Mike Rose knew it was just a matter of time before the sacks would come for the Calgary Stampeders.
But six in one game?
Essentially doubling their season total in the QB takedown department?
“Hell … yeah … we needed it,” said defensive captain and lineman Rose, of the half-dozen sacks laid down in the 27-23 comeback win over the Toronto Argonauts on Sunday evening at McMahon Stadium.
“Sometimes people get too caught up in numbers — and I’m a big numbers guy,” continued Rose. “But it does feel good when you get ’em, no matter how you get ’em. I just think we just really got the rush on — and it worked out.”
Wow, did it ever.
The Stamps came into Week 9 of the schedule dead-last in sacks with just eight.
Even after the six on Sunday night, they are still at the back of the CFL pack in the sack department, tied with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on 14.
However, the Argos and the BC Lions are tops — just four up on the Stamps with 18. So, really, Rose & Co. have now vaulted into the midst of the CFL crowd with regard to tackling QBs for losses.
“It didn’t all happen early (Sunday), but I thought we made some plays and got around the quarterback,” said Stamps GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “It’s kind of how it is sometimes (when you don’t get sacks). But I did feel like we were getting off the ball quick and giving them some problems.
“The quarterback really was the problem. He was just running around and finding seams and making plays.”
Indeed, Argos QB Cameron Dukes was able to use his feet to scamper for chunk yardage and first downs time and again, getting away from the Stamps at the point of attack.
The enemy helmsman counted much of his game-high 95 rushing yards on the night in helping the Argos put up three touchdowns during the opening two quarters for a big 22-6 halftime advantage.
“Dukes had a good game, and they had a good game plan to get advantage from our rush before halftime,” Rose said. “And that’s on us. We’ve just got to be a better job — and we will definitely work on that.
“We just know we have to do a better job of keeping him contained.”
Rose and the Stamps (4-4) get another shot at that in the second game of this home-and-home set with the Argos (4-4).
The Week 10 tilt goes Friday evening at Toronto’s BMO Field (5:30 p.m., TSN, QR Calgary).
“We were able to change a little bit defensively and try to limit his runs,” said Dickenson of QB Dukes. “Once we were able to kind of limit him from running, I thought we did a good job.”
They certainly did …
And the sacks kept coming.
The Stamps did get three in that first half — jumpstarted by vaunted rush-end James Vaughters, with his coming midway through the first quarter.
That gave the up-front defenders — with critics asking why the sack total was so low — a shot of confidence to push them onwards to more takedowns in the game.
“Every time get a sack when you’re feeling down a little bit, it’s going to fill you up,” said Stamps defensive lineman Clarence Hicks. “So it’s going to spread across all the d-line.”
Hicks did get his in the pivotal fourth quarter.
In fact, the rookie d-lineman got to Dukes as part of the Stamps’ run of two touchdowns within 100 seconds. It was a second-down sack to push the Argos off the field in between TDs, securing big momentum in the comeback.
Then came the biggest QB takedown by Rose, as he bull-rushed an offensive lineman into Dukes with the Argos trying to answer with winning points in the final 90 seconds of the contest.
That strong-man play certainly helped secure victory.
“I’m going to watch that sack once,” said Rose, with a smile. “And then I’m going to try to do it again next week.”
Another two would be nice, Mike.
That’s actually how many the recorded Sunday — including a second-quarter takedown — to lead the Stamps and match him with Vaughters for the team lead on three total sacks on the campaign.
The other sacks Sunday came from Hicks, Justin Sambu — in the first quarter — and veteran defensive end Julian Howsare, who also had a massive knockdown of a Dukes pass just two plays after Rose’s second one. The Howsare heroics came on a third-down must-convert by the Argos to essentially ice the game.
“My d-ends are ballers,” said Rose, of Hicks, Howsare and Vaughters. “They just got opportunity to ball. That’s all it comes down to. My d-ends are dogs, and they got to be dogs.
“You’ve got to watch the tape, man,” continued Rose, who paced the Stamps last year with 11 sacks. “They’ve been putting out good rushes all year, and I’m just the beneficiary.
“I’m just here to collect off them. I’m just the beneficiary of their greatness … that’s it.”
While the defence was greatly getting to Dukes, the Argos didn’t get to Stamps QB Jake Maier at all during the contest.
Winner: Stampeders … in the trenches and on the board.
“Coach told the d-ends to go get ’em, so we went and got ’em,” Rose said. “It was plain and simple. The d-ends did their jobs at the highest level possible. That’s all it comes down to.”
“It’s been a long time coming,” added Hicks. We knew our time to rack up all the sacks was coming. It was just a matter of time.”
SHORT YARDAGE
Stamps WR Marken Michel was named to the CFL’s Pro Football Focus Week 9 Honour Roll for his efforts Sunday. The veteran pass-catcher hauled all four of his targets for 59 yards and a touchdown to help spark the comeback and earn a grade of 75.6. Three of Michel’s grabs — including his 15-yard major — came in the pivotal final quarter, and his receiving yardage included 27 yards after the catch. For the season, the five-year veteran leads the Stampeders with 377 receiving yards and four touchdowns … Argos DB Royce Metchie was named the honour roll’s top defender for his game Sunday. The former Stampeders secondary star posted a grade of 92.7, with his career-tying nine tackles to go along with an interception and a forced fumble … The Stamps came away from Sunday’s win without any injury concerns to the active roster from the evening.
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