It was a last-second squeaker of a win for the Calgary Stampeders in Hamilton on Friday night. I suggest that was a great outcome for the team.
First, the victory sliced the magic number for clinching the CFL West to one. They can clinch the West on Friday with a win over Saskatchewan or if the Winnipeg Blue Bombers suffer another loss. When the title becomes theirs, they can rest some players in preparation for the playoffs.
Most important from my vantage point: the adversity the Stampeders had to fight through to win the game. The fracas featured six lead changes and a last-play field goal for the victory.
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For the bulk of the season, the Stampeders have played with a lead–a substantial one in some cases. Those are leads they have earned with their play. However, to have faced so little adversity is something that could have come back to tweak them in the post-season.
The stakes – and the pressure – are more intense. The Stamps now have experience in those narrow games, thanks to the game in Hamilton.
Before any more analysis is doled out, it should be noted the Stampeders were facing a completely rejuvenated Hamilton team. The revival under new coach June Jones gives hope to the passionate fans of Hamilton that their team can bounce back quickly in 2018. Stampeders saw evidence of that, first hand.
Most reassuring on Friday night was the play of two of their key performers down the stretch. When a big drive or play, or spark, was needed, quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell stepped up. By his own admission, he wasn’t at his best earlier in the game. However, when most needed, he was there with a game-deciding drive.
Also, placekicker Rene Paredes stepped up to the plate. Admittedly, a 17-yard field goal is fairly routine, but he also had three other kicks during the game to keep the Stampeders in the contest.
Those two proved, again, they can be counted on in the clutch.
That’s a good sign for the Stampeders heading to the post-season.