Stampeders roll over Bombers 38-11, maintain their West Division lead in the process

Saturday evening's CFL clash between the league's best (10-3 Calgary) and worst (2-11 Winnipeg) teams in the standings didn't turn out to be much of a contest, as the Stampeders clobbered the Bombers 38-11 at home. Calgary was simply better in almost every phase of the game, from passing offence to rushing offence to overall defence. There were a few Stampeders' vulnerabilities on display, but overall, this was a dominant performance from Calgary, and one that allowed the Stampeders to increase their lead at the top of the division.

Things started with the rushing offence for Calgary, as Jon Cornish collected an incredible 208 rushing yards and two touchdowns on just 17 carries, an average of 12.2 yards per carry. The passing game was impressive too, as Kevin Glenn continued his solid run of form as the Stampeders' starter, completing 21 of 29 passes (72,4 per cent) for 320 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. However, credit also has to go to the Calgary defence. Yes, they were victimized on the ground, where Bombers' running back Will Ford picked up 148 rushing yards on 10 carries (14.8 yards per carry), including a 70-yard touchdown run. They were great through the air, though, holding Max Hall to 14 completions on 33 attempts (42.4 per cent) for 139 yards with an interception, and they only gave up 11 points on the day. All in all, it was a very solid showing from the Stampeders.

Of course, Calgary fans shouldn't get too exuberant over this showing, as the Bombers have been in an absolute tailspin for most of this season. Statistics gained against Winnipeg definitely come with a bit of an asterisk. The Bombers' offence in particular has been terrible this year, and it's hard to say whether Hall's struggles Saturday were thanks to good defence or rather his lack of CFL experience, or perhaps a combination of both. Still, the Stampeders did what they had to do Saturday, and they did so in impressive fashion.

Moreover, all wins count exactly the same in the standings. With the victory, Calgary moves to 11-3 on the season, and Saskatchewan's win over B.C. Monday night means the Stampeders are two games clear of those teams for the top West Division playoff berth and its crucial accompanying first-round bye. They can't ease off the gas just yet, of course, as they have four regular-season games left. Those include two tough ones against B.C., one difficult matchup against Saskatchewan and one possibly-easier one against 3-11 Edmonton, but even the latter isn't a guaranteed win given how well the Eskimos' offence has performed at times this year and the fierce intraprovincial rivalry between the teams. There are some things for the Stamps to work on, too, including improving that rushing defence and making the passing game consistently successful. It's very possible that Calgary could fall out of first if they slack off. Still, with four games left, they seem to have the inside edge on that top spot. If they perform the way they did Saturday, the Stampeders might well hang on to first place and its accompanying bye.