Playoff Preview: How the Stampeders and Argonauts match up for Sunday’s Grey Cup

Here's the final 2012 instalment in our Playoff Preview series, breaking down the matchups for Sunday's 100th Grey Cup. Game time is 6 p.m. Eastern, and we'll have a live chat here at 55-Yard Line for the game, so make sure to come back for that!

Calgary offence: Four star running backs.

When you look at this Calgary offence, the ground game obviously stands out. Jon Cornish ran for a league-leading 1,457 yards this year and did so efficiently, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. However, the Stamps are also a threat through the air, especially with the emergence of Maurice Price as a top receiver down the stretch; he didn't start until Week 16, but has quickly become a dangerous aerial threat, and he hauled in a team-high seven catches for 117 yards and a touchdown in last week's West Final. I talked about Price here:

Beyond Price, there are plenty of other stars. This is a weird way for Kevin Glenn to get to a Grey Cup, but he's been playing well. One big question is if Calgary's line will be able to give Glenn the terrific pass protection he enjoyed last week.

Calgary defence: Three season-symbolizing interception returns.

Calgary's defence was solid but not dominant this year, and they finished fourth in total yards, rushing yards and passing yards allowed during the regular season. However, they have some exceptional playmakers, including Keon Raymond, Juwan Simpson and Charleston Hughes. Those guys could swing this game with big defensive plays.

Calgary special teams: Four dual-job holding punters.

Rene Paredes led the league with a 93 per cent success rate on field goals this year, making 43 of his 49 attempts. Rob Maver's solid in the punting game, and Larry Taylor's produced some big returns, but the cover teams haven't consistently shone, and they may be in tough against Toronto return star Chad Owens.

Toronto offence: Four overlooked running backs.

Apart from the Argo Bounce's return in the East Final, that game stood out for the emergence of Chad Kackert as a dominant running threat. Everyone knows about Ricky Ray and Chad Owens, and both impressed in that game too, but Kackert's 13 carries for 139 yards were much more surprising: before the game, I wrote that he'd been okay, but hadn't blown people away. That analysis has now been blown away. If Kackert can continue that, Ray can put up yards through the air and the likes of Chad Owens and Andre Durie can make some great grabs, this could be a dominant offence. A question mark is how well the offensive line will do at holding off Calgary's impressive array of pass rushers, though, including Hughes, who had 11 sacks this season (second-best in the league).

Toronto defence: Three head-ripping threats.

Where the Argonauts' defence stands out is in the passing game. They allowed a league-low completion percentage of 58.8 per cent and conceded just 269.0 yards through the air per game, third-best in the CFL. They've had difficulty stopping the run, though, and a question on the passing side is how well rookie Jalil Carter will do at corner in relief of the injured Patrick Watkins.

Toronto special teams: Four outstanding players.

Owens obviously stands out here, but there are more questions about kicker Swayze Waters and punter Noel Prefontaine. Both have been great at times this season, but they haven't always been consistent.

Add them up: 11 points for each side.

X-Factor: The Price-Carter matchup. Carter's expected to see a lot of Price Sunday, and that's a tough task for anyone, much less a rookie. If Calgary can consistently exploit that, Price could have a big day; if the Argos shift others to help, that may open up holes for other receivers. Keep in mind the Stamps are very familiar with the concepts Toronto defensive coordinator Chris Jones (who was with Calgary until last December) likes to employ; they may be able to recognize what he's trying to do and adjust quickly.

Prediction: Let's go to the video for this:

Calgary 38, Toronto 35.

Check 55-Yard Line and the Yahoo! CFL home page all day for more setting up the Grey Cup, and make sure to tune in to our live chat during the game! Kickoff is at 6 p.m. Eastern.