HAMILTON — Former teammates Bo Levi Mitchell and Matt Shiltz will steal the spotlight when the Hamilton Tiger-Cats host the Calgary Stampeders at Tim Hortons Field on Friday Night Football.
As both teams have officially been eliminated from playoff contention, the final two weeks serve as an opportunity to build momentum heading into a critical off-season for each organization.
The Stamps will give Shiltz his second straight start under centre after he showed his versatility in a loss to Edmonton last week by completing 18 passes for 215 yards and calling his own number five times for 64 yards on the ground. If competing for a starting role isn’t enough, he should be plenty motivated to put on a show going up against a team he appeared in 11 games for in 2023, including for an extended run as starter in place of Mitchell.
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At receiver, veteran Reggie Begelton has emphasized the significance of being a professional and aiming to get better each day. He’s walked the walk to the tune of 85 receptions and 1,073 yards, including 79 against the Elks that pushed him over 1,000 for the third time in his career. Cam Echols returns from injury to provide additional support for Begelton along with Clark Barnes, Marken Michel and Jalen Philpot.
But they’ll have to deal with a Tiger-Cats’ secondary that’s playing well of late. Over their past three games, Stavros Katsantonis, Richard Leonard and Will Sunderland have helped hold opposing quarterbacks to an average of 240 yards.
Watch live here. Calgary Stampeders @ Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Oct. 19, 01:00 CET (1 am, 7 pm Oct. 18 EDT)
As the pass game searches for a rhythm, it could be the run game that makes the ultimate difference in the outcome for the Stamps. Dedrick Mills and Kylan Hill are set to handle the bulk of the rushing duties against a front seven coughing up an average of 115.7 yards.
Chris Jones’ defence has two more opportunities to build confidence up front. Jones has turned to Brandon Barlow and Casey Sayles as the leaders of the defensive line, while Kyle Wilson and Trevor Hoyte are needed to close space in the middle of the field.
Playoffs or not, Stampeders’ head coach Dave Dickenson has one main goal each week.
“We’re trying to win,” Dickenson told reporters. “That’s the first priority and will always be. I don’t know if a guy will play all 60 plays, I think we’ll definitely see what we have but we still expect the same performance and the same execution no matter who plays.”
When the Ticats get the ball on offence, Mitchell will be looking to add to his case for Most Outstanding Player. He leads all quarterbacks with 4,576 yards and 26 touchdowns and would surely love to increase those totals against a team he spent a decade with.
Helping him downfield is receiver Tim White, who needs just two yards to reach 1,000 for the third straight season. Rookie sensation Shemar Bridges is out with a quad injury, however, which means Steven Dunbar Jr. will take on a larger role as a secondary option to the team’s top receiver.
Watch live here. Calgary Stampeders @ Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Oct. 19, 01:00 CET (1 am, 7 pm Oct. 18 EDT)
The depth of the Stamps’ secondary continues to evolve as Ben Labrosse and Tyler Richardson have proven to be capable of handling increased responsibility. They join Demerio Houston and Tre Roberson to form a corps that’s limiting teams to 269.1 passing yards a game.
Running back Greg Bell is set to return from injury to take back the rushing responsibilities for Hamilton. He’s averaged 5.9 yards per carry but has yet to play Calgary in his freshman campaign.
Facing a Stamps’ defensive front that ranks last in yards allowed per game with 122.3, Ticats head coach Scott Milanovich could turn to Bell with regularity to move the ball down the field and open up space for Mitchell and his receivers.
It’s up to Mike Rose, who has six sacks, Micah Awe and Cameron Judge to keep that from happening.
With two games left on the schedule, Milanovich wants his team to realize there’s an opportunity to build towards 2025 starting now.
“There’s momentum that can be built at the end of a season, whether you win the Grey Cup or don’t make the playoffs,” Milanovich told reporters. “I’ve been a part of those situations where momentum was built and then the following season took off. I think that’s important.”
A win for Calgary would be its first since Week 9.
Hamilton can make it wins in five of its last six.