In a heart-stopping finish that had Calgary Stampeders fans leaping from their seats, veteran kicker Rene Paredes delivered the longest field goal of his 15-year career Saturday, drilling a 62-yarder with just two seconds remaining to lift Calgary to a 40-38 victory over the Ottawa Redblacks.
The dramatic finish keeps the Stampeders (6-8) mathematically alive in the CFL playoff race, though their path remains precarious with four games left in the regular season. Calgary now trails division leaders Winnipeg and B.C. by just two points in the West Division standings, making each remaining contest feel like a playoff game.
"What a game," said a visibly relieved Paredes after his heroic kick. "I'm just happy we got the win and we've still got a shot at the playoffs. Hopefully it motivates us to keep it going. We know each game from now on is a playoff game for us."
The 41-year-old kicker, who missed 10 games this season with injury, had already connected on a 57-yard attempt earlier in the contest. But this one—with Ottawa leading by a point and the Stampeders backed up near midfield—demanded something special.
Drama Unfolds in Final Seconds
With 72 seconds on the clock and Ottawa holding a one-point lead, Calgary's offence marched downfield behind quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. The drive stalled at Ottawa's 45-yard line when Adams was flagged for throwing to an ineligible receiver, pushing the ball back 10 yards. An incomplete pass to receiver Tevin Jones left the game in Paredes' capable hands.
A tailwind—the same breeze Paredes credited for his earlier 57-yarder—pushed the ball through the uprights, sending Stampeders fans into bedlam.
"When I was walking off the field, I said, 'I believe he's going to make it,'" Adams recalled. "I said 'God, give us a little bit of wind', he did, and that's what it was, so I believed from the jump."
Ottawa's Winless Streak Continues
For Ottawa, the loss marked a 13th consecutive defeat to start the season, making the Redblacks only the second team in CFL history to endure such a stretch. The 1994 Shreveport Pirates hold the dubious distinction of being the only other squad to manage 13 straight losses to open a campaign.
Despite the lopsided record, Redblacks quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson delivered an impressive performance in his first start, throwing five touchdown passes. But it wasn't enough to overcome Calgary's relentless pressure or avoid becoming the latest victim of Ottawa's heartbreaking collapse narrative.
Bethel-Thompson, 38, invoked Greek mythology to describe the team's frustrating position, referencing the legend of Sisyphus—forever pushing a boulder up a hill only to watch it roll back down.
"We're right there at the top. Think you're getting the boulder over the top, down it goes rolling. Take these lessons, take this hardship, and not go against each other, and not go against yourself, and come out of this stronger."
The two teams will meet again Saturday in Ottawa for the second contest of their home-and-home series, with the Stampeders looking to maintain momentum in their push toward playoff position.
This article is based on reporting from Global Calgary.