Stamps’ winless skid hits eight video games in heartbreaking loss to Elks

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Make it eight straight with out a win.

That’s how the Calgary Stampeders will likely be remembered by followers within the stands after Saturday’s wrap-up of the house schedule at McMahon Stadium.

A 23-18 CFL loss to the rival Edmonton Elks saved the winless skid in place, regardless of the Stampeders being 5 yards away from victory within the dying seconds of the matinee.

“The season is what it’s,” mentioned Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “We want a play — now we have an opportunity to make one play to win, and we don’t make the play.”

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Certainly, it was that dramatic, with the Stamps falling quick on a last-play overthrow by quarterback Matt Shiltz — making his beginning debut in Crimson and White — in looking for sure-handed receiver Reggie Begelton deep within the Elks’ finish zone.

The house aspect arrange for the ultimate try after a cross interference name on Elks defensive again Kai Grey put them inside putting distance of the successful factors.

It could’ve capped a 74-yard drive in 69 seconds for the Stamps.

And it might’ve despatched them away from the house followers on a excessive word.

As a substitute, the distinction winds up being QB Tre Ford’s shovel cross to star receiver Eugene Lewis masking 10 yards and marking the successful landing with simply 69 seconds left within the contest.

“Your complete goal is to win the sport,” Begelton mentioned. “So it’s sort of exhausting to have — how do you say it? — ‘ethical victories.’ All 12 months, we’ve gained mini-games — like three-quarters of the sport — however now we have not completed. And that’s the regarding half about our group in the intervening time, and it has been for the complete season.”

The choice drops the Stamps to an unsightly 4-11-1 document to push them three factors again of the 6-11 Elks, who full a three-game sweep in The Battle of Alberta for the primary time since 2002.

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Listed here are three takeaways from Saturday’s Week 19 loss at McMahon in entrance of an introduced attendance of 21,185:

SHILTZ PROVIDES SPARK

Shiltz’s first recreation in Crimson and White produced its moments.

Whereas the American QB was solely 18-of-33 for 215 passing yards with one landing and one interception, the seventh-year CFL pivot’s capability to flee bother and run for 64 yards on 5 carries proved key for the Stamps in making an attempt to snap their winless string.

He merely saved drives alive and proved that he deserves one other look because the offensive chief.

“Matt is a baller,” Begelton mentioned. “He’s a unique component that we deliver into the sport — he has some legs. However on the identical time, soccer is about repetition, as effectively. And as soon as Matt will get in there much more, I’m certain he’ll begin being somewhat bit extra stable.”

“I believed he performed stable,” Dickenson mentioned of Shiltz. “We had no rhythm within the second and third quarters.

“He did the issues we wished him to do. He did take off. He did some designed runs. He made some throws. He had lots of balls batted down, as effectively. And he did handle the clock effectively and bought us in place to have an opportunity.”

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Sadly, it wasn’t sufficient for Shiltz to safe his first win with the Stamps.

“It was robust,” Shiltz mentioned. “I believe we began off scorching as a group within the first quarter. We sort of had a lull there within the second and the third. I used to be pleased with the best way we fought again within the fourth, however too many ups and downs by way of the center portion of the sport.

“We’ve bought to do a greater job of staying on the soccer discipline — simply lots of detailed issues that we have to hammer out and be on the identical web page with and nonetheless construct that chemistry. We didn’t get the win, and that’s a very powerful factor.”

ANOTHER INTERESTING FOURTH

All 12 months lengthy at residence, the Stamps have made it fascinating within the fourth quarter.

That was the case once more Saturday, as they discovered sudden momentum to create a comeback.

Down 17-5 and having not put up factors because the second drive of the sport, Shiltz engineered a robust march downfield — 80 yards on 12 performs — capped by a three-yard TD toss to receiver Jalen Philpot.

Shiltz was 7-of-8 on the drive to inject some spirit into an in any other case listless unit and recreation. It adopted what was a 3rd quarter that noticed solely an Elks single change the scoreboard.

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The change of offensive fortune sparked the defence, as effectively, as two performs later, Stamps defensive lineman Clarence Hicks reached excessive to knock down a Tre Ford cross. Hicks then grabbed the falling ball earlier than it hit the bottom for the spectacular interception, permitting the Crimson and White to take over on the Elks’ 29-yard line.

And so Shiltz and the Stamps wasted no time in capitalizing on the turnover, cashing in after two profitable runs — by Shiltz and Kylin Hill — with ‘Landing’ Tommy Stevens sneaking the ball in from 4 yards out for the go-ahead main.

Too unhealthy the hosts couldn’t maintain on to the one-point lead. The defence allowed extra Elks rumbles, as they used many of the remainder of the clock — practically three minutes of the remaining 4:15 — to get the successful factors.

And too unhealthy the Stamps couldn’t convert from the Elks’ five-yard line on the ultimate play of the sport.

“I simply really feel like that’s our complete 12 months,” Dickenson mentioned. “I don’t assume the struggle’s ever left us. We preserve preventing, and we lastly do really feel like, ‘OK … we’re going to win the sport.’ And we don’t win the sport.

“We are able to’t cease them, and we are able to’t make the performs on the finish and take dumb penalties.”

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BEGELTON A BRIGHT SPOT

It didn’t take lengthy Saturday for Stamps receiver Reggie Begelton to achieve a powerful milestone.

His early catch masking 54 yards behind the Elks’ defence pushed him over the 1,000-yard receiving mark on the season. It’s the third time the polished veteran has achieved that — all with the Stamps.

Bother is the Stamps bought stuffed in making an attempt to transform from Elks’ 14-yard line, main to only three factors on the drive. René Paredes’ 21-yard discipline objective made it 5-0 — a letdown for the house aspect after leaping out to a 2-0 lead on Bailey Devine-Scott’s sort out of Ford for a security.

Certainly, the Stamps had momentum however couldn’t construct on it regardless of the protection and massive throw to Begelton giving them early vitality.

Ouch.

Begelton eclipsed the milestone again in 2019 with a whopping 1,444 yards.

And final 12 months, he rolled up 1,119 in 15 video games.

After hauling in 5 balls for 79 yards — each team-highs Saturday — the 31-year-old Texan now has 1,073 yards on 85 receptions in 16 tilts this 12 months.

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