Concerned about, not consumed by.

That appears to be Bo Levi Mitchell’s approach to Sunday’s northern invasion.

After all, these guys – the Calgary Stampeders and Edmonton Eskimos – know each other well, having done battle more often Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner over the years.

“What I’ve told my guys multiple times is: I’m too busy watering my own grass to worry about how green yours is,’’ explained marquee-man Mitchell, as the Stamps officially re-convened on a bitingly cold late Wednesday morning out at McMahon Stadium in advance of hosting Sunday’s Western Final.

“I can’t worry about how good Edmonton is or how good y’all talk about ’em.

“My job is to focus on this team right here, the guys on the White Horse.”

With the countdown to the Western Final (2:30 p.m.) now in its final stages, the dissecting, analyzing, breakdowns, shakedowns and comparisons, are in full swing.

No one can argue that the Stampeder offence stumbled down the stretch in its final three-regular season fixtures and certainly needs to regain that old sense of swagger.

They’ll need to give Mitchell Fort Knox-level security protection.

They’ll need to get the (Jerome) Messam Train out of the shed early and often and hurtling down the tracks at breakneck speed.

Photo by Mark Shannon

And they’ll need to deploy, to best affect, a receiving unit that looks to finally have all its weaponry – Kamar Jorden, Marquay McDaniel, Marken Michel and DaVaris Daniels – locked and loaded at the same time.

“I love every one of our guys that get in there and give everything they’ve got,’’ said Mitchell. “But I also know those four guys are talented receivers and can go make plays. They are very dangerous. Chemistry-wise, I think we’ll be fine.

“I’ll see what I see, let those guys run their routes and make throws. Don’t try and coach ’em up and change things. Just let them go run and be athletes.”

The Green and Gold defensive front, that daunting first-layer barrier imposed by John Chick, Almondo Sewell, Euclid Cummings and the ever-chatty Odell Willis, is the key to picking the lock on the Eskimos’ defence.

“That’s a strong, physical front,” said Mitchell. “Very active. And not just those four guys. The three behind them (linebackers Adam Konar, Korey Jones and Kenny Ladler) are very, very active, as well.

“They like to rotate ’em, move ’em around, which allows them not to get tired and keep that pass rush going.

“On the back end, they’re smart. They see things with their eyes, they jump things. They’re not going to necessarily be in the coverage they show. You’ve got to be careful.

“So don’t fall in love with what you see on film. Just react to what you see and go play.”

Photo by Dale MacMillan

Tailback Messam was a man of few words Wednesday.

“I think we’re going to play hard. I think we’re going to win. I’m excited to play.

“We’re right where we want to be. We tasted a little bit of adversity before the playoffs and now we’re sitting back watching everybody doubt us, saying what they’ve gotta say.

“We’re going to come out here Sunday and show them what’s up. We’re not worried. We just want to play football.”

Despite finishing first in the West at 13-4-1 and earning the right to host the division final, that late-season swoon has, as Messam mentioned, implanted doubt in the minds of many outsiders.

For those reading a lot into Calgary’s stuttering finish, Messam has his own friendly/frosty word of advice: Don’t.

“I get it, people are going to say what they want,” he explained.

“But we know what we’ve got in this locker room. We know what we’re working towards. And we know what happened last year.

“We’re not going to let that happen again.”