High five: how the Calgary Stampeders reasserted themselves in CFL playoff race with win over Ottawa

Photo courtesy: Chris Tanouye/CFL.ca

After barely surviving against the winless Redblacks a week ago, the Stampeders had to be better when facing Ottawa in the rematch.

They did that, and more, walking out with a 45-31 win that tightened the West Division standings significantly.

At the end of the action this weekend, only two points separated the Stampeders in fifth place and the B.C. Lions, who currently sit in second place.

Granted, the Stamps have played one more game than all of Saskatchewan, B.C., and Winnipeg, but the logjam exists, which offers hope to Calgary and their fans that a playoff spot is still possible.

Here are the five plays that were the keys to the Stampeders’ victory:

Vernon airs it out — 12:36 left in Q1

If the Stamps do go on a run between now and the end of the year, Vernon Adams Jr. will have to be at his absolute best.

The Redblacks might turn out to be what set him straight on that path, as over the last two weeks VA has passed for a combined 779 yards, five touchdowns, and an interception against the struggling Ottawa squad.

With 422 yards and three touchdowns coming in this contest, Adams set the tone early, going 24-of-30 for an 80 percent completion rate.

On the Stampeders’ first drive, he found Clark Barnes for a 45-yard completion to take the Stamps from midfield inside the red zone, where they would score on the next play. It was the first of four passes that went for more than 30 yards, the CFL’s standard benchmark for big plays.

“I just went through my reads,” Adams said about his propensity to go long. “When I throw up a 50/50 ball, I believe it is a 90/10 ball because I trust my guys.”

Defence stands firm — 4:03 left in Q2

The Calgary defence has taken a beating this year, allowing the most touchdowns (58), two-point converts (5), and surrendering the most singles (6) in the CFL.

They’ve allowed 510 points so far, and only the Redblacks are worse on a points-per-game pace.

Yet, in this moment, the defence did what they needed to do, stopping a short-yardage attempt and turning the ball over near midfield.

It was the second straight drive in which they caused a turnover, after intercepting McLeod Bethel-Thompson the series prior, and it allowed the Stampeders to continue a quirky trend. The team has scored inside the first-half three-minute warning in every game this season, and added another touchdown in this game.

Back to the defence, they allowed MBT to throw for over 400 yards, but given the game script that saw Ottawa behind by more than two scores for the majority of the game, it doesn’t surprise me that this already run-averse team stayed in the air.

The two Ottawa quarterbacks combined for 50 attempts; their running backs combined for just seven carries.

Ottawa shows why they are winless — 15:00 left in Q3

Perhaps inspired by his former team’s trickery on special teams the night before, Ottawa coach Ryan Dinwiddie green-lit an onside kick to begin the second half.

The kick was near perfect from Brett Lauther, travelling 11 yards in the air before being recovered by the Redblacks Kenzel Lawler.

Unfortunately for Ottawa, one of the Redblacks’ special teamers was offside when the kick was struck, leading to a five-yard penalty and a re-kick. That was sent deep, the element of surprise having been lost.

Adding salt in the wound was a 34-yard return from Tyreik McAllister, who returned the ball to the Calgary 52-yard line and set up a Calgary field goal.

McAllister and Ottawa’s Khalil Pimpleton sit first and second in the CFL’s total combined yardage standings. The Calgary specialist came out ahead on the day, gaining 204 yards to Pimpleton’s 164, including a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it 28-yard scamper for a touchdown coming out of the backfield.

Philpot goes over 1,000 yards — 2:50 left in Q3

While not exactly the play that decided the game, this one was a huge milestone catch for Jalen Philpot.

The fifth overall pick in the 2022 CFL Draft has shown he belongs on the list of the league’s biggest weapons when he is healthy and rolling, but has been bitten by the injury bug throughout his career, including missing the entire 2023 season.

Leading the team in every significant statistical category for his position, he realized it isn’t just his on-field work that made him successful.

“There is a lot that goes into it,” Philpot told Stamps TV reporter Natasha Staniszewski following the game. “Offseason preparation, trusting the coaches, the o-line, my quarterback, and being put into position to make the plays.”

He also credits dietary changes and a yoga regimen he discovered during his lost season for his new durability.

Barnes finishes it off — 0:53 left in Q4

Clark Barnes continues to be an effective, if underrated, part of the Stampeders’ offence.

Barnes caught all three of his targets in this game, including a 60-yard catch-and-run as the game was coming to a close in the fourth quarter.

The Redblacks had pulled within seven points, and the Stampeders needed a first down to try and kill the rest of the clock.

Adams found Barnes near the sideline, and the fourth-year man shook off his defender. He saw nothing but daylight and the end zone in front of him as he sprinted for the score, effectively ending the game.

The catch put Barnes up to a new career-high of 609 yards on the season, and matched a career high with 14 games played.

Assuming he didn’t pull anything on that final run, he should break both of those marks again next week.

Up next

The Stampeders’ push to the playoffs will continue with the suddenly slumping Roughriders hosting Calgary next week in Regina.

The Riders beat the Stamps 40-37 way back in Week 3, but that game was played before the Stamps had their full complement of defensive linemen. That unit has caused less mobile CFL quarterbacks than Trevor Harris fits in the weeks since.

The Stamps have three games left in their regular season, all against the West Division opponents whom they currently trail by two or fewer points.

Win next week, and it may set up a winner-take-all game in Winnipeg the following weekend.

The Stamps have the last week of the regular season as their final bye.