The mid-point of the Canadian Football League (CFL) season is here and it’s time for an evaluation of the Calgary Stampeders.
Sitting on top of the league, with a record of 7-1-1, there are very few issues with this team. After an uneven start, the team has rattled off five consecutive wins to move to the top.
While the offence is always the glamorous side of any team, I would suggest the defence has been the key to the strong first half.
One aspect the team has excelled in is getting off to quick starts. The team has held the lead in six of their nine games and has surrendered just one first quarter touchdown. That means they are constantly playing with a lead and that results in a different mindset. Far better to be the chased than to do the chasing.
Those strong starts have left the Stamps with the top defensive record, as measured by points, in the CFL. They have allowed just 15 opposing touchdowns all season. After surrendering 70 points in the first two games, the Stampeders have given up just 99 points in their next seven games. Impressive indeed.
Also impressive is the fact they have created a league-high 21 turnovers, leading to 55 Stampeders points. This may seem like a lot of statistics, but it points out the strong defensive performance by the team.
So far, so good with the season and much of the credit goes to the defence.
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