Adam Gagnon
CFL.ca Staff
HAMILTON — Bo Levi Mitchell was solid, completing 21 of his 28 passes for 266 yards and two touchdowns, as the Calgary Stampeders got back in the win column with a 27-13 win over the Toronto Argonauts at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton.
The Stampeders also received strong offensive efforts from receivers Eric Rogers, who continued to make noise in the MOP race thanks to a four-catch, 91-yard effort, as well as Marquay McDaniel, who reeled in seven passes for 74 yards and a touchdown.
Argos pivot Trevor Harris finished the afternoon 26 of 43, for 264 yards, one TD and one interception.
Though both teams were playing away from home, the Stamps made sure to take what was a boisterous contingent of Argo supporters out of the game as early as possible.
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Already down 1-0 on their first series of the game thanks to a single by Rob Maver, Argos QB Trevor Harris saw his pass intended for Brandon Whitaker intercepted by Stamps DB Brandon Smith, who zigged and zagged 47 yards downfield to the Argos five yard line.
One play later, Bo Levi Mitchell connected with the always dangerous Marquay McDaniel for a touchdown, extending Calgary’s lead to seven in the process.
It appeared as though the Stamps had extended their lead by two on the ensuing conversion, but a review by the CFL Command Centre in Toronto deemed that Matt Walter hadn’t crossed the plane into the endzone.
Calgary’s early onslaught continued on their next possession, with Mitchell leading a seven-play, 60-yard drive that was capped off by a one-yard score by QB Bryant Moniz.
The drive was highlighted by three key completions via Mitchell, who hooked up with McDaniel twice for a combined gain of 36 yards, as well as Tory Harrison for a gain of 22 yards out of the backfield.
The Stamps added to their lead in the early parts of the second quarter thanks to a 38-yard field goal by Rene Paredes.
Paredes’ field goal would be the only points of the second quarter, as the two teams walked into their respective locker rooms with the Stamps holding firm to their 17-0 lead.
Mitchell was solid in the opening 30 minutes, completing 12 of his 14 passes for 138 yards and a TD. The same couldn’t be said for his counterpart, Harris. The pivot was good on just seven of his 17 attempts for 66 yards, no touchdowns and one interception.
But despite Harris’ first-half troubles, the resilient rookie took to the field in the third quarter hoping to lead the awakening of his slumbering offence.
Thanks to a fumble on a punt return by Anthony Parker, Harris and the Boatmen offence were given a massive opportunity to get themselves back in the ball game.
Taking over at Calgary’s 35 yard line, Harris proceeded to complete a 23-yard pass to Diontae Spencer, and followed that up with a seven-yard TD strike to Tori Gurley two plays later.
The major brought the Argos within 10 of Calgary’s lead.
But any momentum that Toronto earned as a result of the touchdown was quickly erased, as Harris saw his pass intender for Spencer tipped at the line and intercepted and returned for 10 yards by linebacker Glenn Love.
The turnover wasn’t too costly, as the Stamps only managed to register a 23-yard field goal by Paredes to increase their lead to 13. However, Toronto cut the deficit back to 10 thanks to a 28-yard field goal by kicker Justin Palardy.
With just under nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Mitchell and the Stampeders squashed any hopes of a Toronto comeback, thanks to a 14-yard catch-and-run TD by Harrison, who dove at the last second for the pylon to cross the plane.
Paredes’ ensuing extra point gave the Stampeders a 27-10 lead.
Palardy would tack on another field goal late in the quarter to cut Calgary’s lead to 14, and the Stamps would concede a safety with eight seconds to go, but that’s as close as the Double Blue would get.
Next week, the Argos will take on the Montreal Alouettes at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, while the Stamps will enjoy their second bye of the season before returning to action in Week 19 against the Roughriders.
