CALGARY

The CFL’s measuring stick. Defending Grey Cup champions. The league’s model franchise.

There are many descriptions one can attach to the Calgary Stampeders, each one deserved and justified.

When a Stampeder goes down injured, the team doesn’t often take a step back.

There is depth and quality, a star running back in Jon Cornish and a franchise quarterback in Bo Levi Mitchell, playmakers on defence and high-end talent on both sides of the ball.

But heading into Monday night’s home date against the Argos, the Stamps aren’t where they want to be, beginning the defence of their 2014 title by eking out a one-point win over Hamilton on a late field goal and being completely outclassed, 29-11, by the Alouettes in Montreal.

Cornish couldn’t rush for more than 100 yards in either game game and Mitchell has been picked off more times than he’s thrown a touchdown pass.

But one of these days — and it may arrive by as early as Monday — the Stamps will find their rhythm, all the pieces falling into place, the team’s focus on execution achieved.

“They are a top-of-the-line organization and (John) Hufnagel is an outstanding coach,’’ said Argos linebacker Brandon Isaac, a one-time Stampeder. “They are very detail-oriented. Schematically, they are going to know their strengths and weaknesses and they’re going to know ours, as well.”

It’s why the Argos are presented with an early-season look at precisely where they stand following wins over Edmonton and Saskatchewan.

It’s why Monday’s game looms as big as any the team will play outside of those involving the Ticats.

A win and the Argos move closer to legitimacy, even if it is early in the season and even though they already are plagued with injury issues.

The Eskimos were bad in the season opener and the Argos emerged as the superior team in the second half when they cleaned up their sloppy play at intermission.

In Regina, the Argos weren’t very good on either side of the ball until the fourth quarter when plays had to be made and were made in the overtime victory.

Quarterback Trevor Harris came of age on Toronto’s late-game scoring drive and he was flawless on the two overtime possessions.

Like Mitchell, Harris has shown he can lead a team. And much like Calgary, the Argos, one day, will have to decide on the fate of Ricky Ray, who continues to be out following off-season shoulder surgery.

Drew Tate remains Calgary’s backup, but he’s nowhere near the class of Ray, a future all of famer and three-time Grey Cup quarterback.

Harris is approaching 30, but Monday represents only his fourth career start in the CFL.

When Mitchell was anointed starter, he led the Stamps to a championship in his first season and was voted by TSN as the league’s best player.

Isaac, who was a rookie in Calgary in 2010, is as astute a football mind the CFL has seen in recent history. He doesn’t believe Mitchell is the CFL’s best, claiming he was a beneficiary of Calgary’s well-balanced, run-oriented scheme from last season, something the team has yet to achieve going into Monday.

“I see a young quarterback,’’ said Isaac, one of the anchors of Toronto’s 2012 Grey Cup champion defence that stifled the Stamps, a team led by quarterback Kevin Glenn. “This year, they are forcing him (Mitchell) to make tougher passes.

“He’s struggling, but hopefully he regains his swagger after this week and moves forward. I feel like they are going through some growing pains and hopefully we can capitalize on that and make plays.”

Under head coach Scott Milanovich’s watch, the Argos are 3-3 against Calgary, including 2-1 at McMahon Stadium.

A year ago, Ray threw four first-half touchdown passes to four different receivers as Toronto led 29-3, though the Stamps stormed back in the second half to pull out the win.

“They’ve been a great football team since I’ve been back in the league,’’ said Milanovich. “Coach Hufnagel does a tremendous job. When you go up against them, it’s always a measuring stick.

“You know you’ve got to play well to win. You can’t play poorly and expect to win.”

It’s why the Argos are looking to get their Stamps of approval on Monday night.

A win also means the Argos go into their break with momentum on their side.

The team does not play again until July 24 when it heads to Vancouver in the penultimate installment of the Braley Bowl.

“Hopefully, no team gets overlooked, but especially this team,’’ said Milanovich of the Stamps.

“We do have a few days off and it’s been discussed. Guys know they have to bear down and they need to make sure there are no regrets when we leave Calgary.”