It’s a revenge game for the Calgary Stampeders as they head into Saturday’s matchup looking to take down the Edmonton Elks.
The two teams just played each other Monday afternoon in their annual Labor Day game that saw Edmonton pull away with a 32-20 win over Calgary. Elks quarterback Trevor Harris shined in the game throwing for 398 yards and four touchdowns in the win. The CFL’s leading rusher James Wilder also found some success on the Stampeders’ defense totaling 81 yards of offense.
While the Stampeders’ secondary took a big hit with multiple long pass plays, their rookie quarterback Jake Maier continued his success throwing for 328 yards and one touchdown. That was Maier’s third straight game with 300 yards in a game which is a CFL record for a rookie quarterback.
The defense left much to be desired though after allowing almost 500 yards of total offense. Fans saw Calgary allow multiple big gain runs and passes from Edmonton that forced the Stampeders’ offense to play catch up.
Calgary heads into the contest with a 1-4 record. They have produced only one win in four attempts at home as the team prepares to be on the road in four of the next five games. Edmonton’s situation is different now that they hold a 2-2 record and are back in the playoff hunt.
Keys to a Calgary Stampeders Win
All signs seem to point towards Bo Levi Mitchell returning to the starting lineup for the first time in almost a month. Mitchell has been taking the starter snaps in practice this week. No decision has been made as of yet, but if Mitchell feels ready, the team will put him out there. Mitchell has to protect the ball which turnovers have been an issue for him this season. More pressure will be on the offensive line to prevent Mitchell from taking unnecessary hits.
Ka’Deem Carey wasn’t able to get as involved in the offense as he has been in past games. The team will look to him to get back into form on the ground to win the time of possession and keep the ball out of Edmonton’s hands. Playmakers like Carey, Kamar Jorden, Josh Huff, and Markeith Ambles have to have big games to help Calgary steal a win on the road.
The biggest concern heading into Saturday’s contest is the defense. Calgary’s secondary has played inconsistently at times this season, but had a bad showing against the Elks. If they are able to eliminate the big plays and force two and outs at a high rate, it’ll give their offense an opportunity to get some points on the board for them.
Keys to an Edmonton Elks Win
It’s the Trevor Harris and James Wilder show in Edmonton. The league’s leading passer and rusher has propelled one of the top offenses in the CFL to dominate so far this season. Their game plan is simple: protect Harris in the pocket, get the ball in Wilder’s hands, and continue to produce big plays. If they can keep the same game plan from last week’s game, the Elks could cruise to another win in front of their home crowd.
The Elks’ defense have their eyes on Mitchell should he start at quarterback. They were only able to sack Maier one time last week and will be poised to get more pressure on the quarterback. Edmonton did a good job containing Carey in the backfield throughout the game. Eliminating Carey from the game forces Calgary to be one dimension on offense which puts pressure on the injured Mitchell to win the game for the Stampeders.
