Inside the CFL: Bring on the stretch run

By None on October 9, 2018.

Montreal Alouettes' Chip Cox, left, tackles Calgary Stampeders' Terry Williams during first half CFL football action in Montreal, Monday, October 8, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

With Calgary’s 12-6 win over Les Larks at Percival Molson Stadium, the malediction (curse, for us unilinguals) has finally been lifted. It wasn’t easy.

Going into yesterday’s game, the Stampeders had lost four straight at Montreal, their last win coming July 12, 2013. Since then, Montreal has won 33 regular season games, Calgary 69. The last time Bo Levi Mitchell was shut out in the first half was July 3, 2015 in, you guessed it, Montreal.

In what looked like a remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds,” the visitors looked like they belonged in a horror movie. Still, it says a lot about a team when they can win while playing as badly on offence as they did.

Give Montreal credit. They are getting better every time out, especially on defence. But at 3-12, they will miss the playoffs for the fourth year in a row.

The most valuable member of the Calgary Stampeders resides in the front office. Lose most of your starting receivers? Go out and get some more. That’s exactly what general manager John Hufnagel has done, signing three veterans, the most notable being Chris Matthews, the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie in 2012 as a Winnipeg Blue Bomber and a star with the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks. In the 2014 NFC championship game against Green Bay, Matthews recovered a short kickoff that led to a comeback victory. He had four catches for 109 yards and a touchdown in the subsequent Super Bowl and likely would have been named MVP were it not for coach Pete Carroll’s decision to throw from the New England one yard line.

Released by the Baltimore Ravens last season, the 6-foot-5, 228-pound Matthews is a big target for Mitchell. If the 29-year-old can still play, along with the return of Eric Rogers from the injury list, the Stampeders will field a formidable passing attack the rest of the way.

An intriguing addition to the red and white is former Chicago Bear, 5-10, 215 lb. running back Ka-Deem Carey. His NFL career ended with a wrist injury that required surgery. But he’s only 25 years old and could be the real deal.

The Stamps aren’t out of the woods yet as far as first place is concerned. They lead Saskatchewan by four points with four games left to play. The Riders snatched victory from the jaws of defeat yesterday when one of the Twin Towers, defensive end Willie Jefferson, picked off Eskimo Mike Reilly and returned it for a touchdown, his second pick-six of the season. The other Tower, fellow defensive end Charleston Hughes, sacked and harassed the Edmonton pivot all game long. The Green-and-Gold led 12-9 late in the final frame. Jefferson’s major and a last-play field goal gave the home team a 19-12 win. They had to prevail by seven points to take the season series. The three-pointer did exactly that.

Saskatchewan can clinch second place and the right to host the West Division semifinal if they win in Winnipeg Saturday. Meanwhile, the Eskimos have lost three in a row and five of their last six games. They haven’t won on the road since July 26 in Montreal. They are tied with the Lions and trail the Bombers by two.

Saskatchewan, Edmonton and Winnipeg each have three games left, Calgary and B.C., four. The Riders are in Winnipeg and Calgary, home to B.C. They have the last week off. The Bombers host Saskatchewan and Calgary and finish up at Edmonton in a game that could determine the final playoff spot. The Lions play Calgary Saturday, followed by a visit from the Eskimos, a jaunt to Regina and a home game against Calgary. I don’t like their chances. Tied at the moment with Winnipeg, Edmonton’s other game is Saturday when they entertain the unpredictable Redblacks.

Following the Grey Cup, heads will roll in Edmonton.