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Stampeders rout Alberta rival Eskimos 56-15

Aug 16, 2010 - 1:15 PM CALGARY (CP) - Knowing they'll face Edmonton twice more this season, the Calgary Stampeders chose their words carefully in the wake of their 56-15 romp over the Eskimos on Sunday.

Henry Burris threw for 305 yards and three touchdowns as the Stampeders easily won this season's first instalment of the CFL's Battle of Alberta and laid their worst licking on the Eskimos ever.

Calgary is off to its best start in a decade with a 6-1 record, putting the Stamps atop the CFL at the end of Week 7. They still took great pains to show some humility after the lopsided win.

"We have to humbly take this win because we have to see them twice for the Labour Classic and the rematch," Calgary running back Joffrey Reynolds said. "With the score the way it is, you can best believe when they come back here for Labour Day, they don't want that to happen again."

Both Calgary and Edmonton are heading into their bye weeks, but are in completely different mindsets entering the break.

The Stampeders can spend it revelling in their four-game winning streak. The break couldn't come fast enough for Edmonton, who lost starting quarterback Ricky Ray to a sternum injury in the second quarter.

Edmonton is tied with the B.C. Lions at 1-6 in the bottom of the league.

"I think it was pitiful our performance today," head coach Richie Hall said. "It's pretty pitiful regarding our performance over the first third of the season."

Burris completed 21 of 29 pass attempts, while receiver Nik Lewis caught a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to bring his season total up to five.

Burris's backup Drew Tate, Joffrey Reynolds, Arjei Franklin, Dwight Anderson and Romby Bryant also scored touchdowns for Calgary in front of 30,242 at McMahon Stadium. Rob Maver kicked a 33-yard field goal.

Tate was inserted late in the fourth quarter and threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to Bryant.

Lewis, who extended his record of consecutive games with a reception to 112, compiled 117 yards on five receptions. With 79 rushing yards on 14 carries, Reynolds moved past Tracy Ham into 10th on the CFL's all-time rushing list to 8,063 yards.

"We're showing we're a better team than everybody gave us credit for, but at the same time, we've still got a long way to go," declared Lewis.

"It makes it real motivating when you can go out and win games like this, but you've got to humble in defeat and humble when you win."

Kelly Campbell and Jason Barnes scored Edmonton's touchdowns, but it was a miserable night for the Esks from start to finish.

The Stampeders were already up 18-1 when a running Ray was tackled hard by Calgary's Robert McCune. Ray completed two passes before leaving the game.

"The doctors did look (at it)," Ray said following the game. "I tried to throw on ball and it was pretty painful and I just couldn't really get anything on it. We'll find out more tomorrow."

Back-ups Jared Zabransky and Jason Maas couldn't turn the tide for Edmonton. Zabransky had the Esks into scoring position from the 25-yard line with less than a minute to play in the first half, but he was picked off by Anderson, who ran the ball 89 yards back for a touchdown.

Zabransky completed nine of 15 pass attempts for 120 yards. He threw a touchdown pass and was intercepted once. Maas was 5-for-8 for 62 yards and also gave up an interception.

The game got ugly in the fourth quarter as players from both sides pushed, shoved and punched each other on Calgary's side of the field. Esks receiver Tremayne Kirkland was tossed from the game for throwing a punch. Stampeder defensive tackle Miguel Robede was later ejected for roughness.

"You try and control it during the game, which is hard to do," Calgary head coach and general manager John Hufnagel said. "It will be discussed when we reconvene after the break.

"I do not want unnecessary roughness penalties. I do not want disqualifications. That's not what we're about."

Calgary last went 6-1 during the 2000 CFL season.

"This team reminds me of some of the teams we've had in the past that have had success here in Calgary," Burris said. "The fact we came here and got the job done against a Western opponent that we're going to see two more times in the next couple weeks, it's going to be a statement."

Tate was inserted to finish a long drive at 13:24 of the second quarter and make it 25-8 for the hosts. Calgary's offensive line cleared the road for Drew to scramble the one yard into the end zone.

All three Eskimo quarterbacks were in on Edmonton's scoring drive at 8:31 of the second quarter. When Ray left the game following the McCune tackle, Maas connected with Barnes on a 29-yard pass. Zabransky then finished with a 28-yarder to Barnes again for the touchdown.

Franklin scored his first touchdown in a Stampeder uniform since his trade from Winnipeg midway through last season. He hauled in a 17-yard pass from Burris and managed to hang onto the ball despite a crushing hit from Edmonton's Maurice Lloyd just inside the goal-line at 3:41.

Notes: Sunday's game marked 50th anniversary of the first CFL game played at McMahon Stadium. The Stampeders sported retro uniforms, including grey pants with red stripes . . . The first game played at McMahon Stadium was Aug. 15, 1960 when Calgary lost 38-23 to Winnipeg . . . The Stampeders are 17-4-1 at home under Hufnagel.