For the second year in a row, the B.C. Lions host the Calgary Stampeders in the CFL West semifinal on Saturday.
However, the Lions are a much heavier favourite in this year’s West playoff opener after finishing with a 12-6 record — opposite of Calgary’s 6-12 mark. Both teams were 12-6 last year before B.C. beat Calgary 30-16.
The Stamps snuck into the last playoff spot this season, and extended their post-season streak to 18 years, with consecutive wins over the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Lions in their third- and second-last games, respectively.
Calgary is the worst team — in terms of record — to make the playoffs since Edmonton did so with a matching 6-12 mark in 1999.
Here is a capsule look at the West semifinal.
THE SCHEDULE
Saturday, 6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT at BC Place.
THE LINE
The Lions were favoured by 6.5 points as of Friday morning, on FanDuel.
AT STAKE
Just like last year, the winner goes to Winnipeg to face the Blue Bombers in the West final on Nov. 11.
SEASON SERIES
Also just like last year, the Lions won the season series 2-1.
The Lions beat the Stamps 25-15 in the CFL season opener back on June 8 in Calgary as Lions QB Vernon Adams Jr. passed for 300 yards with two touchdowns.
Adams had another big outing on Aug. 12 against the visiting Stamps after missing the previous game due to injury. This time, he threw for 322 yards and four touchdowns in a 37-9 win.
The Stamps were far better in the last meeting, however. Needing a win to keep control of their playoff destiny, the Stamps crushed the Lions 41-16 in Vancouver on Oct. 20. Calgary QB Jake Maier threw for two touchdowns and Peyton Logan rushed for 105 yards and one major.
The Stampeders clinched a playoff spot the next day when Saskatchewan lost to the Toronto Argonauts. The Lions pulled Adams at halftime against Calgary as their chances to overtake Winnipeg for first were slim — they needed to win and have the Blue Bombers lose their final two games.
PLAYOFF HISTORY
The Stampeders, on the longest current active playoff streak, have lost in the West semifinal the past three seasons. Calgary’s last playoff victory came in 2018 when the Stamps won the Grey Cup.
The Lions’ playoff win over the Stamps last year, with current Jacksonville Jaguars practice roster player Nathan Rourke at QB, was their first post-season victory since 2016.
B.C. went on to lose to the Blue Bombers in the West final.
THE COACHES
Dave Dickenson (Calgary) vs. Rick Campbell (B.C.)
Dickenson added the GM role to his title after last season with John Hufnagel stepping down and working solely as team president.
Dickenson, a former Lions and Stamps quarterback, is in his seventh season as Calgary head coach and guided the team to the Grey Cup in 2018 after losing in the title game in his first two years at the helm.
Campbell, a former Stamps defensive co-ordinator, is in his third season as head coach of the Lions after spending the previous five years as the first head coach of the Ottawa Redblacks. Campbell, also the co-GM of B.C., led the Redblacks to the Grey Cup in 2016 and also was runner-up with Ottawa in two other years.
THE QUARTERBACKS
Vernon Adams Jr. (B.C.) vs. Jake Maier (Calgary)
Adams has put his career back on track after the Lions acquired him in a mid-season deal with the Montreal Alouettes last year following an injury to Rourke.
Adams kept the Lions afloat with Rourke out last year and then led the league in this season with 4,769 passing yards. He threw 31 touchdowns and 18 interceptions and averaged a career-high 9.8 yards per completion.
The 30-year-old Adams occasionally does put the ball in harm’s way — as evidenced by his high interception total — but there’s no doubt he’s one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the league.
Maier hasn’t taken the hoped-for next step since Dickenson promoted him to the starter’s role ahead of Bo Levi Mitchell — now with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats — midway through last season.
The 26-year-old Maier was third in the league with 4,237 passing yards — and was one of the few starting QBs to stay healthy most of the season. However, his touchdown-to-interception ratio (19-15) was not great as the team struggled to find consistency on offence.
THREE MATCHUPS TO WATCH
Lions defence vs. the run
The Lions get after the quarterback as well as any team — with Mathieu Betts setting a single-season record for sacks by a Canadian with 18 this season. They also have a pair of West Division all-stars in the secondary in Garry Peters and T.J. Lee.
Their resume against the run, especially recently, isn’t as strong.
The Lions gave up more than 100 rushing yards in each of their past three games, including a whopping 213 last time out against the Stamps.
Logan and Ka’Deem Carey (88 yards that game) should be a key part of Calgary’s game plan as the Stamps try to establish a ball-control offence.
If the Stamps are playing from behind, it’s a huge edge for the Lions.
Stamps defence vs. the pass
Adams can sling it. Lions receivers Keon Hatcher (second) and Alexander Hollins (fourth) are two of the top threats in the league.
The Stampeders, however, were good against the pass this season, finishing third in opposing passing yards.
Calgary has great leadership in the middle of its defence with linebackers Cameron Judge (tied for second in the league with five interceptions) and Micah Awe (the league’s leading tackler).
Just for kicks
Stampeders kicker Rene Paredes led the league with 52 field goals this season, while Lions counterpart Sean Whyte was right behind with 50.
Both were also very accurate — Paredes missed five, while Whyte was no good on three. Whyte earned the nod as West all-star.
Both have been longtime consistent performers in the league. Either team would feel good if the game comes down to a last-second field goal.
THIS ‘N THAT
One of the few stats favouring Calgary is turnover ratio. The Stamps were plus-nine in that category, while the Lions were minus-12. … It’s quite a sports weekend in Vancouver. After the Lions’ game, the surprising Canucks host the Dallas Stars. The next day, the Whitecaps entertain Los Angeles FC in an MLS playoff game. Also, the UBC Thunderbirds football team, which finished first in Canada West, opens the playoffs with a conference semifinal against Manitoba on Saturday … Maier wasn’t great in last year’s playoff game — 12-for-22 for 138 yards and no touchdowns before getting replaced by Mitchell in the second half. … While the Lions have three receivers in the CFL’s top 20 (Hollins, Hatcher and Jevon Cottoy), the Stampeders have just one — Reggie Begelton, who was sixth with 1,119 yards.
PREDICTION
B.C. 31, Calgary 13