The Calgary Stampeders are well aware of what Bryan Burnham can do.
If the B.C. Lions get the ball within reaching distance of his hands, Burnham’s better than just about anybody in the CFL at coming down with it.
The Lions might have issues elsewhere on their roster, but Burnham is about as spectacular a passing target as there is in the league.
For the Stampeders, Burnham represents a threat to their chances of hosting a home playoff game when the Calgarians take the field for Saturday’s regular-season finale in Vancouver. If there’s anyone on the Lions roster who can make the Stamps pay for their mistakes, it’s Burnham.
His presence also represents an opportunity, though.
“We light up when we get to see him, ching-ching,” said Stampeders defensive backs coach Josh Bell. “Everybody better be ready wherever he goes. If he goes close to you, you get an opportunity to get the ball.”
The Stampeders defensive backs have prided themselves on their ability to intercept passes this season, regardless of who they’re covering. The Stamps’ pace has slowed a bit recently, to be sure, and they’ve now got the fifth most interceptions in the CFL – although they’re only two back of the league-leading Lions.
They know that as long as Burnham is on the field, though, there are going to be opportunities for them to come down with the ball. Not easy opportunities, but opportunities nonetheless.
Lions quarterback Danny O’Brien would be crazy not to try to get the ball in the hands of a receiver as talented as Burnham, after all.
“We don’t want to get a hand on it, we want the ball,” said Stamps defensive back Jamar Wall. “We like our chances and our abilities. We have a lot of picks this year in our secondary and we want to continue to go. If they throw it up, it’s a 50-50 ball. It’s not ‘defend the ball.’
“When the ball is in the air, it’s as much ours as it is theirs.”
None of this is to say the Stamps don’t respect Burnham or the threat he presents.
They’ve seen the ridiculous highlights and they’re more than capable of looking up the list of leading CFL receivers. Burnham is sitting in second in receiving yards, right behind the Hamilton Tiger-Cats Brandon Banks and ahead of the Stamps’ own Reggie Begelton.
Burnham’s got 1,401 receiving yards on the season, as well as 10 touchdowns. The numbers don’t lie.
“No one’s really stopped him,” said Stampeders head coach Dave Dickenson. “(They’ve) slowed him down, more because the quarterback’s been a little in and out (Mike Reilly was recently injured). He’s got size. He’s got speed. He’s got what you call burst, meaning he gets in and out of his breaks. Good player. Lots of those in this league, but he’s right up there near the top.”
The Stampeders also got a taste of what he brings to the field back in late-June at McMahon Stadium, when Burnham caught 10 passes for 94 yards.
“His hands, the man has great hands,” Wall said. “Contested, uncontested, one-handers, he’s doing something spectacular. You can’t deny it, but we like our chances, too. We’ve got a lot of ball hawks on the team and whoever is in front of him, we expect them to make a play. We know he’s their guy.”
Burnham’s big night against the Stamps in June came at a time when the Stampeders were still figuring out their defensive backfield. The young group has come into its own in the time since, although injuries could keep starters DaShaun Amos, Tre Roberson and Royce Metchie out of the lineup.
Maybe that sets up a situation in which Burnham can finish his season with another spectacular showing. From the sounds of it, though, the Stampeders defensive backs would love nothing more than to see the Lions try to air it out to their superstar.
WHO IS IN?
Normally, it’s not that hard to figure out who is likely going to be starting for the Stampeders if you watch their entire practice week.
It hasn’t been easy this week, though.
The Stampeders are missing a number of key players – the DBs listed above, as well as Eric Rogers and Derek Dennis – but Dickenson suggested after Thursday’s practice that there may be players on the active roster for Saturday’s game who didn’t participate at all this week.
“I think we’re going to have a couple guys play who haven’t had any work this week but we think they’re our best players so we’re going to try that,” Dickenson said. “We’d like to be a healthier group, but it’s Week 19, that’s what it is. Whoever gets their number called, go play a good game.”
NOTES
Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Cody Fajardo missed Thursday’s practice in Regina, and if he misses Saturday’s game against the Edmonton Eskimos, it could open up an opportunity for the Stampeders. Nobody is rooting for injuries, but Fajardo certainly makes the Riders more dangerous. If he’s out, the Eskimos might have a better chance to knock off the Riders, thereby opening up a path to first in the West Division for the Stamps. All they’d need to do is beat the Lions … The Stamps players presented their annual Rookie of the Year award to Nate Holley on Thursday, and as usual every first-year player got a surprise cream pie to the face. It works every time.
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2019
