By Mike Hardiman
Stampeders.com

The Pregame

The Stampeders make their second trip this season to Winnipeg and are looking to keep separation from the Eskimos in the race for first in the CFL’s West Division.

The Stamps (9-3, first place) got back in the win column last week with a 35-23 decision at home against the BC Lions and remain two points ahead of Edmonton in the standings. The Bombers had a tough time on the road in Montreal, losing 35-14 to drop their record to 4-8 and currently sit fourth in the West.

It’s a big game for both teams as Winnipeg trails the Lions in the West playoff race and is a full game back of Montreal in the crossover. 

Calgary has won both games between the two teams so far in 2015, a 26-25 squeaker at McMahon in Week 4 and a lopsided 36-8 win at Investors Group Field in Week 10. The Stamps have played very well in Winnipeg in recent history, winning six straight games dating back to 2010 and scoring more than 30 points in four straight games.

Calgary is 5-1 against Western teams but have a losing record thus far on the road at 2-3. Winnipeg is 3-3 at home and 3-4 when playing Western teams. 

The Kickoff

When/Where: Friday, Sept. 25 at 6:30 p.m. MDT at Investors Group Field in Winnipeg
Television: TSN, ESPN3
Radio: Newstalk 770, SiriusXM Channel 167
Internet: www.newstalk770.com

The Stampeders

RB Jon Cornish is back for the Stampeders and, though he was limited to 41 yards rushing in his return last week, he is facing a Winnipeg team he has had great success against recently. The league’s reigning Most Outstanding Canadian has averaged 128 yards rushing in his past six games against the Bombers including four straight games of more than 100 yards and a career-best 208 yards in Week 15 of 2013.

Calgary rushed for 267 yards total in the two previous games against the Bombers this season and averaged 341.5 yards of total offence while scoring seven TDs.

Winnipeg is the site of Stamps QB Bo Levi Mitchell’s first CFL start back in 2013 and Mitchell is 3-0 in games played in Winnipeg, throwing for 948 yards and seven touchdowns in those starts. Mitchell threw for 376 yards (the 10th-highest passing yardage for a QB in his first start in CFL history) and three TDs in his first start against the Bombers. Since then, Mitchell has gone 23-5 to start his CFL career and is tied for the second-best record after 28 games for a starting QB in league history.

As part of Calgary’s overall improved defensive play of late are better starts to games. After the first six games of the season, the Stamps defence allowed 70 first-quarter points but have cut that down to just 15 first-quarter points in the past six games including three games in which they shut out their opponents in the opening 15 minutes.

The Stamps have not allowed an offensive touchdown in four of their past six games. Calgary’s defence forced six turnovers in the win over the Lions last week, after creating just seven in the past five games. 

Who to watch:

Jon Cornish – RB, #9
2015 stats – 73 carries, 366 rushing yards, 5.0 yard average, 4 TDs – leads team in rushing
Last game – 12 carries, 41 rushing yards, 3.4 yard average, 1 TD – Week 13 vs BC
2015 vs Wpg. – 15 carries, 120 rushing yards, 8.0 yard average, 0 TDs – Week 4 at Calgary; season high in rushing yards

Rene Paredes – K, #30
2015 stats – 101 kicking points, 30 FG attempts, 27 FG made, 90.0% accuracy, 16 converts, 4 singles – third in CFL scoring; current streak of 18 straight field goals without a miss
Last game – 11 kicking points, 3 FG attempts, 3 FG made, 100% accuracy, 2 converts – Week 13 vs BC
2015 vs Wpg. – 14 kicking points, 4 FG attempts, 3 FG made, 75% accuracy, 3 converts, 2 singles – two games

Eric Rogers – SB, #80
2015 stats – 64 receptions, 1,044 receiving yards, 16.3 yard average, 7 TDs – leads CFL in receiving; first career 1,000-yard season
Last game – 6 receptions, 115 receiving yards, 19.2 yard average, 0 TDs – Week 13 vs BC; led team in receiving
2015 vs Wpg. – 11 receptions, 223 receiving yards, 20.2 yard average, 1 TD – two games

Charleston Hughes – DE, #39
2015 stats – 32 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 9 sacks, 2 pass knockdowns, 1 fumble return 1 forced fumble – tied for CFL lead in sacks
Last game – 3 tackles – Week 13 vs BC
2015 vs Wpg. – 1 tackle, 1 fumble return, 1 forced fumble – Week 4 at Calgary                              

Joe Burnett – CB, #24
2015 stats – 27 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack, 2 INTs, 4 pass knockdowns, 1 TD
Last game – 5 tackles, 1 INT, 3 pass knockdowns – Week 13 vs BC
2015 vs Wpg. – 4 tackles – two games played

The Blue Bombers                    

Winnipeg lost starting QB Drew Willy to injury in Week 7 and pulled the trigger on a trade for former Eskimo Matt Nichols (#15) four weeks later. Nichols is a six-year CFL veteran and brings stability to the quarterback position that the club was missing in Willy’s absence.

Winnipeg also has a few new offensive weapons since the Week 10 loss to Calgary — RB Chevon Walker (#24) was picked up after Paris Cotton was injured and SB Darvin Adams (#4) is back after missing two contests including the Calgary game because of injury.

Winnipeg has rushed the ball well at times this season, averaging 93.6 yards per game, but has seen that drop a touch since Week 10 with an 88.6-yard average in the past three games. SB Justin Veltung (#19) will get his second straight start if team-leading receiver Nick Moore (#17) is unavailable due to injury. Veltung has 16 catches for 172 yards in his three previous starts.  

The defence has been the strength of the team but the unit has struggled of late, allowing an average of 36 points and 116.6 yards rushing per game in the past three losses.

Rookie LB Khalil Bass (#47) has had a strong season and should benefit from LB Ian Wild’s return from a tryout in the NFL. DE Jamaal Westerman (#55) anchors a solid veteran D-line that plays in front of a young, aggressive secondary that includes rookie CB Johnny Adams (#20) and Demond Washington (#7).

The Bombers would like to get back on track in terms of sacks after getting shut out against Montreal; this following 20 sacks in the previous five games. 

Matt Nichols – QB, #15
2015 stats – 287 attempts, 172 completions, 59.9% completion rate, 1,960 passing yards, 9 TDs, 12 INTs, 73.5 QB rating – traded to Winnipeg from Edmonton in Week 11
Last game – 48 attempts, 23 completions, 47.9% completion rate, 189 passing yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT,  49.7 QB rating –  Week 13 vs Montreal;  career high in attempts
2015 vs Calgary – did not play; member of the Eskimos

Darvin Adams – SB, #4
2015 stats – 34 receptions, 504 receiving yards, 14.8 yard average, 2 receiving TDs – second on team in receiving
Last game – 4 receptions, 42 receiving yards, 10.5 yard average, 0 TDs – Week 13 vs Montreal
2015 vs Calgary – 5 receptions, 121 receiving yards, 24.2 yard average, 1 TD – Week 4 at Calgary

Jamaal Westerman – DE, #55
2015 stats – 43 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 9 sacks, 1 forced fumble – tied for CFL lead in sacks
Last game – 2 tackles – Week 13 at Montreal
2015 vs Calgary – 9 tackles, 2 sacks – two games played 

Stats (through Week 13)

Week 14 in the CFL

Saturday, Sept. 26, 2 p.m. – BC at Edmonton
Saturday, Sept. 26, 5 p.m. – Toronto at Ottawa
Sunday, Sept. 27, 2 p.m. – Montreal at Saskatchewan

Bye – Hamilton