EDMONTON – Jamar Wall’s blocked punt touchdown return proved to be the difference as the Calgary Stampeders clinched a home playoff game with a 27-13 victory over the hapless Edmonton Eskimos on Friday night.
It was the fourth win in a row for the league-leading Stampeders (13-3), who can clinch first place in the CFL’s West Division with a B.C. win over Saskatchewan on Saturday.
The Eskimos (3-13) lost their fourth consecutive game as they are limping through the remainder of the season having already been eliminated from playoff contention.
Edmonton did not win a single game against a Western Division opponent all season and had just one victory at home, setting a new franchise low.
The Calgary defence made itself known midway through the first quarter as a Mike Reilly pass bounced off of targeted receiver Adarius Bowman and into the arms of Stampeder Eric Fraser, giving them the ball at midfield. Calgary failed to score any points on the turnover, however. The Stamps came back with a 27-yard Rene Paredes field goal on their next possession to go up 3-0 heading into the second quarter.
Edmonton tied the game three minutes into the second frame on a 47-yard Grant Shaw field goal that was set up by a long 48-yard passing play to Fred Stamps.
Calgary went up 10-3 five minutes into the second as quarterback Kevin Glenn hit Marquay McDaniel with a pass and he was able to just edge the ball across the plain of the goal line for a 29-yard touchdown.
The Stamps added a 32-yard Paredes field goal with four minutes left in the first half.
Edmonton gave away seven more points with a minute-and-a-half remaining when Shaw rolled out on a third-and-20 punting situation only to have it blocked by Wall, who picked it up himself and went 19 yards for a touchdown.
The Eskimos were able to get those points back with just three seconds left in the first half as they gained a ton of ground on a pass interference call to set up a leaping seven-yard TD catch by Bowman to make it 20-10 at the half.
There was no scoring in the third quarter.
The Stampeders gave the scoreboard operators something to do again early in the fourth quarter as Paredes nailed his third field goal of the contest. Edmonton countered with a Shaw field goal six minutes into the fourth to make it 23-13.
Calgary added a punt single before the Eskimos came back with a long drive down the field. Edmonton looked to inch a bit closer on a field goal attempt, but Shaw missed and hit the uprights.
Paredes booted a 45-yarder for his fourth field goal of the game to close out the scoring.
The Eskimos play their two remaining games on the road, starting next Friday in Vancouver against the Lions. The Stampeders return home next Saturday to face Saskatchewan.
Notes: Eskimos defensive tackle Almondo Sewell remained out after suffering a neck injury in last week’s game in Regina, but is expected to make a full recovery.
Calgary non-import running back Jon Cornish entered the game with three straight 100-yard or better games and seven total during the 2013 season.
Calgary DL Justin Phillips played in his 100th CFL game
The Stampeders came into the game with the league lead in the giveaway-takeaway ratio at plus-18
In their previous games this season the Eskimos have had eight of their losses come by 10 or fewer points, with six of those defeats being by five or fewer points
Both teams adorned their uniforms with pink to raise awareness of women’s cancers.
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