Saskatchewan @ Calgary preview
McMahon Stadium
Last Meeting ( Aug 19, 2018 ) Calgary 27, Saskatchewan 40
The Calgary Stampeders look to clinch their third consecutive West Division title when they host the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday. The Stampeders missed a chance to secure a bye to the Western Final following their first home loss of the season against the BC Lions 26-21 in Week 18, but the same opportunity presents itself against the second-place Roughriders, whom they have split the previous two meetings with in 2018.
"We're not clicking on many cylinders at all right now and there's a lot of work to do," Calgary coach Dave Dickenson told reporters. "We've got a good record but we've got to make sure we're a lot better than that." Saskatchewan's division title hopes took a big hit following a disappointing 31-0 defeat to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Roughriders are four points off the pace and must win their remaining three games and hope the Stampeders lose out in order to capture their first West Division crown since 2013, but can clinch a home playoff date if they can knock off Calgary and the BC Lions fall to the Edmonton Eskimos on Friday. "We've got a good football team but certainly we have things we've got to clean up," Saskatchewan coach Chris Jones told reporters. "We've won the second most games in the league and not by accident."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN
ABOUT THE ROUGHRIDERS (10-6): Zach Collaros was limited to 69 yards on 8-of-19 passing with two interceptions before he was pulled in the third quarter as Saskatchewan was shut out for the first time since Sept. 26, 2014. Patrick Lavoie caught three passes for 38 yards in his first game since being acquired from the Montreal Alouettes at the trade deadline while defensive back Nick Marshall is questionable after suffering an injury to his right hand. Offensive lineman Dariusz Bladek suffered a season-ending knee injury against Calgary and will be replaced by Josiah St. John while defensive end Mic'hael Brooks will be sidelined for the rest of the campaign with an ankle injury.
ABOUT THE STAMPEDERS (12-3): Bo Levi Mitchell threw for 215 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but also threw an interception against BC to give him eight picks in his last five games. Linebacker Alex Singleton made six tackles against the Lions to become the ninth player in league history to record 100 in back-to-back years. Calgary signed veteran wide receiver Bakari Grant, who spent 2016 with the Stampeders, to the practice roster to bolster a unit that has been decimated by injuries with three of their top four pass catchers currently sidelined.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Mitchell leads the league in touchdown passes (31).
2. Saskatchewan hasn't scored an offensive touchdown in 145 minutes, 30 seconds.
3. Calgary DE Micah Johnson has recorded five sacks in his last three games.
PREDICTION: Roughriders 22, Stampeders 18