The Labour Day Classic in Calgary means more than any other regular-season game, and when Edmonton heads down the No. 2 Highway, tensions are high no matter the teams’ records before kickoff.
As provincial rivals for everything from sports supremacy to government spending, this game between Calgary and Edmonton sends a message as to who reigns supreme at the end of the summer.
Stampeders lore even tells of season ticket holders who cancelled their season tickets after a Grey Cup victory because they’d lost the Labour Day Classic ten weeks prior.
Setting those stakes, the Elks rode a three-game winning streak into Calgary to face the team that sits atop the consensus league power rankings. When the dust settled, the Stampeders dominated on the scoreboard, winning 28-7 in front of 27,764 fans.
Here’s what I saw from high in Section I:
Adams struggles
If you logged onto your favourite news site (which is hopefully this one) and saw a 28-7 final, you’d assume that Vernon Adams Jr. had a typical day at the ballpark, with passing yards somewhere in the high 200s and a couple of touchdowns.
Instead, V.A. collected just 162 yards through the air and completed a little more than half his passes with 13 completions on 23 attempts. After the game, the quarterback himself offered critiques of his performance without prompting.
“It’s a weird feeling,” he said. “We got the win and that’s good, but I felt like I let my team down. I want to be better for these guys. I work too hard and they work too hard for me to play like that.”
Adams had missed a day of practice with the same flu bug that benched Tevin Jones a week earlier, but he wasn’t accepting that as an excuse.
“I was out there. I was good to go. I just need to make the throws.”
Despite Adams’ worst statistical outing as a Stampeder, his team still dominated on the scoreboard, thanks to a smothering defence that Adams called “the best I’ve ever had in my entire career from Pop Warner, high school, to college.”
Defensive masterpiece
Week after week, the Stampeders continue to impress defensively.
This time, the defensive line collected four sacks, which didn’t include the two times they tackled Elks quarterback Cody Fajardo for zero gain as he scrambled from the pocket.
They limited Fajardo to his lowest yardage total and completion percentage since he took over as Edmonton’s starter from Tre Ford six games ago.
At one point in the second half, the Stampeders forced four straight drives to end in a two-and-out for a combined total of two yards. Two of those drives ended with negative yardage.
The team also forced two fumbles, both in the red zone, to snuff out any momentum Edmonton had gained while putting together longer drives.
Forcing fumbles and recovering them was actually the one knock on this Calgary defence coming into the week as they were tied for last in both categories.
This performance should bring them out of the basement in both statistics while adding to their league-leading takeaway total.
Calgary also largely limited dangerous running back Justin Rankin, who managed just 48 yards on 13 carries for a 3.7 average gain.
With respect to Saskatchewan’s defence, which is regularly ranked as the best when the CFL releases its stat pack every week, it’s clear who the top unit in the league is as we sail into the back half of the season.
Brooks drives home the dagger
With Adams playing below his potential and the defence keeping the Elks at bay, this game was sealed on an 86-yard punt return touchdown from new returner Erik Brooks.
Brooks started heading towards the wide side of the field before spinning back and hurtling down the Elks’ sideline for the score. He was set loose by a fantastic block from Bailey Devine-Scott, and he had just the punter to beat.
Brooks started the year as the primary returner, but injuries forced him into a bigger role on the offence as a receiver, allowing Kaylon Horton to take over the kick return job.
Brooks was thankful to get back into that position.
“Anytime you can get the ball in your hands, I believe it is a privilege,” Brooks said after the game. “The team puts their trust in me, and so I have to take care of the little things and go make something happen.”
The touchdown came as the Stamps nursed a 13-7 lead and were struggling to move the ball effectively.
Keeping a clean sheet
It’s a good thing Vernon Adams Jr. is well-compensated because his offensive line is apparently highly food-motivated.
Anytime V.A. gets through a game without being sacked, he treats his offensive line to dinner.
The Stampeders’ fearsome front five, led by first-round draft pick Chris Fortin at centre, will be headed out yet again as no Elks defender got to Adams in the game.
Adams seemed surprised to hear that, until he was informed that the one sack he did take had been erased by an offside call against the player that hit him.
“We are going to Edmonton next week, so I only have to take out the guys that travel, which will make it cheaper,” Adams joked.
This will be the fourth such dinner, with previous clean sheets coming against Saskatchewan, Winnipeg, and Montreal.
Adams had all day in the pocket on Monday, and with the same opponent next week, this may be a pricy portion of the season.
Dedrick Mills doing Dedrick Mills things
I’m not sure there is a quieter contender for this year’s rushing title than Dedrick Mills.
In this game, he rushed for a season-high 106 yards, had multiple 10-plus-yard runs, and scored a two-point conversion when Calgary went for some fun football math to bring the lead to a round football number late in the game. On the play before, Mills was stopped on the half-yard line as he tried to back his way into the end zone.
Mills is second in the league in total rushing yards with 844, averages five yards per carry, and has added 119 yards through the air as he has caught 17 of 20 targets.
Calgary’s running back is also tied for the most rushing touchdowns with James Butler of the B.C. Lions with eight so far.
It feels like Mills’ regular excellence has become the expected, which is great if you’re part of the Calgary fanbase.
A pair of centurions
Dominique Rhymes and Derrick Moncrief were celebrating their 100th career CFL game in this matchup and both showed why they have made it to the century club.
Rhymes had a touchdown as part of a two-catch day, while Moncrief was credited with three defensive tackles.
Rhymes was heard in the locker room thanking teammates for getting the win in his 100th game and told reporters how important it was to him that the team come away successful.
“You have to win your hundredth. It’s a good feeling around this team. It’s a good vibe. Moncrief and I get to celebrate together, with him being dominant on defence.”
A Bighill to climb
Has that pun been used before? Of course it has.
However, it is the first (and likely last) time it’s been used in a Stampeders postgame article as the first-ballot Hall of Fame linebacker made his debut in the Red and White.
It was exactly a year ago when Bighill was injured as a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, ending his time with that dynasty.
“I don’t know if there are words to put to it,” Bighill said when asked about his feelings about getting back on the football field. “It’s amazing. When you haven’t been able to play this game and you finally get back, it’s amazing.”
Bighill went on to credit his family and friends who helped in his recovery and the fact that he kept a mindset that he “can’t be denied.”
When asked about the linebacker following the game, head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson spoke to a plan to work in Bighill slowly over time as he noted that the only way to get into football shape is to play football.
Dickenson also noted that he didn’t think Bighill looked out of place, as the veteran made four tackles, but that competition for playing time in that linebacking corps is fierce at the moment.
Thank you sir, may I have another?
The Stampeders will be looking to improve on this week’s performance offensively, while also continuing to dominate defensively with a splash of special teams glory when the two teams meet again next week in Edmonton.
Ryan Ballantine is a lifelong Stamps fan and host of the Go Stamps Go Show Podcast. He has been covering the team since 2008.
