Stampeders.com
CALGARY — The Calgary Stampeders earned a 36-10 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the final game of the 2022 CFL regular season.
For a second consecutive week, the dominance of the Calgary ground game helped to propel them to win over the division rivals. Quarterback Tommy Stevens rushed for over 160 yards and a touchdown on four carries in the game. Stevens also served under centre in the game’s second half, completing his first career touchdown pass.
Running back Dedrick Mills was also a major contributor to the Stamps rushing attack, carrying the ball 14 times for 125 yards and a touchdown, finishing the game averaging nearly nine yards per carry.
With five tackles in the game Saskatchewan linebacker Darnell Sankey set the Roughrider franchise record for most tackles in single-season, finishing his year with a league-leading 120 tackles.
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A defensive battle would consume over six-minutes of game play in the opening quarter as the pair of division rivals exchanged drive halting blows.
After a two-and-out forced by the Rider defence, Cody Grace was set to punt the ball downfield for the Stampeders. The Riders let the ball hit the turf hoping to draw a no-yards penalty. However, Grace raced downfield and jumped on the loose ball, recovering his own punt and giving his team possession on the Saskatchewan 15-yard line.
Following the big-play from the Stampeders punter, Maier would find the reliable hands of Reggie Begelton who muscled his way into the end zone for his sixth major of the season. Giving Calgary a 7-0 lead with just under five minutes remaining.
Nearing the end of the game’s opening quarter the Stampeders were faced with a third-and-one from their own 25-yard line. Despite the field positioning, head coach Dave Dickenson opted to call on quarterback Tommy Stevens to convert the short yardage play.
The decision paid off as the six-foot-five 245 pound quarterback found a crease to the wide side of the field and and exploded up the left field sideline for an 85-yard rushing touchdown. The run from Stevens give him the longest scoring play of the 2022 season as he helped the Stamps assume a two-score lead to close out the first quarter.
After being held to three consecutive two-and-outs to start the game, the Saskatchewan offence opened the second quarter of action with a methodical nine-play drive that resulted in their first points of the game.
On the sixth play of the drive, Mason Fine connected with Shaq Evans for a 24-yard completion to help push the ball into Calgary’s end of the field. Calgary would limit the damage following the big-play from Evans, forcing the Riders to call on their field goal unit as veteran kicker Brett Lauther split the uprights on a 33-yard attempt.
Nearing the end of the first half Calgary found themselves with an opportunity to add to their lead. Two completions for 23 yards from Maier, paired with two hard runs from Mills set up the Stamps inside the Saskatchewan five-yard-line.
On first-and-goal Mills was again given the handoff and the Stampeders back made the most of the opportunity as he powered his way into the end zone, giving his team a 17-point lead with just under three minutes remaining in the quarter.
With under 30-second to play in the second quarter, Maier delivered a five-yard strike to Begelton who gained 12 extra yards on the catch to give his team an opportunity to score before halftime. Calling on their field goal unit with no time on the clock, Calgary’s Rene Paredes looked automatic, converting a 14-yardd field goal to give his team a 23-3 lead to end the first half of action.
The Roughriders entered the second half of the game looking to quickly erase the 20-point Calgary lead. Running back Jamal Morrow broke free for a 30-yard gain, before Fine completed a 10-yard pass to Evans, putting the Rider offence on the Calgary six-yard-line.
With a first-and-goal, the handoff was given to Morrow who burst through the Calgary defensive line for his first touchdown run since Week 4 of the regular season.
After an explosive first half of scoring, the Stampeders were held off the scoreboard for most of the game’s third quarter. However, with just under a minute remaining, Paredes would snap the draught as he converted a 33-yard field goal attempt to give Calgary a 26-10 lead before the final quarter of action.
Early in the fourth quarter it appeared as if the Riders had the Stamps pinned in their own end of the field. Faced with a second-and-11, Calgary called a designed quarterback draw and once again it was Stevens who broke free from the Green and White defence as he rumbled for a 71-yard gain.
Following the big-gain with his legs, Stevens showed off his ability to make plays through the air as he found rookie receiver Jalen Philpot for a nine-yard touchdown and the first passing touchdown of his CFL career.
With under three minutes remaining in the game, quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell took over for Stevens under centre to close out the 2022 regular season and was greeted by a standing ovation from the fans in attendance at McMahon stadium.
With the 2022 CFL regular season officially coming to a close the Saskatchewan Roughriders will have some time off before they begin to prepare for 2023. While the Stampeders will travel to Vancouver as they prepare to play the BC Lions in the Western Semi-Final from BC Place on November 6.
