LABOUR DAY CLASSIC
Stampeders kicker Rene Paredes celebrates hitting the game-winning field goal on the final play of Calgary’s 23-20 home win over the Edmonton Eskimos on Monday.
If the Edmonton Eskimos were able to hold on to the ball, they might have won their first Labour Day Classic in seven years.
Unfortunately for them, however, the Calgary Stampeders defence kept knocking the ball loose, and when you turn the ball over three times in the second half, you’re not going to beat the Stamps.
Monday ’s game wasn’t the highscoring barnburner that fans might have been expecting from a game featuring the league’s two top quarterbacks.
Instead, it was the Stampeders defence that starred and helped its team to a 23-20 victory.
Unlike the 2016 or ’17 Labour Day Classics, Monday’s game was tight from the start.
After not leading for a single second in the last five Labour Day games, the Eskimos clearly made it a point of emphasis to start strong.
On their opening drive, quarterback Mike Reilly and running back C.J. Gable marched the Eskimos downfield, but as has happened to so many Stampeders opponents this season, they couldn’t find their way into the end zone and had to settle for an 11-yard field goal from Sean Whyte.
The Stamps responded on their very next drive, as Rene Paredes hit a 50-yard field goal of his own.
By the end of the first quarter, it looked like the Stamps were rolling after quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell connected with DaVaris Daniels for a 19-yard touchdown.
The home team was up 10-3 and rolling.
But things took a turn in the second quarter.
First, Kamar Jorden left the game with a knee injury. He didn’t return, and with the Eskimos’ Derel Walker also leaving the game, it was a bad day for CFL receivers. Jorden and Walker just happen to have the second- and third-most receiving yards, respectively, in the league this season.
The Eskimos were finding their feet, too, and they took advantage of Stampeders mistakes. After Don Jackson fumbled, the visitors started a drive deep in enemy territory. Gable eventually ran the ball in for a two-yard touchdown that levelled the score.
Another Paredes field goal put the Stamps ahead, but the Eskimos ended the half spectacularly when Reilly connected with receiver Duke Williams for a 45yard touchdown that put them up 17-13.
In the second half, the Stamps relied on Paredes even more, and while he missed one field goal, he connected on his next to make it 17-17.
The third quarter also saw the physical game start to take its toll on the Stamps.
Mitchell left the game at one point with a knee injury, but returned shortly afterwards, while all-star corner Ciante Evans left the game and defensive linemen Micah Johnson and James Vaughters both were hurt.
The Eskimos couldn’t hold on to the ball. At one point they had fumbles or interceptions on three of four drives. The other ended with a big sack by Johnson.
Those turnovers plus a critical penalty gave the Stamps a shot, and they took advantage of it.
Finally, Paredes hit a 43-yard field goal as the clock wound down, securing the win for the Stamps and improving their record to 9-1.
The Eskimos dropped to 6-5 and into third place behind the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who improved to 6-4 with their 31-23 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Saturday.
The Eskimos couldn’t hold on to the ball. At one point they had fumbles or interceptions on three of four drives.