Sooner is better than later.
The Stampeders suffered their first loss of the season Sunday, falling 40-27 to the Saskatchewan Roughriders on the road.
But if you ask the veterans on the team, they prefer getting losses out of the way in August, instead of in November.
“Of course you don’t want to lose a game,” said seven-year Stamp Jamar Wall. “But if you do lose one, you want to lose now instead of playoffs when it’s a one and done type of deal.”
It was a tough first half for the Stampeders at Mosaic Stadium, as they trailed 24-6 at halftime. But they never gave up – something Wall considers a positive of the game.
“The game showed that we didn’t stop fighting, it showed the character on our team,” Wall explained. “We fought through even though it got really bad at one point, but we know that this game can change within minutes.”
And more than character, the loss also showed where the Stamps can improve over the remainder of the season.
They may have had a perfect 7-0 start, but were always far from flawless.
“Everyone in the football world knew we weren’t perfect,” stated Wall. “It’s just that we had every group doing enough to win.
“We are not going to start out a season amazing and not get better, that’s not how football works… We have some things that we’ve seen, and we’re probably going to see them this week and the next week after that. But we just have to learn from it and keep getting better.”
For Wall and his defence, it’s focusing on the little things that will make the biggest difference.
“We need to work on finishing plays versus trying to make a big play,” he said. “It’s the small plays that make the big plays, and make the game.
“We’re also working on tackling, we missed more tackles than we have this game on defence.”
But the Stamps have a shot to get back in the win column right away, as they take on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at McMahon Stadium this Saturday.
Such a quick turn-around means the Red & White only get two practices in between tilts, and a much shorter time to recover.
“This is when the real professionals come out, perform, and play.”
“Winnipeg is a good team, they’re rough and they want to be the bullies of the CFL – they’ve out and said it. We just have to be prepared for a physical game we know that’s what they’re going to bring.”
