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Stamps kicker Rene Paredes' consistent record leaves doubters in the dust

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Earlier this season, there were questions in the media – including this very publication – about Rene Paredes’ performances for the Calgary Stampeders.

In retrospect, those questions were pretty dumb.

As the Stampeders enter the final three weeks of the 2017 season, there’s been no field goal kicker in the CFL who has been as consistent as Paredes. With 48 field goals to his name the 32-year-old is hunting down his club’s single-season record.

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At this point, it’s a little hard to even remember why anyone was worried about him.

The man himself certainly never was.

“I feel I’ve been good all year. A couple (missed) extra points, but that’s about it,” Paredes said Wednesday from McMahon Stadium. “I think all year I’ve been kicking well, just this time of the year I’ve been getting more kicks than usual so people notice it more.

“I’m just locked in. I’m locked in every time. Sometimes kicks don’t go your way, but it happens.”

The numbers back up his assertion.

So far this season, Paredes has hit 48 of 53 field goal attempts, good for a league-best 90.6%.

Yes, there were a few missed converts in the opening couple weeks of the season, but he hasn’t been missing those recently.

The Stampeders coaching staff is understandably pleased with what they’re getting.

“It’s always interesting to me that when he does miss a kick – which is going to happen – people do seem to be pretty hard on him,” said Stamps head coach Dave Dickenson. “He’s been outstanding for basically his whole career with the Stamps.

“We feel like we’ve got one of the best and he continues to always make those game winners.”

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Paredes kicks the game-winning field goal against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last Friday.
Paredes kicks the game-winning field goal against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last Friday. Photo by Peter Power /The Canadian Press

It’s true that Paredes has been lights-out when it counted most this year. Just last weekend, he hit a game-winning 17-yard field goal to seal the Stampeders’ 28-25 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

He’s also closing in on the Stampeders’ single-season record for field goals. It’s a record he’s all-too familiar with, having tied Sandro DeAngelis for the mark when he kicked 56 last season.

It all adds up to a year in which it feels a little ridiculous to criticize Paredes or question his value to the Stampeders.

“I don’t pay attention, you guys have a job and I’ve got a job and I just do my own thing,” Paredes said. “I don’t worry about those things. The only thing I worry about is if Dave and (special teams coach Mark Killam) have faith in me, and they have all year.”

MCDANIEL OUT

The Stampeders will be without their top receiver this weekend against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The team sent Marquay McDaniel for more testing after he injured his leg against the Ticats. While the results were encouraging, the Stamps are opting to give him an extra week to recover.

“We got fairly good results, actually,” Dickenson said. “Nothing significant. I’m just gonna give him a week and let the other guys that have practised (play). I would expect him to be available next week.”

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With McDaniel out, DaVaris Daniels will likely be inserted back into the lineup after missing an extended stretch due to a knee injury.

While the Stamps’ 13-1-1 record means they do have the luxury of being careful with banged-up players, Dickenson insisted that wasn’t the reason McDaniel is getting a break.

“I wouldn’t have played him no matter what, you’ve gotta practice,” Dickenson said. “I’m a guy who, you’ve gotta practice, but it’s one of those things where if it was do-or-die he’d probably be out there. It’s something I’ve done all year. If a guy isn’t quite right, I don’t want a guy going out there that can’t give me faith and trust that he can play all 60 minutes.

Defensive end Micah Johnson will also be back in the lineup after practising with the team on Wednesday.

HERE WE GO

On Wednesday afternoon, news broke out of Regina that Roughriders receiver Duron Carter will be playing at defensive back against the Stampeders.

It didn’t take long for Stamps QB Bo Levi Mitchell to let the world know what he thought about the decision.

“Don’t do it Duron … you’ll get 25 balls thrown at you,” Mitchell wrote on Twitter.

Carter, naturally, responded.

“Yeah whatever! You don’t have anyone that can catch better than me!!! I hope you got on your chasing cleats!!!” Carter wrote, with a bunch of emojis scattered around for good measure.

Needless to say, this is going to get talked about a lot over the next couple days.

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