Labour Day Classic - Battle of Alberta (Part 2)

[OzSome]

Battle of Alberta - Part 1 was on Week 5 and Calgary Stampeders(4-0 at that time) defeated Edmonton Eskimos (also 4-0 during that time) 26-22. That was the first game Chris Jones coached the Eskimos vs Calgary Stampeders and looks like the animosity between Jones and Stamps coaching staff and players started. Monday's Labour Day Classics will featured the same top two teams in the CFL (both have 7-1 record). It's been a long time since both the two teams Stamps and Eskimos are ahead of everyone else. Usually only the Stamps are in the top spot while the Eskimos has been dismal in a past few years.

Offense :

Calgary offense posted 458 total yards last week against the Ottawa RedBlacks. First half was actually played well but the Stamps couldn't capitalized whenever they were in the red zone. The score last week was actually deceiving since most of those points happened late in the game. Calgary rushed for 181 yards in the game.

QB Bo Levi Mitchell played well but like mentioned offense could not capitalized on their chances in the first half. He completed for 286 passing yards and rushed for 30 yards.

RB Jon Cornish in his first half after coming off his concussion injury rushed for 74 yards and caught the ball for 10 yards. Last year's Labour Day game, he rushed 16 times for 60 yards.

WR Joe West played an exceptional but emotional game last week. He caught a bac-to-back big gained of 50+ yards. West ended up catching 4 times for 129 yards. West was the CFL Offensive Player of the Week. West did not play last year's Labour Day Classic game.

WR Maurice Price will be playing his first game after his injury in the first game. Last year's LBC game, he torched the Eskimos and caught 5 passes for 165 yards and scored 3 TDs.

WR Sederrick Cunningham scored a back-to-back TDs late last game. First he scored on a rushing TD then returned a punt for a TD after Stamps D stopped Ottawa's offense in 2 plays.

OLine will have to deal with one of the most explosive pass rusher in the CFL in Odell Willis. Last game they played against the Eskimos though.


Defense :

DT Demonte Bolden proved that he can still play last game. Bolden had a monster game giving Burris a hard time all game. Bolden was responsible for 4 tackles, 1 quarterback sack and a forced fumble. His interior partner DT Junior Turner also had his best game in his career. Turner led the team with 6 tackles.

DB Jamar Wall continued his strong game picking up another INT. That INT was Wall's third pick in the last 3 games. DB Brandon Smith will have his work cut out for him this game. He will responsible in playing against Eskimos R Fred Stamps all game.

Special Team :

The whole group have been playing well this season so far but for some reason K Rene Paredes been having some off season missing 5 field goals already. Paredes was pretty much perfect last season so it is hard to figure out his struggle this early season. I am sure he'll bounce back and he'll start going back to normal.

It looks like returner Jock Sanders will be missing the game again so I guess we'll see Cunningham as a punt returner and Hugh Charles dojng a kickoff return.

*******************************************

Game Time : Monday, September 1st at 2:30pm McMahon Stadium
Televised : TSN & ESPN3

Go Stamps Go!!!

[Flickered Flame]

Cunningham is out, Sanders back in according to the depth chart released this morning.

[OzSome]

GAME NOTES : (based on Calgary Herald, Saturday edition)

CALGARY

WR Jeff Fuller(shoulder), RB Matt Walter(concussion), RB Martell Mallett(groin), OG Brander Craighead(ankle), WR Brad Sinopli(upper body), DT Micah Johnson(knee), LB Max Caron(knee), DL DeQuin Evans, CB Brandon McDonald, DT Freddie Bishop III(undisclosed), LS Randy Chevrier are OUT. Herald also listed RB Jock Sanders(rib) and LB Glenn Love(hamstring) injured.

According to Calgary Stampeders Depth Chart tweet FB Rob Cote, RB Hugh Charles, WR Sederrick Cunningham, LB Yannick Carter and LB Maalik Bomar will be OUT on Labour Day Classic game. RB Jock Sanders, WR Maurice Price, LB Glenn Love, FB Charlie Power and DT Corey Mace are IN. Cote and Charles was put on 1-game injured list.

EDMONTON :

QB Mike Reilly(hand), R Fred Stamps(lower body), SB Jamal Miles(undisclosed), WR Akeem Foster, RB Noel Devine(lower body), RB John White(broken finger), SB Patrick Robertson(knee), OL Justin Sorensen(knee), OL Tony Washington(undisclosed), OL Chris Mercer(undisclosed), OL Thadeus Coleman(shoulder), DB Joe Burnett(knee), DB Robert Sands(hamstring), DL Marcus Howard(thumb) and DL Don Oramansionwu(knee) are OUT.

*************************************************

So it looks like the 2 former Eastern Washington QBs Bo Levi Mitchell of Calgary and Matt Nicholls of Edmonton will be starting against each other. Another Eastern Washington alumni LB JC Sherritt will also start for Edmonton on defense.

Not sure what happened to Rob Cote but of all the games Cornish needed him most today. Rob Cote is by far one of the best FB in the CFL blocking for RB Jon Cornish. I would have want to see Cunningham play again this week especially as a returner. RB Hugh Charles actually I thought was good as Cornish backup last week but everyone knows Sanders is the backup RB and the main returner for this team so those two are out. Hopefully Sanders is healthy enough to help the Stampeders kick some Green and Gold behind.

Maurice Price is back!! Unfortunately we are going to miss Jeff Fuller in the lineup. Mo & Joe Show is back again for at least one of the Battle of Alberta game. Hufnagel says Joe West will miss the Friday in Edmonton to attend his brother's funeral.

DT Corey Mace is also back. Before the injury, Mace been dominant on the line. His replacement Junior Turner actually played well last week so we are looking good on DT along with Demonte Bolden who was so fired up on his first game last week. With Mace coming back, watch for the Sackmaster Charleston Hughes to get more room and I predict, he'll drop Nicholls at least a couple of times this game.

Last week the defensive unit did not allow any points vs Ottawa's offense. Hopfully a repeat this week sans defensive TD by Edmonton.

I am so pumped up for this game. No signature uniform for me yet but I'll still cheer my a$& out tomorrow.

GO STAMPS GO!!!

[The Familia]

Can't wait! This game should be a doozy! Not very many tickets left, hoping for a sell out!

[browna]

Big question is, can Grant Shaw miss yet another FG in Calgary? And, what classless dick move will that traitor Chris Jones pull off this game/post game? Hope he brought his motorbike!

[Stay Golden]

Regular season game of the year.

[OzSome]

Knowing Chris Jones, he'll try to eliminate Jon Cornish and would rather let BLM pass the ball a lot with pressure.

Today is the beginning of the real season in the CFL. We will see who's going to be the real contenders in the West.

We might get Glen Suitor as the color commentator today because he worked in Saskatchewan yesterday. I wonder how many times will he mention JC Sherritt's name today?

[browna]

Ho hum...what Edmonton defense? 6 plays, 70 yards on first drive, Stamps 7-0.

Signature unis look fantastic. Best of the CFL. Helmet looks awesome with red, chrome and matte black, jersey great, but then the pants and socks really set it off well. Very well done for an alternate/special setup.

[OzSome]

Love the helmet, love the uni and even the pants. I defitely love the start of this game.

GO STAMPS GO!!

[OzSome]

Sucks!!

[transplant99]

Well that sucked.

[browna]

Maver uses a hourglass to get that punt off, and gets blocked for a TD the other way.

[troutman]

Fortunate bounce on the blocked punt to the open sideline.

[PeteLFan]

The offense better get some momentum going the d can only keep this up for so long

[OzSome]

Originally Posted by browna

Maver uses a hourglass to get that punt off, and gets blocked for a TD the other way.

So I guess if the punt is blocked the punter is free for all, right? The guy who blocked the punt pretty much mugged Maver after the punt got blocked.

[PeteLFan]

Omg Mitchel misses so many big plays

[troutman]

Brutal spot - seemed like he was down two yards short.

[OzSome]

Originally Posted by troutman

Brutal spot - seemed like he was down two yards short.

I was surprised that it was inches short. I thought it would have been over a yard short.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by OzSome

So I guess if the punt is blocked the punter is free for all, right? The guy who blocked the punt pretty much mugged Maver after the punt got blocked.

Correct...once that ball is touched he is just another player.

[PeteLFan]

That was awful the guy was a good two to three yards short. It's called a hangover buddy