Larry MacDougal/CFL.ca
CALGARY – When a team jumps out to a 26-6 halftime lead it’s usually because they are getting it done on both sides of the ball.
Having a punt returned for a touchdown is just a bonus.
That’s the kind of game it was for the Calgary Stampeders on Mark’s Labour Day Weekend, securing a 39-18 victory over the rival Edmonton Eskimos.
It was Calgary’s sixth win in a row and the full team effort did not go unnoticed by Bo Levi Mitchell.
“I felt like everybody on the entire field stepped up and played a great game,” said Mitchell, who threw for 277 yards in the win. “They knew it was going to be hard-hitting, smacking pads. I love how we had the energy early on, obviously some plays and balls bounced our way in the beginning.”
One of those plays came via Roy Finch, the dynamic kick returner who secured his second consecutive Labour Day punt touchdown return midway through the second quarter that put the Stamps up by over three majors.
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Recap: Stamps stifle Esks, cruise to sixth straight victory
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Stats: Boxscore
With such a strong game on special teams, the Stamps were consistently starting with good field position that helped lead to more points.
It’s what Mitchell expects when he leads the offence out onto the field.
“When we’re getting field position on the 50-yard line and past that, I expect, and I think the entire offence expects, that we score a touchdown.”
He wasn’t the only one contributing offensively. Jerome Messam’s 61 rushing yards and two touchdowns as well as Alex Singleton’s 13 tackles both played key roles in the win.
Calgary jumped out to the early lead and never looked back but the defence deserves credit as well. Shaq Richardson’s two interceptions both gave the ball to Mitchell in immediate scoring territory and allowed the Stamps to get such a large lead early on in the game.
Despite a brief comeback from the Esks in the fourth quarter, the Stamps never took their foot off the gas.
The rematch between the two clubs at Commonwealth Stadium next week could prove to be even more crucial. With the Saskatchewan Roughriders surging and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Esks tied for second place, another victory could really secure the Stamps’ hold on first place in the West Division.
Mitchell expects nothing less than a battle from Edmonton.
“They’re going to come up and they’re going to be mad. They had their plays too. Obviously, if some things don’t go our way there in the beginning it’d be a much tighter game. We know we’ve got to focus and come ready for a tight game.”
