Playoff success more important than 16 wins for Stampeder coach Dave Dickenson
CALGARY — Chasing a historic CFL record and preserving your players for a division final at home don’t have to be mutually exclusive, but Calgary Stampeders coach Dave Dickenson has a balancing act ahead of him.
The Stampeders (13-1-1) know over five weeks out they’re the host team of the West Division final at McMahon Stadium on Nov. 20. The winner advances to the Grey Cup the following week in Toronto.
Calgary’s last three games of this regular season are meaningless to their playoff position. If they win out, however, the Stampeders would be just the second team to finish with 16 wins in the 18-game era.
The Edmonton Eskimos went 16-2 under Joe Faragalli in 1989, but were ousted in the West final by the eventual Grey Cup champion Saskatchewan Roughriders.