The Canadian Press
TORONTO — For the second year in a row, the Calgary Stampeders are the class of the CFL.
The Stamps’ dominance has carried over from a 15-2-1 record a year ago, with the Red and White on a remarkable 27-3-2 run over their past 32 games.
What’s scary is that it appears they’re only getting better. While the Stampeders’ success is nothing new, at no time has the team dominated like it has the last 10 games.
Head Coach Dave Dickenson’s team hasn’t lost since July 14, winning 10 straight games while outscoring opponents 337-132:
Over their 10-game run, the Stamps have outscored opponents by an average margin of 20.5 points. They’ve scored 39 points or more four times, including season-high totals of 41, 59 and 60.
Equally impressive has been the defence of second-year coordinator DeVone Claybrooks. While the Stamps lead the CFL in total defence, Claybrooks’ unit has allowed only 132 points over the last 10 games — an average of 13.2 points per game. Half of those games have seen opponents held to 11 points or fewer.
Turnovers and sacks are also a vital part of scoring points and smothering opponents, and the Stamps have done both of those things well. Since the start of their winning streak, the Stampeders have out-sacked their opponents 32-13 (getting to opposing quarterbacks 3.2 times per game), while registering a turnover differential of plus-17.
The biggest strength for the Stampeders this season, bar none, has been taking care of the football. With nine giveaways over the last 10 games, Calgary is turning the ball over less than once per game — exceptional ball security.
While the Stampeders have turned the football over 13 times this season, the next-closest team is Winnipeg at 20 giveaways. That is a substantial gap, much like the one in the standings.
Evidently, it takes just a quick glance at some key statistics to know why the Stampeders are the envy of the CFL so far this season.
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