completions, 69.3% completion rate, 435 passing yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT – two games

Marquay McDaniel – SB, #16
2015 stats – 49 receptions, 613 receiving yards, 12.5 yard average, 2 TDs – second on team in receiving, sixth in CFL receiving
Last game – 3 receptions, 35 receiving yards, 11.7 yard average, 0 TDs – Week 12 at Edmonton
2014 vs BC – 15 receptions, 215 receiving yards, 14.3 yard average, 1 TD – two games

Deron Mayo – LB, #42
2015 stats – 47 tackles, 4 special teams tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble – leads team in tackles, fifth in CFL tackles
Last game – 4 tackles – Week 12 at Edmonton
2014 vs BC – 16 tackles, 1 special teams tackle, 2 pass knockdowns – three games played           

Keon Raymond – DB, #25
2015 stats – 27 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack, 2 INTs, 4 pass knockdowns, 1 TD
Last game – 3 tackles – Week 12 at Edmonton
2014 vs BC – 18 tackles, 2 special teams tackles, 3 INTs, 1 pass knockdown, 1 forced fumble, 1 TD – three games

The Lions                          

The Lions were a playoff team at 9-9 last season but had to cross over to the East where they lost a lopsided 50-17 game to the Alouettes. At 4-6 after 10 games, the crossover is once again in play, however this time the Lions are in danger of losing their West playoff spot to an Eastern team.

The Lions are without starting QB Travis Lulay due to injury so QB John Beck (#12) gets the start in Lulay’s place.

Key for the Lions is getting RB Andrew Harris (#33) involved in the offence. Harris leads the CFL in rushing and averages 86.5 yards per game in the Lions’ four wins. That average drops to 47.6 yards in the six losses and Harris has rushed for only 49 yards total in the team’s last three defeats.

SB Emmanuel Arceneaux (#84) is the team’s number one receiver but sits 18th in league receiving. Harris leads the team in receptions and NFL veteran Austin Collie (#17) has had a decent inaugural CFL season at receiver.

BC’s defence is missing Most Outstanding Defensive Player Solomon Elimimian because of an injury but MLB Adam Bighill (#44) has filled in nicely, leading the CFL in tackles with 69. CFL rookie Micheal Brooks (#90) is the anchor on the D-line while rookie Craig Roh (#93) leads the team in sacks with four. Second-year Lion T.J. Lee (#6) leads the team in interceptions with three and has 44 tackles as well while sophomore LB Alex Hoffman-Ellis (#11) has played well since moving into the starting lineup. 

Andrew Harris – RB, #33
2015 stats – 138 carries, 633 rushing yards, 4.6 yard average, 4 rushing TDs; 38 receptions, 383 receiving yards, 10.1 yard average, 2 receiving TDs – leads CFL in rushing and yards from scrimmage
Last game – 4 carries, 3 rushing yards, 0.8 yard average, 0 TDs; 3 receptions, 30 receiving yards, 10.0 yard average, 0 TDs – Week 12 vs Ottawa
2014  vs Cgy.  – 27 carries, 146 rushing yards, 5.4 yard average, 0 TDs; 10 receptions, 102 receiving yards, 10.2 yard average, 1 TD – two games

John Beck – QB, #12
2015 stats – 63 attempts, 41 completions, 65.1% completion rate, 416 passing yards, 4 TDs, 4 INTs, 78.5 QB rating
Last game – 29 attempts, 20 completions, 69.0% completion rate, 207 passing yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs,  72.1 QB rating –  Week 12 vs Ottawa;  first career start
2014  vs Cgy.  – 4 attempts, 2 completions, 50.0% completion rate, 13 passing yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs – three games

Adam Bighill, MLB, #44
2015 stats – 69 tackles, 4 special teams tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 sack – leads CFL in tackles
Last game – 6 tackles – Week 12 vs Ottawa
2014  vs Cgy.  – 11 tackles, 2 special teams tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble – two games

Stats (through Week 12)

Week 13 in the CFL

Saturday, Sept. 19, 2 p.m. – Edmonton at Hamilton
Saturday, Sept. 19, 7 p.m. – Ottawa at Saskatchewan
Sunday, Sept. 20, 11 a.m. – Winnipeg at Montreal

Bye – Toronto