The Calgary Stampeders failed in their bid to move into first place in the Canadian Football League’s West Division on Saturday as they dropped a 24-19 decision to the still-undefeated Edmonton Eskimos at McMahon Stadium.
A pair of touchdown catches by Edmonton receiver Fred Stamps and some Calgary miscues were the difference as the Eskimos improved to 4-0. Calgary, which entered the game with a two-game winning streak, falls to 2-2. It’s the Eskimos first win over the Stamps in the past seven meetings.
The Stamps outgained the Eskimos in yardage — 450-317 — and held Ricky Ray to just 12 completions in 27 pass attempts but 12 penalties, a couple of turnovers, two missed field goals and mishaps such as an errant shotgun snap proved costly.
“We need to get better as a football team,” said Stampeders head coach and general manager John Hufnagel. “We need to stop hurting ourselves. We’ll continue working at becoming the football team we think we have a chance at becoming.”
Calgary quarterback Henry Burris threw for 372 yards and two touchdowns but was out of sync with his receivers at times.
“Our quarterback was good sometimes,” said Hufnagel. “Other times, he wasn’t as good. Sometimes his teammates weren’t as good as they needed to be, too. It’s just not one player.”
Calgary opened the scoring thanks to a 46-yard field goal by rookie Rene Paredes. That marked the first time this season Edmonton had trailed in a contest.
The Stampeders lead did not last long however as the Eskimos picked up a major thanks to a 55-yard pass from Ray to Stamps.
A Calgary single on a 39-yard field-goal miss closed out the first-quarter scoring.
After Damon Duval’s 48-yard field goal in the second quarter and Burke Dales punt single for Calgary made the score 10-5 for the visitors, Edmonton’s Stamps went to work again as his one-handed catch and dash into the end-zone. The score covered 65 yards.
That made the halftime score 17-5 for the Eskimos.
Duval extended the Eskimos’ advantage with a 20-yard field goal and a punt single before the Stampeders offence got things going. A long drive was capped by Romby Bryant’s 17-yard touchdown reception. It was the first score of the year for the man who led the CFL in receiving majors in 2010.
Calgary attempted a two-point convert but failed, making the score 21-11.
In the fourth quarter, Jon Cornish caught a Henry Burris and ran it in from 36 yards to further close the gap, but Calgary couldn’t find the end-zone again.
Duval closed out the scoring with 1:36 to play in the game on a 10-yard field goal.
Nik Lewis, who led the Stamps with 105 receiving yards, extended his consecutive-games streak with at least on catch to 126 while Greg Fassitt collected his first CFL interception.
The Stampeders head back on the road for Week 5 as they will face the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Regina’s Mosaic Stadium.
INDIVIDUAL STATS
PASSING
Cgy: Burris 28-46-372-2-0; Edm: Ray 12-27-229-2-1
RUSHING
Cgy: Reynolds 8-44, Cornish 6-38, Burris 3-18, Parker 1-7; Edm: Whitlock 10-56, Messam 6-27, McCarty 2-8, Ray 2-4
RECEIVING
Cgy: Lewis 7-105, Forzani 5-88, Rambo 6-56, Cornish 3-56-1, Bryant 4-53-1, Reynolds 3-14; Edm: Stamps 5-161-2, Bowman 2-22, Henry 1-14, Fisher 1-11, Messam 1-10, Scott 1-8, Whitlock 1-3
NOTABLES
Cgy: Simpson 5 TKL, Phillips 3 TKL 1 SK, Claybrooks 4 TKL 1 KD, Fraser 1 TKL 2 STT, Fassitt 1 INT; Edm: Duval 3-3 FG 2-2 XP 11 PTS, Peach 4 TKL 2 SK, Munoz 7 TKL, Sherritt 3 TKL 1 STT 2 KD, Williams 6 TKL
More coverage
>> Video: Highlights
>> Video: Player comments
>> Audio: Coach Huff
>> Locker-Room Blog: DeVone Claybrooks
>> Record set for Tackle Hunger
>> Photo gallery