Stampeders’ QB airs it out in sinking woeful Boatmen
The question heading into Friday was who, if anybody, might be able to step up and help Eric Rogers in the Calgary Stampeders receiving corps.
As it turns out, everybody decided to pitch in — and it sure helps when you’ve got Bo Levi Mitchell throwing the ball, too.
Up against a Toronto Argonauts (2-10) team that had shown signs of life recently, the Stampeders (94) picked their opponent apart and rolled to a 23-16 victory.
Beating the Argos is normally a given for the Stampeders, who have rolled over the Torontonians in 12 straight regular season contests.
But Friday’s game felt like it might be different.
The defence was never a question mark and they were dominant again on Friday — more on them later.
But on offence, the Stampeders were playing without Reggie Begelton, the CFL leader in receiving yards, and were also missing starters Juwan Brescacin and Markeith Ambles.
On Friday, though, the Stampeders’ young gun receivers stepped up.
With Mitchell calling the shots, the Stamps got 356 yards through the air. The reigning CFL Most Outstanding Player completed 33-of-47 passes and also threw a touchdown to running back Ka’Deem Carey — who left the game with an injury in the second quarter — and threw two interception.
As you’d expect, Rogers led the way among the receivers and finished with 119 receiving yards. But he had help.
Josh Huff rebounded from a tough game last weekend against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and had 57 receiving yards.
The surprising Colton Hunchak had another effective game and caught five passes for 52 yards.
Aaron Peck and Hergy Mayala each big games, too.
It’s worth mentioning that the Argos are not a good football team and have allowed the most passing yards per game of any CFL team this year. They were exactly the opponent the Stampeders would have wanted to be facing if they had to play a game this short-handed at receiver.
But you can only beat the opponent that’s in front of you and the Stampeders receivers answered the bell on Friday night.
The running backs did their part, too. Carey’s night was cut short, but he did score a touchdown, while Terry Williams also added an impressive 24-yard rushing touchdown to open the scoring — the rest of the Stamps’ points came from kicker Rene Paredes, who went 3-for-3 on field goals.
They got a lot of support from a superb defensive performance, too.
The Stampeders chased Argos QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson out of the game after he’d completed only 12-of-19 passes for 86 yards in the first half.
Backup James Franklin managed a little bit better and completed 12-of-16 passes for 147 yards and a late touchdown that made the score line look a lot closer than the game actually was.
The Stamps’ D -line had arguably its best game of the season, limiting Argos running back James Wilder Jr. to only 40 rushing yards and combining to sack Bethel-Thompson and Franklin six times.
It was a complete performance from the Stamps and keeps them right in the hunt for first place in the CFL’s West Division heading into their third and final bye week of the season. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are only one game ahead, and the Stampeders are riding a four-game winning streak.
Yes, Friday’s win came against an Argos team that is going nowhere fast, but there were plenty of factors stacked against the Stampeders.
None of them ended up mattering. daustin@postmedia.com