Here’s how Calgary Stampeders linebacker Alex Singleton summed up Friday night’s 31 – 31 tie in Ottawa, as the Stamps and Redblacks went into overtime for the 4th consecutive game in Ontario:
“We’re two evenly matched teams!”
It was a game the Stampeders should have won in the first overtime, when a Jamar Wall interception stuffed the Redblacks possession. Kicker Rene Paredes had a chance to win the game with a 37-yard field goal, but was wide right.
In all honesty, however, the Stamps were very fortunate to get this game to extra time.
A coaching mistake by Dave Dickenson, who accepted an offside penalty late in the third quarter, extended an Ottawa drive that resulted in a Juron Criner 11-yard touchdown (TD) catch. It gave the Redblacks a 14-point lead.
As defensive player of the game, Wall turned the 4th quarter around with a strip and fumble recovery after Brendan Gillander put the ball on the ground. One play later, quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell hit Lemar Durant with a quick strike TD and the Stampeders were back in the game.
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The Stamps also got a major gift in the 4th quarter on a Kamar Jordan catch that appeared to be a fumble. He was ruled down on contact and video replay did not overturn the call, even though it appeared his knee was not down before the fumble.
“It was a gift from the football gods,” Jordan said on our Valentine Volvo post-game show on News Talk 770.
While the outcome of Friday’s game may have been bittersweet to some Stampeder fans, at least it wasn’t a loss. The Stampeders lost their season opener in 2016 to the BC Lions and still reeled off an impressive 15 – 2 – 1 season.
Matching that record will be difficult for the 2017 team as the injuries continue to mount. CFL rookie of the year DaVaris Daniels will not be able to play in the return match Thursday night at McMahon stadium. The team will likely have to go with international rookies Jarrett Boykin or Marken Michel.
The Stampeders host the Redblacks on Thursday night at McMahon Stadium, for their home opener and the rematch. It’s a 7 p.m. kick off and our Truman Insurance pre-game show is on the air at 5:30 p.m.
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