Elks still winless after 30-23 loss to Stampeders – Edmonton

Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell validated a late choice to play and Malik Henry overcame a pair early gaffes with the go-ahead landing for the Calgary Stampeders in a 30-23 win over the visiting Edmonton Elks on Saturday.

Mitchell, a game-time choice to begin due to a sore foot, threw for 321 yards and a landing in his one hundred and fiftieth profession CFL begin. The 32-year-old Texan accomplished 21 of his 28 move makes an attempt.

Calgary head coach Dave Dickenson had made the choice to begin backup Jake Maier till Mitchell indicated Saturday afternoon the taping of his foot made it really feel safe sufficient for him to play.

“I talked to Dave and stated ‘meet me on the sphere and see the way it feels,’ and it felt adequate to maneuver across the pocket,” Mitchell stated. “I don’t assume I used to be working full pace in any respect. I used to be grateful for Dave having that belief in me.”

Stated Dickenson: “I may see in his eyes he was fired as much as play and felt assured in it so I went with him. In case you have a sore foot and may nonetheless transfer round like that, I feel that’s a very good factor.”

Ka’Deem Carey and Tommy Stevens scored dashing touchdowns along with Henry’s landing catch for Calgary (3-0) in entrance of an introduced 22,739 at McMahon Stadium.

Henry compiled 173 receiving yards on six catches within the recreation, together with a 46-yard seize. He additionally fumbled the ball away and incurred an offside penalty within the first half.

So taking a 28-yard move from Mitchell and sprinting to plant his foot within the nook of the end-zone for a landing within the final minute of the third quarter felt like redemption.

“I wanted that. The fumble early on made me offended,” Henry stated. “Teammates instructed me to remain within the recreation. Got here again within the second half and made a pair performs.”

Calgary’s René Paredes kicked area targets from 46, 28 and 35 yards and added three factors in converts.

Kai Locksley scored a short-yardage dashing landing and Emmanuel Arceneaux had a landing catch for Edmonton (0-3).

In his first begin towards the crew that gave him his begin within the league, Elks quarterback Nick Arbuckle was 20-for-31 in passing for 225 yards and one landing throw. He was intercepted as soon as.

Arbuckle spent his first two seasons with the Stampeders in 2018 and 2019. He went 4-3 within the latter season when Mitchell was injured.

Sergio Castillo kicked a pair of 46-yard area targets and one other from 47 yards. Matt Mengel scored a 60-yard punt single within the first of 4 conferences this season between the CFL’s Alberta golf equipment.

Calgary and Edmonton haven’t performed 4 video games towards one another in a single season since 2012. The Stampeders face the Elks once more in Edmonton after their upcoming bye week.

“I adore it. I like the truth that you’re attending to go towards a crew that’s as effectively coached as they’re, that is aware of how one can win in addition to they (do) as a result of that makes you a greater soccer crew,” Elks head coach Chris Jones stated. “You need to present up and play top-shelf ball on a regular basis.”

“We acquired a lead and couldn’t defend a lead because of a bunch of things. All three phases within the second half didn’t play very effectively.”

The Stampeders trailed at halftime for a 3rd straight recreation, however three factors down was the smallest deficit of the three.

Calgary linebacker Cameron Choose intercepted an Arbuckle move supposed for Kenny Lawler to place the ball on the 38-yard line with lower than a minute remaining within the third quarter.

Mitchell’s throw to Henry on the following play gave the Stampeders the lead for the primary time within the recreation.

Along with Choose’s decide, defensive finish Shawn Lemon contributed a pair of sacks and a move knockdown within the third quarter that ended 20-17 in favour of Calgary.

Paredes padded the Stampeders’ result in 23-17 with a 35-yard area aim to begin the fourth quarter, however Castillo responded with a 46-yarder to maintain the Elks inside vary.

Stevens, Calgary’s third-string quarterback behind Mitchell and Maier, scored his first CFL landing on a one-yard effort with two minutes remaining within the recreation, after Edmonton’s defence denied Stevens from the identical distance on the earlier play.

The Elks trailed by a transformed landing following Castillo’s 47-yard area aim with 33 seconds to play within the recreation. Edmonton’s try and get better an onside kick was foiled by Kamar Jorden grabbing the ball first.

The Elks led 13-3 with two minutes remaining within the first half on Arceneaux’s 33-yard catch and run to the top zone, and a Castillo convert.

However Calgary shortly countered with a six-play drive highlighted by Mitchell’s throws of 24 and 37 yards to Reggie Begelton. Carey capped the march with a three-yard sprint to the top zone.

Edmonton’s Deon Lacey knocked the ball out of Henry’s fingers for Thomas Costigan to get better on the Elks’ 52-yard line halfway via the opening quarter. The guests didn’t convert the turnover into factors, nevertheless.

Dionte Ruffin’s move interference penalty on Arbuckle’s throw to Lawler in the long run zone put the Elks on the one-yard line throughout their opening drive of the sport. Locksley scored on the short-yardage plunge for a 6-0 guests lead.

Calgary’s defence denied Edmonton’s two-point convert try. The Elks are in Hamilton on Friday to tackle the Tiger-Cats.

The Canadian Press