Midseason Checkup: The Calgary Stampeders prepare for Labour Day Classic and September revival
By Maggie Hsu, August 30 2024—
The 2024 Calgary Stampeders season is underway and they are getting ready to play in one of their biggest games of the season as they find themselves in a precarious situation. A team historically known for consistency, strength and resilience now faces a steep uphill battle if they want to contend for a playoff bid.
At week 13 of the season, the Stamps are sitting on a 4-6 record (4-1 home; 0-5 away) with eight games left in the season. They are sitting just outside of the playoff picture at fourth in the Western Division and need to turn things around in the last half of the season if they want to continue their post-season streak of 19 seasons. This game on September 2nd vs the Elks can be a huge turning point in the season and push the Stamps to a run for the playoffs and a bid to play for the Grey Cup in Vancouver.
The Stampeders’ quarterback, Jake Maier, is playing his second season as starting QB and making progress in establishing himself as the defacto starter of the team. With the departure of Stamps legend Bo Levi Mitchell after the 2022 season, Maier has had big shoes to fill. The 2023 saw a steep decline in the Stampeders’ usual pace of the game which translated to a disappointing 6-12 record and generated a lot of scrutiny for Maier from fans. Despite still making the playoffs thanks to flashes of brilliance and the Jake Maier that can be, the team and Maier understood that changes needed to be made.
Physically and mentally, Maier made changes and worked to develop his leadership role on the team. Currently sitting at a 72.2% completion rate, Maier sits second in the league in completions, just 10 behind his predecessor, Bo Levi Mitchell so the “Jake vs Bo” debates can be alleviated slightly knowing that the top two quarterbacks in the league are fairly even. Additionally, Maier is known to bounce back in the second half of the season and this expectation will be vital for Calgary’s hopes to turn things around.
The receiving end has faced several injuries over the past three seasons. With excitement for the return from high-octane receivers, Jalen Philpot and Malik Henry, the news of Henry being out for a season due to an unrelated injury was devastating as more pressure fell on the backs of veterans Reggie Begelton, Marken Michel, Tre Odoms-Dukes, and Philpot. With the ability to dominate games but having missed an entire season due to injury, regaining chemistry and cohesion will be important during the next eight games to improve the Stamps’s standings.
Outside of those two points, the Stamps have been known to maintain strength and consistency in their special teams and defensive line. With the difference in all but two of their six losses of the season being in one possession, their season record does not fully reflect their capacity to win. Having a bye week in week 12 should give the team and Head Coach, Dave Dickenson time to reflect and rework the gaps in their game to make that final push for November football.
With the Labour Day Classic, fans are prepped and excited to celebrate the long weekend with some high-octane Stampeders football. For those new to the CFL, the Labour Day Classic features the same matchups every year, creating fierce rivalries between teams and dramatic games. For the Calgary Stampeders, their perennial rivals like all Calgary sports teams are the Edmonton Elks. The September 2 game promises to be a showcase of great football but also will be a good chance for the Stamps to earn a win over the 3-7 Elks if all goes well.