Honestly, have you ever been so happy to see Bo Levi Mitchell take a knee?
The Calgary Stampeders were hanging on by their fingernails at the end of last night’s game. Without a big Lamar Durant catch that moved the ball into Redblack territory in the final minute, to set the stage for the ground-and-pound clock run out, who knows what would have happened?
It seemed the Stamps couldn’t live with second-half success, jumping out to a 30-17 lead early in the third on an Andrew Buckley run and a Maleki Harris scoop n’score fumble recovery, only to see Ottawa put up 10 unanswered to claw back in.
Cue rookie Tunde Adeleke, who brought ’em out of their seats with an electrifying 71-yard punt return for a touchdown and a nine point lead. Dagger! Right? Right?
Actually…no.
Not even a Mitchell to Kamar Jorden touchdown pass with three-and-a-half to go could put this one out of reach, as Trevor Harris responded with a 65-yard scoring bomb to cut the lead to four, with both time and momentum on the Redblacks side.
Credit the Stampeders’ offence for putting together a clock killing two-and-a-half minute drive that ended with that happy Mitchell knee for averting disaster.
It’s a win, but it’s not good enough. Dave Dickenson admitted as much afterward.
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“It seemed like every time we got ahead and felt like we were separating ourselves, we let ’em back in. A lot of mistakes,” he said.
Despite four sacks, one defensive touchdown and another called back on a penalty, the defence has to be better at stopping big plays and getting off the field.
The offence needs to find a way to sustain drives and stay on it. Special teams don’t get a pass because of the Adeleke touchdown. Too many big returns allowed and three missed Rene Paredes converts are cause for concern.
Oh yes, Paredes. He’s suffered from slow starts before, but the inconsistency to start this season is most definitely on Dickenson’s radar.
“I’ve got his back, but he has to be better….that type of game can get you beat.”
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