OTTAWA — The Calgary Stampeders returned to their winning ways with a 26-13 victory over the Ottawa REDBLACKS on Friday night at TD Place. Calgary improved to 6-6 on the season with four wins in their last five games.
Calgary quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell became the 18th player in CFL history to eclipse 30,000 career passing yards. The 31-year-old completed 22-of-29 passes for 242 yards.
Ka’Deem Carey scored his sixth touchdown of the season and finished with a game-high 103 rushing yards on 16 carries, improving his season rushing total to 784 yards.
Stamps kicker Rene Paredes was perfect on all four field goal attempts and also added a pair of converts.
Rookie quarterback Caleb Evans played the entire way for Ottawa and completed 15-of-29 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown. He also led the REDBLACKS with 68 rushing yards on eight carries.
Backup Stamps quarterback Jake Maier extended the lead late in the third quarter with his fourth touchdown pass of the season.
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Evans made a big play early on to lead Ottawa down the field for the game’s opening score. The young pivot escaped pressure to his left and completed a throw on the run to Nate Behar for a 50-yard gain — setting up first-and-goal.
But Calgary’s defence shut the drive down by forcing back-to-back incompletions, and Lewis Ward booted the 15-yard field goal to give Ottawa the early lead.
The Stamps responded with a field goal of their own later in the first quarter, as Paredes nailed a 48-yarder that was set up by a 17-yard catch and six-yard run by Ante Milanovic-Litre.
Ottawa stormed back to retake the lead in the final minute of the opening quarter when Evans engineered an impressive nine-play 69-yard touchdown drive.
Evans converted second downs on the ground and through the air before extending the drive a third time with a QB sneak on third down. De’Lance Turner added an 11-yard rush before Evans capped the drive off with an 11-yard touchdown toss to Kenny Stafford.
Stafford elevated above Richard Leonard to high point the ball for the highlight-reel score, and Ward kicked the extra point to put Ottawa up 10-3.
But the lead was shortlived, as Calgary answered back with the equalizer on the very next drive.
A 39-yard pass from Mitchell to Calgary native Colton Hunchak moved the ball down to Ottawa’s three-yard line, and Carey found paydirt by punching it in for a three-yard touchdown. Paredes added the extra point to even things up at 10 points apiece.
Paredes added a 27-yard field goal to give Calgary its first lead of the game with under five minutes remaining in the second quarter. Mitchell completed five straight passes on the possession before the drive stalled in scoring range.
The Stamps extended their lead in the third quarter on a 28-yard field goal by Paredes, but Ottawa responded with a 24-yard field goal by Ward. Calgary found the end zone for the second time after catching Ottawa’s defence completely off guard in a short yardage situation late in the third quarter.
The REDBLACKS were anticipating a QB sneak with Maier taking the snap on second and short, but Maier proceeded to roll out to his right and find a wide open Kamar Jorden for a 15-yard touchdown. Paredes kicked the extra point to give the Stamps a 23-13 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Paredes nailed a 47-yard field goal with just over two minutes left, and Calgary’s defence held on to secure the victory after a late fumble by Milanovic-Litre gave Ottawa a final opportunity.
Ottawa will host the rival Toronto Argonauts next Saturday at 4 p.m. ET, while Calgary will have a bye week before facing the BC Lions on the road on Nov. 12 at 10:30 p.m. ET.