It looked like the Calgary Stampeders might suddenly have wind in their sails …
And finally a first road victory on the 2024 CFL voyage.
But what was ship-shaping up be another win over the league’s Boatmen — a second in six nights, in fact — was knocked off course by a handful of rocky manoeuvres late in a 39-25 loss to the host Toronto Argonauts on Friday at BMO Field.
“Turnovers hurt, for sure,” Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson, whose crew committed four on the mission to halt a winless road record, told reporters post-game.
“It is what it is,” continued Dickenson. “Sometimes you see something and they make a play, so give them credit. But that did truly take the wind out of our sails.”
The one that hurt most was a Jake Maier toss picked off and returned for a fourth-quarter touchdown by former Stampeders defensive back DaShaun Amos.
Up 22-21 with 9:47 remaining, Amos jumped in front of Maier’s pass and ran it back 55 yards for the go-ahead points and a lead the hosts would never relinquish.
“We didn’t really respond from that like we needed to,” Dickenson said. “It was a hard-fought game, and we had the wind in the fourth quarter there but weren’t able to use it — we didn’t force any punts or long-yardage situations.”
Instead, a third field goal made in the second half by Argos kicker Lirim Hajrullahu and teammate Ka’Deem Carey’s 10-yard TD run sunk the Stamps, who only answered with a field goal from René Paredes over the final 10 minutes.
But most of the damage was done before that, especially in the third quarter, when the Argos motored back from a 15-7 halftime deficit thanks to the game’s turning point.
It was Janarion Grant — the league’s admiral of runbacks — breaking through the Stamps’ coverage for an 86-yard punt-return TD to give the Argos their first lead since the first quarter — at 16-15. It was Grant’s third runback of a punt for a major on the year, to go along with one kickoff return for a touchdown.
Until then, it was the Stamps looking solid in the rematch, carrying momentum into the contest from Sunday’s comeback victory — 27-23 — on their home turf of McMahon Stadium.
But after that, it was all home side for the rest of the evening.
Included was Argos defender Ralph Holley stepping up for another massive play in the fourth quarter, when he torched the Stamps’ offensive line on a third-down gamble and sacked usually successful sneaker Tommy Stevens to turn the ball over to the hosts, who owned a seven-point lead at the time.
And then …
“They were able, in the fourth quarter, to run the ball,” Dickenson said. “And that’s definitely concerning when you’re not tackling and you know they’re going to run and you can’t stop them.”
It’s especially frustrating when they forever seem to walk the plank themselves away from home.
“We have to try something different,” said Dickenson, of the road woes. “And whether that, on our side, is changing up what the routine is …
“It’s certainly challenging when you haven’t won a game on the road. And it gets in your head a little bit. But I think you just have to understand that’s what it is and that’s your record.”
The Stamps return Thursday to McMahon — where they own a perfect 4-0 record this year — for Week 11 action against the Ottawa Redblacks (7 p.m., TSN, QR Calgary).
“We are back home next week on a short week,” added Dickenson. “The guys are tired. Hopefully, we can find some gas and get the job done.”
SHORT YARDAGE
It didn’t help the Stamps bid for a win that on-field officials blew down a Cameron Judge fumble recovery while he was working his way downfield for a possible scoop-six in the second quarter. The whistle blew prematurely — the call being down by contact — after the Argos’ Carey lost the handle on the ball thanks to a hit by Red and White safety Bentlee Sanders. The play was overturned and a fumble recovery was awarded to the Stamps, but they didn’t get the advance upfield — perhaps for a touchdown — they deserved because of the too-quick of a whistle. Even if Judge didn’t score on the return, the play would’ve flipped the field in favour of the Red and White. Bad call, and bad look for the CFL … Paredes came into the game having hit 23-of-23 field-goal attempts on the campaign and perfect on his last 25 three-point tries, but he doinked his first shot at a knock-through off the right upright to snap that magnificent run … Maier’s one INT was his lone blemish — a biggie, however, — in an otherwise effective outing, as he went 33-of-45 for 373 yards and a touchdown flip to WR Cam Echols covering 10 yards in the second quarter … QB Stevens and RB Peyton Logan, who hauled 11 balls for 61 yards, were the other TD scorers for the Stamps.
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