Calgary Stampeders, Montreal Alouettes battle to 19-19 tie

Montreal Alouettes' Nafees Lyon (8) tackles Calgary Stampeders' Cameron Echols-Luper (17) during first half CFL football action in Calgary, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

The Calgary Stampeders may have snapped a four-game losing streak and the Montreal Alouettes may have remained unbeaten on the road, but Saturday's 19-19 tie was unsatisfying for both football clubs.

Atop the CFL at 10-2-1 and a playoff spot already locked in, the Alouettes could feel more cheerful about a stalemate than the Stampeders (4-8-1) at the bottom of the West Division.

"I thought that was one of the weirdest games I've played in my entire career. The first draw of my career," Alouettes quarterback Cody Fajardo said.

"There's worse situations. We could have lost the football game. Getting one point out of it is better than nothing."

What made the game weird was neither side parlayed breaks, including gaffes by the opposition, into any momentum.

Penalties also hampered their progress with clubs combining for 201 lost yards.

"There was a lot of things you should feel pretty good about other than the game ended in a tie, but 19 (points) probably not enough to win still," Stampeder quarterback Jake Maier said. "We've got to push that number to another touchdown or two if we want better results."

The Stampeders are in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2004. A single point was cold comfort for head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson.

"We haven't had a win in awhile," Dickenson said. "It's tough for our guys to feel good about that. There were multiple occasions I felt we could have taken the game over."

The two clubs traded field goals in overtime.

Fajardo completed 19 of 26 pass attempts for 204 yards and scored a rushing touchdown in his third start since he was sidelined for six weeks with a hamstring injury.

Montreal's Jose Maltos kicked field goals from 53 and 42 yards, and from 30 and 37 yards in overtime.

His Stampeders counterpart Rene Paredes was good from 14 and 16 yards, missed from 51 and 52 yards, and then made a pair of 42-yarders in OT in front of an announced 20,187 at McMahon Stadium.

Maier was 29-of-37 in passing for 236 yards. He was restored to starter after backing up Logan Bonner in a 37-16 road loss to the Edmonton Elks.

Maier threw four interceptions in a 35-20 loss to the Elks on Labour Day, which prompted the quarterback shuffle.

"I thought Jake had a really good comeback game," Dickenson said. "I was impressed. I thought he threw the ball well. I thought he handled their blitz well. I thought he was confident in the pocket."

Calgary's Marken Michel had a touchdown catch and Dedrick Mills rushed for 122 yards.

Up 13-10, the Stampeders were on Montreal's 15-yard line with just over two minutes to go, but undid the work to get there with a major penalty on each of their next two possessions.

Paredes' 52-yard attempt was wide right and Montreal had the ball with a minute to play.

Fajardo marched the offence downfield. With a second remaining on the clock, Maltos tied the game with a 42-yard field goal.

Calgary led 10-7 with five minutes left in the first half when backup quarterback Tommy Stevens — inserted for a short-yardage touchdown attempt — fumbled on the two-yard line and turned the ball over.

Montreal's Mustafa Johnson recovered teammate Justin Sambu's knock-down of a Maier pass and rumbled for the end zone as the clock ticked down on the half. 

Stampeder running back Peyton Logan brought down the defensive tackle at the five-yard line to preserve Calgary's three-point lead at the half.

Montreal's Sean Thomas-Erlington blocked a Cody Grace punt and corralled the ball in the end zone early in the second quarter. 

Instead of a touchdown, however, the Alouette was assessed a penalty for roughing the kicker.

But Walter Fletcher's 55-yard dash up the middle set up Fajardo's three-yard touchdown early in the quarter.

Maier threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Michel in the end zone on Calgary's second possession.

The hosts didn't convert Montreal's fumble on the subsequent kickoff into a bigger lead. 

James Letcher Jr. lost the ball on the Alouettes' 23-yard line. The Stampeders eked a 14-yard field goal out of the turnover.

Perpetual Paredes

Paredes moved into a tie for second in all-time Stampeder games with his 224th on Saturday. He drew even with defensive back and kicker Larry Robinson (1961-75). Kicker Mark McLoughlin (1988-2003) is the all-time leader with 276.

Indigenous night

Saturday's Indigenous Night game was radio broadcast in the Blackfoot language by Butch Wolfleg and Jacob Leblanc, in addition to the customary English broadcast.

Stampeder players wore orange jerseys during warm-up and their helmets featured a special horse logo to honour and raise awareness of thousands of Indigenous children sent to residential schools.

Up next

The Stampeders are home Friday to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The Montreal Alouettes continue a run of three straight road games next Saturday against the Ottawa Redblacks.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 14, 2024.