Nov 17, 2016
Western Final Need to Know: Arceneaux cleared
B.C. Lions wide receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux was knocked unconscious during the Western semi-final, but is expected to play against the Calgary Stampeders. Here's all you Need to Know about the Western Final.
TSN.ca Staff
Four teams remain in the CFL playoffs, all vying for a trip to Toronto for the 104th Grey Cup. Here’s what you need to know for Eastern Final.
B.C. Lions (12-6) vs. Calgary Stampeders (15-2-1) – Sunday 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT.
Ready to go?
Lions wide receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux was knocked unconscious during the Western semi-final against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. However, Arceneaux has shown no signs of a concussion and has been cleared to practise with the team. He sat out Wednesday’s practice with an ankle injury but is expected to play against the Stampeders.
Arceneaux led the league in receiving touchdowns with 13 this season and finished third in yards, behind only the Edmonton Eskimos duo of Adarius Bowman and Derel Walker. He accounted for 30 per cent of Jonathan Jennings’ passing yards during the season.
Jennings is also expected to have receiver Shawn Gore back in the huddle against the Stampeders on Sunday. Gore, who had 835 yards in 16 games this season, has missed the team’s previous two games with a concussion.
Momentum Stop?
With the West Division already clinched, the Stampeders opted to rest quarterback Bo-Levi Mitchell, among other starters, in their Week 20 contest against the Montreal Alouettes. The Als won the game 17-8, ending the Stampeders CFL record 16-game unbeaten streak.
Mitchell will take to the field on Sunday for the first time since the team’s 31-13 win over the Toronto Argonauts on Oct. 21.
The Lions are coming off four straight wins, including last week’s comeback win over the Blue Bombers. The Lions trailed by as many as 19 points against the Bombers, but railed with 14 points in the game’s final seven minutes to edge Winnipeg.
Reason for Hope?
The Stampeders suffered just one defeat with Mitchell at quarterback this season and looked unstoppable for most of the year. The Lions can take solace in being the team to hand Mitchell and the Stampeders that loss, in the opening week of the season.
Calgary’s record streak began after that loss and included two victories over the Lions, though the first of the two came in the form of a narrow 44-41 overtime victory in Week 6.
Jennings completed 60 of 105 passes against the Stampeders this season for 775 yards, with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Mitchell burned the Lions for 937 yards with six touchdowns and one interception in the three contests.
Comparing QBs - 2016 Stats
GP | Comp | Att | Comp. % | Yds | TD | INT | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mitchell | 17 | 412 | 606 | 68 | 5554 | 28 | 12 |
Jennings | 18 | 371 | 554 | 67 | 5385 | 32 | 8 |
More on Mitchell
Messam Happy to Face 'The Best'
Familiar Faces
Lions head coach Wally Buono and his Calgary counterpart, Dave Dickenson, have a relationship dating back to the 1990’s, when Dickenson served as Buono’s quarterback with the Stampeders. As head coach and quarterback, the two won a pair of Grey Cups together, with the Stampeders in 1998 and again with the Lions in 2006.
Dickenson, in his first year as a CFL head coach, will hope to beat his former head coach on Sunday. Buono is hoping to advance to compete for his sixth Grey Cup win in Toronto on Nov. 27.
By the Numbers
No Place Like Home
The Stampeders posted a perfect 9-0 record at home this season and last suffered a loss in Calgary on October 10, 2015.
Where to Tune In
You can watch the game across the TSN Network and on TSN GO at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT on Sunday. TSN Radio 1040 Vancouver will also broadcast the Western Final, with coverage starting at 11am pt. with the Pre-Game Show.