Montreal @ Calgary preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 8, 2018 ) Calgary 12, Montreal 6

The Calgary Stampeders could have their star quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell back in the lineup when they host the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday. Mitchell has been sidelined since late June with a shoulder injury, with the Stampeders going 4-2 in his absence and hope the return of their veteran gunslinger powers them to their 10th consecutive home win in their rivalry with the Alouettes.

"I trust that he understands his own body and we get there," Calgary coach Dave Dickenson told reporters. "He's got to feel confident and if he does then we'll go with him." Montreal sunk below .500 following a 17-10 weather-shortened loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Week 9. The Alouettes have dropped two straight games after winning their previous three to fall six points behind the first-place Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the East Division and hope to end their slide by knocking off the Stampeders in Calgary for the first time since July 1, 2009. "For whatever reason I don't think the confidence is there," Montreal coach Khari Jones told reporters. "Things happen sometimes and we have to figure it out and get all these guys on the right track."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS

ABOUT THE ALOUETTES (3-4): Vernon Adams Jr., who is 3-2 as the starting quarterback this season, is ready to return from a one-game absence because of a concussion while Matt Shiltz is set to move into the backup role. B.J. Cunningham underwent wrist surgery and is likely lost for the season while fellow wide receiver DeVier Posey looks set to return to the fold after missing the previous three games with a calf injury. Montreal is hopeful that running back William Stanback, who ranks second in the league with 592 rushing yards, is ready to return after sitting out the loss to Saskatchewan with an injury to his heel.

ABOUT THE STAMPEDERS (5-3): Nick Arbuckle completed 22-of-35 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown but Calgary conceded a pair of punt-return touchdowns in the 26-24 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Starting running back Don Jackson returned to practice for the first time after missing the last six games with a concussion and is expected to play Saturday while linebacker Cory Greenwood, who leads the CFL in tackles, is questionable because of a stiff back. Calgary bolstered its defensive line with the addition of Anthony Johnson, who appeared in 22 NFL games with four different teams from 2014-17, to its practice roster.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Calgary WR Eric Rogers leads the CFL with six touchdown catches.

2. Montreal has dropped 17 of its last 21 road games since the start of the 2017 season.

3. The Stampeders are 9-1 in their last 10 home games against East Division opponents.

PREDICTION: Stampeders 34, Alouettes 24