Sep
Stamps blow out Eskimos
Courtesy Calgary Herald:
Nine games, it’s taken them. Half a season to get their collective heads above water.
And you can rest assured of this: The Calgary Stampeders are a relieved and happy bunch to find themselves, finally, with both a winning record and a share of first place in the Canadian Football League’s West Division.
There were times during the first eight games of their season that the Stampeders seemed to be aimless, lacking both the discipline and the knockout defence that carried them to the 2008 Grey Cup.
But in Game 9, it all came together, and it was worth the wait — a 32-8 win over the Edmonton Eskimos in the Labour Day Classic at sold-out McMahon Stadium before 40,729 fans represents the high-water mark of the season to date.
“It’s a huge win. We needed it, especially after taking a whupping last year (Edmonton won 37-16 in the 2008 Classic),” said Calgary slotback Jeremaine Copeland, whose third-quarter one-handed touchdown catch will be a highlight-reel staple this week.
“I think it’s what we needed. Our defence played well, the offence stepped it up and the special teams did a good job shutting T-Jack (Eskimos returner Tristan Jackson) down and keeping to him to a minimum. It was an all-around team effort.
Balanced offence (285 yards passing, 200 yards rushing). Crushing defence (Edmonton managed just 340 yards of offence, including 53 on the ground). Stifling special teams (Jackson never got a sniff all day). Smart, level-headed football (a season-low six penalties for 47 yards). And, best of all, nearly 60 minutes worth of it.
As a result, the Stampeders, at 5-4, share top spot in the West with the Eskimos and Saskatchewan Roughriders heading into a Friday night rematch at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.
“They did an excellent job performing in a big-game situation. We’ll enjoy the victory and then get back to work and get ready to play a very good football team at their home park,” said Stamps coach and GM John Hufnagel.
“I want them to enjoy the victory, but don’t be running the streets all night long. We have a tough chore ahead of us, we understand that.”
The Stamps set the tone early in the first half on defence, sending the message that there would be no repeat of a dominant ground game that helped carry the Esks to victory last month in Edmonton.
Arkee Whitlock, who rushed for 106 yards on Aug. 13, could muster just three yards on five carries in the opening 30 minutes; he would finish the night with 36 yards.
“We were able to control their running game, which put them in a pass situation,” said Hufnagel.
“They moved the ball, they completed a lot of passes, but we tackled very well and didn’t give up a lot of yards after the catch, and made it a long field for them for most of the day.”
Stamps quarterback Henry Burris shook off a slow start — he was picked off by Kelly Malveaux on Calgary’s second possession when intended receiver Jermaine Jackson fell down — and put together three scoring drives that resulted in a Sandro DeAngelis field goal, a Joffrey Reynolds one-yard touchdown run and Jon Cornish’s dashing 28-yard sprint for a major, a score he’d predicted moments earlier.
“I promised it on the sidelines to Rob (Cote),” said a smiling Cornish afterwards. “I was like, ‘I guarantee the first time I touch the ball, it’s a touchdown.’ I just had that speed; I’ve been working back from my injury (a pre-season knee injury), and this was the first game where I felt close to full speed, and when I’m close to full speed, I don’t think there’s much that can really stop me.”
Copeland’s catch, a one-handed grab as he was falling backwards in the end-zone made it 24-2, and the Stamps completed their scoring with two more DeAngelis treys and a safety conceded by Edmonton, which didn’t get a touchdown until the final three minutes when Ricky Ray connected with Maurice Mann.
Burris finished the game 19-for-27 for 285 yards and a touchdown, while Reynolds went over the 100-yard mark for the fourth time in his past six games, finishing with 116.
The Stamps were without all-star cornerback Brandon Browner, but Keon Raymond filled in flawlessly as Ray was unable to find openings downfield all night.
“Yeah, they tried,” said Raymond.
“I kind of figured they would come my way, with me replacing an all-star cornerback. I would have done the same thing if I was them. I was just able to step up to the challenge.
“We were focused in all three phases of the game; it was a great job. We can sit back and enjoy this win, but the biggest thing is that we have to play them again.”
Defensive end Justin Phillips was a game-time scratch with an ankle injury; healthy scratches were linebacker Matt Grootegoed, defensive lineman Tom Johnson and running back Demetris Summers.
