After last week, the Calgary Stampeders know their best is good enough to beat anyone in the CFL. Their 20-7 home win over the league’s last remaining unbeaten team, the Toronto Argonauts, is proof of that.
Now Calgary simply needs to find the consistency that has mostly eluded it during a 3-5 start to the season. A good way to do that is to back up beating Toronto with a road win Saturday in Vancouver against the B.C. Lions.
“They accepted the challenge and rose up to the challenge,” said Stamps coach Dave Dickenson. “I do feel like we can beat any team in this league, but we could probably lose to any team in this league, so we have to find a bit of consistent play and find our identity.”
That identity against the Argos was tough defense and a sound running game. They shackled an offense that had scored at least 31 points in every game, limiting Toronto to 157 passing yards. And Dedrick Mills helped Calgary control the ball with 137 yards on 27 rushes.
“We executed a game plan damn near to perfection,” said quarterback Jake Maier, who did his part by going 22 of 24 for 149 yards.
Meanwhile, B.C. (6-2) is coming off a 50-14 pummeling at Winnipeg’s hands last week in Manitoba. Already without starting quarterback Vernon Adams (knee), the Lions lost backup Dane Evans to a rib injury that has forced him to the injured reserve list.
However, B.C. got good news when Adams was cleared to return after missing two games following a sack against Saskatchewan on July 22.
“I knew it wasn’t that bad because I got up and started walking on it,” Adams said. “I was just like, ‘OK, I know for a fact it’s not too bad, but I know it hurts, too.’ I’ve never felt like this before. I was kind of relieved and thankful.”
The mobile Adams was seen with a brace on at practice on Thursday but coach Rick Campbell, asked to assess his physical fitness, responded with two thumbs up.
The Lions won the teams’ first meeting on June 8 in Calgary 25-15.
–Field Level Media
