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Mark Stephen: Calgary Stampeders need to step up after 3 straight losses

THE CANADIAN PRESS/Peter Power

The post-season has yet to begin, but already Dave Dickenson has heard the whispers.

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Fans are whispering about another Stampeders team putting up some eye-popping regular season stats, but not always following up in the post-season.

Of particular angst to a segment of fans is the team’s three-game losing streak entering the post-season. It is understandable why that slide is causing concern.  It is the first time in 10 years they have lost three straight games.

So, is there a way to reverse the slide? Yes, there is.

First, the team will have a wider array of players to choose from in the Western Final. Players like receiver Marquay McDaniel, possibly offensive lineman Shane Bergman and likely defensive lineman Ja’Gared Davis will potentially be suiting up.

Those players – plus others who have earned spots – will give the Stampeders a very deep group of players eligible for play on Nov. 19.

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Second, all the sniping and whispering about Bo Levi Mitchell can end – right now. If anything was apparent from Friday’s ice bowl, it is the fact the team is in great hands with Mitchell. Some of his stats are down from last season, but his 13-3-1 win percentage should be a good barometer of his value to the team.

Another factor weighing in the team’s favour is the desire for redemption. Last year’s Grey Cup loss ranks as one of the great upsets in league history.  The Stampeders have that stigma to shed. There is no shortage of motivation to achieve that goal.

Worries about the Stampeders in the post-season are understandable. In their entire history, the team has exactly a .500 record in playoffs and Grey Cup games. That’s a coin flip.

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Great regular season teams have come away empty-handed on many occasions.  I am betting this is not one of those teams.

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