Stampeders’ playoff hopes take big hit in Labour Day loss to Elks

Article content

At some point, it stops mattering that the Calgary Stampeders are generally keeping things close every week, regardless of their opponent.

Article content

At some point, the Stampeders need to find a way to turn close losses into wins.

They’re running out of time, though.

On Monday, the host Stampeders (1-4) lost the Labour Day Classic to the Edmonton Elks (2-2) by a 32-20 scoreline.

It was the one game on the schedule the Stamps never want to lose, but this year the consequences of defeat are especially grave.

The loss leaves the Stampeders in last place in the West Division and with only nine games to recover and make some sort of playoff push. They’ll have to go 6-3 down the stretch to even finish the season at .500. Will that be enough to make the playoffs? Those are the questions Stamps fans are now asking.

The Stampeders themselves know that.

“We’ve all just got to figure out a way to win,” said Stampeders linebacker Darnell Sankey. “We’re not winning and it’s unacceptable. We’re the Stampeders and we should be winning. There’s no excuse.

Article content

“There’s definitely a sense of urgency. We definitely understand what’s at stake and we know the clock’s ticking. We understand what’s at risk. I think it just comes down to understanding that we’re not in a place where we can give up anything. We can’t lose anymore. Not that we wanted to lose, but we understand it’s win-or-go-home. Every game is win-or-go-home. We have to address it every day.”

There’s been a feeling throughout this season that the Stampeders aren’t that far off. They just needed to fix a few small things and they’d be OK.

Maybe that’s true, but penalties, dropped passes and some poor tackling in the fourth quarter all contributed to Monday’s loss.

With no pre-season, similar mistakes in early games could be excused on some level. But this was the Stampeders’ fifth game of the year. There are no excuses anymore. Wins are what get teams into the playoffs, and the Stampeders aren’t winning right now.

Article content

Not all losses are created equal, though. There was a sense after last weekend’s defeat to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers that things were beginning to click. Nobody likes a loss, but the Stamps had fought hard against the reigning champions and lost when they missed a last-second field-goal. Progress was being made.

The feeling was very different post-game on Monday evening.

“That was a tough one to have a lot of optimism from,” said Stamps head coach Dave Dickenson. “We want to win a game, I think we can do that. I think we can get on the bus and head north (for the rematch on Saturday) and put ourselves in a position to win a game. It’s going to require a lot of digging deep, a little extra work, though.

“As coaches we’ve got to figure out what our guys are good at and start putting them in that position, because right now what we’re doing and calling isn’t working.”

Article content

On some level, Monday’s loss followed a familiar pattern. The Stamps started slow, played pretty well for the second and third quarters but couldn’t finish the job in the fourth.

After Rene Paredes opened the scoring with a field goal, the Elks responded when Trevor Harris — who completed 31-of-41 passes for 398 yards and four touchdowns — found Earnest Edwards for a 45-yard touchdown to put the Elks ahead. Early in the second quarter, Harris found end zone again when he connected with Jalen Tolliver to give the Elks a 14-3 lead.

If it felt like this was a game that was following a familiar script, that’s fair. The Stamps have fallen behind in every game they’ve played at McMahon Stadium this year.

Like those games, they managed to recover, and a 13-yard touchdown run from Ka’Deem Carey meant they went into halftime within striking distance.

Article content

In the third, they came out on the front futons and took the lead when Jake Maier — who completed 29-of-49 passes for 328 yards and a touchdown — connected with Markeith Ambles in the end zone.

The teams would trade field goals from there, but in the fourth quarter, the Elks took over.

First, James Wilder Jr. found the end zone to put the Elks up 23-20. After Rene Paredes missed a field goal, the Elks marched down field and put themselves well-and-truly out of reach when Harris found Mike Jones for another touchdown.

The loss means the hole the Stampeders have dug themselves this season only gets deeper.

They lose their first Labour Day Classic since 2011 and now find themselves needing to dramatically turn things around — and quickly — or their playoff hopes will fade into nothing.

Article content

Time is running out, already.

“I think coming into this game, I feel like we were getting some momentum, guys making plays, less missed assignments, less mistakes on our part,” said receiver Kamar Jorden. “When there’s less mistakes on our part the game goes a lot better and I feel like we took a step back today. I feel like confidence was down and it was to a point where guys didn’t feel they could win that game. I don’t like that feeling, I let the guys know, obviously we’ve all got to look in the mirror. Every single person on this team, we have to individually get better.”

daustin@postmedia.com

www.twitter.com/DannyAustin_9