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June 23, 2018

Stamps put on offensive clinic

Calgary Stampeders ruling back Terry Williams (38) dives for some extra distance during first half CFL action against the Toronto Argonauts in Toronto, Ontario on Saturday, June 23, 2018. (CFL PHOTO - PETER POWER )

The Stampeders remain undefeated this season, now sitting at 2-0.

The Red & White beat the Argonauts 41-7 at BMO Field in Toronto in a dominating performance, led by QB Bo Levi Mitchell who threw for 324 yards in three quarters of work.

“He’s was on fire, he made a lot of good reads, a lot of good plays with his feet,” said head coach Dave Dickenson. “He stayed within himself, he didn’t force the ball, he took the check-downs, he did the things we know if he does we’re good on offence.

“I’m not going to say the win came easy, we just made plays on them, one-on-one plays, our running backs had good patience – hit the hole.

“We protected the quarterback fairly well, and protected the football a little bit better.”

Receiver Eric Rogers – playing his second game back for the Stamps – had an incredible night, making five catches for 131 yards and two touchdowns.

Kicker Rene Paredes put Calgary on the board in their opening drive with a 42-yard field-goal. A sack by defensive lineman Cordarro Law on the Argos first series forced a punt.

The Stampeders tallied their first touchdown of the evening on the second play of the following drive, after a 39-yard completion from Mitchell to receiver DaVaris Daniels.

“All I had was a slant,” said Daniels. “Got them to bite on the play fake a little bit, linebackers came up, and it was just open field. Bo hit me right in stride, and it just took off from there.

“Toronto is really close to home, my family gets to come up and watch me, so I try to put on a show for them.”

Paredes would add the extra point to give the Stamps a 10-0 lead to end the first.

 

Rogers would get his first touchdown of the season, and the Stamps’ second of the night, to open scoring in the second quarter.

“He’s a big man,” said Dickenson of Rogers. “A lot of the DB’s in this league are quick, feisty, and tough, but he’s a big man so he’s able to high point the football.”

Argos quarterback Ricky Ray would be sacked for the second time in the half, courtesy of  defensive lineman Micah Johnson. The sack forced a field-goal attempt from Argos kicker Ronnie Pfeffer, and while the 41-yard kick went wide left, the Argos notched a rouge to make it 17-1.

Paredes answered back on the following drive with a field-goal to close out scoring in the second quarter.

After a 59-yard catch on the Stamps’ first drive of the third, Rogers tallied his second major of the evening.

“It was great to see,” said Dickenson. “We felt that Eric could come back like that after a few years off, but we knew it’d take a little bit of time but he’s exceeded my expectations.”

On the following series, Stamps quarterback Nick Arbuckle would finish off a five play drive with a one-yard rush to the endzone for a touchdown and Calgary had a 34-1 lead.

Argos backup quarterback James Franklin made his first appearance with Toronto with four minutes left in the frame, stepping in for Ray, who left the game due to an injury after being sacked.

On the next drive, Terry Williams tacked on another six for the Red & White after returning a punt from Pfeffer for 101 yards.

With five minutes remaining, Franklin ran the ball 10-yards to the endzone to notch the Argos lone major of the night after a 10 play drive – the final scoring play of the game.

The Stamps now head back to Calgary to take on the Ottawa Redblacks at McMahon Stadium on June 28.