Patrick Doyle/CFL.ca
OTTAWA — Brett Maher and Rene Paredes exchanged field goals in overtime and, for the second season in a row, the Ottawa REDBLACKS and Calgary Stampeders tied a football game, 31-31.
Trevor Harris threw three touchdown passes while the Stampeders erased a late 14-point deficit to force overtime nearly seven months after the cross-division foes forged an all-time classic in the 104th Grey Cup in Toronto last November.
While the REDBLACKS won that game, this Week 1 matchup produced no decision on an overcast Friday night at Ottawa’s TD Place.
Harris finished his night with 300 passing yards, three touchdown passes and an interception on 33-of-45 passing while reigning MOP Bo Levi Mitchell checked in with 376 yards and two touchdowns while completing 31 of 48 attempts. Meanwhile, Marquay McDaniel, who left the Grey Cup with an injury, led all pass-catchers with 114 yards on 10 receptions.
The drama was hardly unexpected for two teams that have always been closely matched considering four of their last six meetings have needed overtime. Last season the clubs tied 26-26 in Week 3.
Both sides aim to settle the score once and for all on Thursday, June 29 in the latter half of a home and home in Calgary.
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After the two teams combined for 72 points in Ottawa’s Grey Cup victory last November, Friday’s rematch took a much different tone early on. Neither offence could get the ball rolling out of the chute but after three straight punts to open the first quarter, the REDBLACKS turned a Jerome Messam fumble into three points off the foot of the newly-acquired Maher.
With the first 15 minutes providing only the trio of points, Mitchell and Harris each settled into a rhythm after that. On Ottawa’s fourth possession of the game, Harris connected on six straight passes including a six-yard touchdown to the running back William Powell, capping off a nine-play drive and, after a two-point conversion to Greg Ellingson, extending the REDBLACKS’ lead to 11-0.
While the Stamps’ offence slumbered through the opening frame, punting twice and fumbling, the 2016 Most Outstanding Player came to play for the second. Mitchell’s 43-yard completion to DaVaris Daniels along the sideline set up an 11-yard chip shot by Paredes, then, late in the half, the Stamps’ offence was given one more chance to tie the game.
Completions to McDaniel and Kamar Jorden moved the Red and White into scoring range before one of the game’s more bizarre plays got Calgary back on the board again. On a first-and-goal from the nine, Jorden lost control of the football just as he was crossing the goal line. While the REDBLACKS recovered and returned the fumble for an apparent six points the other way, the CFL Command Centre confirmed the original ruling on the field — that the ball crossed the plane of the goal line before coming loose.
With the Stamps in the end zone for their first time in 2017, it was business as usual on the two-point try as Mitchell hooked up with McDaniel, tying the game at 11 apiece through 30.
The REDBLACKS broke the tie early in the third, mounting a 10-play, 56-yard drive resulting in a 27-yard field goal by Maher to make it 14-11. But Mitchell’s 35-yard pass to Daniels, which needed to be challenged and overturned on a close play along the sideline, set up a 20-yard field goal by Paredes to even the score again.
The home team’s response was a quick one, however, thanks in large part to an unexpected contributor in Brendan Gillanders. The former Ottawa Gee-Gee went over the 50-yard mark with a 14-yard surge deep into Calgary territory before, on second-and-six, Harris found Juron Criner in the end zone for the major.
While the nine-play, 65-yard scoring drive over 4:09 put the REDBLACKS back in the driver’s seat with a 21-14 lead heading into the fourth, the defending champions weren’t done there. After a quick two-and-out by the Stamps’ offence, Harris picked up right where he left off, going straight to Brad Sinopoli for two first downs before eventually threading the needle between Stampeder defenders to the newcomer Stangby for a 32-yard touchdown. Harris completed five of his seven passes on the drive, culminating with his third touchdown of the night to make it 28-14.
Just when it seemed like the REDBLACKS might be ready start milking the clock and putting their stamp on a season-opening win, Jamar Wall gave the visitors new life when he stripped the ball from the hands of Gillanders. Wall recovered at the Ottawa 24 and on the ensuing play, Mitchell hit third-year national Lamar Durant in stride in the end zone, giving the Stamps a quick six and cutting the deficit to 28-21 with 7:03 remaining.
Antoine Pruneau defends a deep ball intended for Stamps receiver DaVaris Daniels (The Canadian Press)
A critical stop on defence put the ball back in the hands of Mitchell, while the Stamps’ offence avoided a scare when Jorden was ruled down by contact before fumbling the football. The Stamps rode the Messam train into the end zone the rest of the way, No. 33 rumbling 19 yards and then capping the drive off with a three-yard run to make it 28-28 with 2:01 to go.
The final two minutes couldn’t solve anything and, like these two clubs and their fans have become so accustomed to, overtime would be required.
In the extra frame, with the REDBLACKS knocking on the doorstop, Calgary became the benefactor of some good fortune when Harris’ pass was tipped before landing into the lap of Wall, immediately ending the scoring threat. But on the ensuing drive, Paredes, usually one of the CFL’s most consistent kickers, missed the potential game-winner from 37 yards out.
Paredes made good on his next attempt after that, leaving Ottawa with one last chance to either tie the game with a field goal or win it with a touchdown. Ottawa’s second-down try was stymied and Maher was forced to put the ball through the uprights to clinch the single point in the standings.
After his early fumble, Messam finished with 65 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries to go with 19 yards on five catches.
Daniels made two highlight-reel catches along the sideline, both of which might have gone for scores had he not run out of room, but left the game injured the fourth after hauling in four passes for 90 yards.
Jorden was targeted 11 times for the Stampeders, catching five of those passes for 72 yards and a score.
FANTASY IMPACT
Bo Levi Mitchell and Trevor Harris were neck and neck on Friday night, the two pivots separated by a mere 0.4 fantasy points.
Mitchell: 31-48, 376 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT | 23 PTS
Harris: 33-45, 300 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT | 22.6 PTS
» CHECK YOUR LINEUP
For the REDBLACKS, Powell looked elusive in his first game since 2015 after suffering a season-ending Achilles injury last year in training camp. But the veteran back was forced to exit the game while his replacement, Gillanders, rushed for 80 yards on 12 carries in relief — although his fourth-quarter fumble proved costly for the REDBLACKS.
Sinopoli led Ottawa with 88 yards on eight catches while Ellingson also chipped in with eight receptions for a total of 66 yards.
Stangby, stepping in for Kenny Shaw, who left early after apparently aggravating an injury suffered during training camp, was impressive in his CFL debut, making a highlight-reel touchdown grab and finishing his night with 61 yards on five catches.
In the end, while the result isn’t what fans might hope for, Friday night’s contest produced 53 first downs and 853 yards of offence.
The rematch will be played at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium on Thursday with plenty more fireworks expected.
