Inside the CFL: Dickenson duel set for Saturday at Mosaic

By Medicine Hat News on October 7, 2021.

Last week in the CFL, the afflicted rose up and smote their tormentors. Ottawa won their second game of the season, defeating Edmonton 34-24. The 2-4 Alouettes beat Hamilton in overtime, 23-20, and the 2-5 Calgary Stampeders knocked off the Roughriders at the Crowchild Corral, 23-17.

There were anguished screams emanating from our eastern neighbour, “the living skies are falling, the living skies are falling.”

Regina Leader-Post scribe and devoted Green and White fan Rob Vanstone wrote the day after the “debacle” at McMahon, “The(Riders’) first two losses were to a Winnipeg powerhouse and are understandable. The donation of two points to the worst Calgary team since 2007 is another matter entirely.”

Saskatchewan lost their two games to the Bombers by a total of 38 points. The Stamps lost their one appearance in Red River Country by two points when the usually sure-footed Rene Parades missed a last-play field goal.

“What a game!” I noted when the showdown between the Dickenson brothers came to an end last Saturday. The fans certainly got their money’s worth. I loved every minute of it.

While Rider critics thoroughly panned their team, they failed to take into account that Calgary was desperately in need of a win to stay in the playoff hunt. A young bunch of Stampeders rose to the occasion, especially on defence and special teams. They had to punch above their weight because after a quick two-touchdown start in the opening quarter, the offence, led by the largely ineffective Bo Levi Mitchell, sputtered after that.

The veteran pivot and 2018’s Most Outstanding Player, and twice a Grey Cup champion, completed his first eight passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns. The streak ended at 7:41 of the second quarter. From then until he was sacked three times near the end of the contest, he was good on eight of 17 passes for 93 yards, no touchdowns and an interception.

After the game , he admitted he had aggravated his right shoulder during the proceedings. He had the shoulder operated on in 2019 and it still hasn’t healed.

“It’s sore, it bothered me,” he allowed. “I didn’t have that pop on my throws.” Still, he wasn’t thinking of sitting out. “I’ll just take the Michael Reilly route and have the doctors put some special sauce in it before the game,” he said with a smile.

Although Dickenson didn’t think the passing shoulder tweak was too serious, it’s time for the Stampeders to take a serious look at the veteran’s future. Besides performing poorly, he’s consuming a big chunk of the team’s salary budget. Who will get the start Saturday night, the mangled Mitchell or the healthy youngster Jake Maier?

The Dickenson brothers agreed on one thing following the opener of the best-of-three series. Said Dave: “We’re not playing that well, we’re really grinding it. We needed that win badly.”

As for Rider boss Craig, “We didn’t play well enough to win.”

What about changes? “I don’t see a lot of guys that we can dress because we’ve got our best players playing.”

To shore up their receiving corps, Saskatchewan signed Duke Williams an All-Canadian who played for Edmonton. He’s expected to replace the injured deep-threat Shaq Evans.

Against Calgary, Canadian rookie receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker caught five passes for 107 yards. Kyran Moore had a good night as did Braden Lenius – I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the receiving corps. Only Winnipeg’s is better. I think the problem is offensive coordinator Jay Maas. He under-utilizes outstanding running back William Powell and too often isn’t on the same page as quarterback Cody Fajardo who seems to lack confidence in him.

To play Bo or not to play Bo, that is Dave Dickenson’s question. He knows he has a young team that makes mistakes and will again this Saturday. He likes Mitchell’s veteran presence. Brother Craig, who has yet to beat his younger sibling Dave, potentially has a more serious problem.

The Roughriders are a better team than Calgary. Their defence, led by Ed Gainey, Deon Lacey, Micah Teitz and Jonathan Woodard, is superb. Because of that, and because it is difficult to win both games in a back-to-back series, I expect Craig Dickenson to beat his younger brother Dave for the first time Saturday at Mosaic.

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