It was a perfect day at McMahon Stadium: 30 degrees in the sunshine and a season-high crowd of 28,437 in attendance to see the Calgary Stampeders host their archrivals from up the No. 2 highway, the Edmonton Elks.
Before the game, a pair of jets flew over the stadium as the last notes of “O Canada” filled the air. A second pass occurred as the teams lined up for the opening kickoff.
With the Stampeders winning 10 of the last 11 Labour Day Classic matchups, I was satisfied that the result would be the same. So, having seen the flyover, I left to go home, comfortable in the knowledge that Calgary would
decimate the Elks and put themselves squarely into the picture for the West Division title.
Sadly, no part of that last sentence is true.
I stayed. I watched. I saw an awful display of football that made me question how much further this once proud franchise can fall.
After the game, head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson called the effort “embarrassing” and suggested that changes are coming for a team that was playing on 18 days of rest but was still blown out 35-20.
Below are my thoughts on the game.
Bad omens
The Stampeders won the coin toss, kicked off, and promptly gave up an 87-yard punt rouge on the game’s first series to trail by a single point. The rouge itself was not a precursor of things to come, but it did exhibit a pattern of behavior that would come into play as the game got into its later stages.
On Calgary’s first series, the team had two receivers beat their defenders deep and then collide as both went for a pass that either could have taken into the end zone with ease.
“We should have had a touchdown but a guy has a mental error and runs the wrong route,” said Dickenson after the game. “You don’t get those opportunities back.”
Maier sets career high
I’ve been a Jake Maier defender in this space before but Monday’s performance was indefensible.
The veteran went 22-of-34 with four interceptions — one of which came on a desperation late-game third-down gamble that should be somewhat discounted — against a single touchdown with 297 yards. It was the first four-interception game game of Maier’s career.
It wasn’t just the picks that were bad, though — it was how they happened.
Twice, Maier floated balls into double coverage inside the 10-yard line that were picked off. Another was a throw into a very tightwindow that was eventually corralled by one of many defenders in the area on the ensuing tip drill.
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