Calgary Stampeders looking to avenge Week 2 loss to B.C. Lions

Calgary Stampeders quarterback Jake Maier (12) looks on during second half CFL action against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, in Winnipeg, Friday, July 12, 2024. The Stampeders will have redemption on their minds when they host the B.C. Lions at McMahon Stadium on Sunday night.THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

The Calgary Stampeders will have redemption on their minds when they host the B.C. Lions at McMahon Stadium on Sunday night.

Playing the second of three regular-season games against the Lions (5-1), the Stampeders (2-3) are looking to avenge the 26-17 setback to their CFL West Division rivals at Vancouver’s BC Place on June 16.

“It was a bad taste in our mouths a few weeks ago,” said Calgary quarterback Jake Maier. “We felt like we had every opportunity to win the game obviously, but we (have) felt that every week.

“We’ve been as competitive as anybody in this league. Any time you have that going for you, you feel really good about whoever you play and it’s no different this weekend.”

Following two straight road losses, the Stamps are hoping that home-field advantage will be on their side this time around against the Lions.

“We’ve been having good crowds,” said Calgary coach Dave Dickenson. “People have been getting into the games. The last time we played B.C., I think the silent cadence was tough on our guys. They had a big crowd with (rapper) 50 Cent in the building.

"It was a big home field advantage and kind of got us a little bit out of our groove in the fourth quarter. I thought we handled it well early, but that focus has to be there for 60 minutes.”

The same two teams will finish out their season series with another game in Vancouver on Oct. 4.

Home advantage

Both of Calgary’s victories this season have come at home — a 32-24 triumph over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Week 1 and a 22-19 overtime win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on June 29.

“We’ve been playing well at McMahon,” Dickenson said. “We know it’s a big challenge, but we’d like to get out of here with a win and show people we can play with anybody.”

Following a pair of heartbreaking road losses — 30-26 to the Montreal Alouettes on July 6 and 41-17 to the Bombers six days later — the Stamps are eager to return to their winning ways in front of their hometown fans.

“We have to be able to establish a culture at home where we play our best football here,” said Maier, who completed 20-of-31 passes for 316 yards to go with two touchdowns and two interceptions against the Bombers.

“We should have a great crowd, great turnout. If we want to be a championship contender, then this is the place where we’ve got to win and we’ve got to be dominant.”

They’ll also have to find a way to contain Lions quarterback Vernon Adams Jr., who completed 26-of-42 passes for an impressive 451 yards during a 35-20 victory over the previously unbeaten Saskatchewan Roughriders last Saturday at BC Place.

“We need a win is what we need to do,” said Stamps linebacker Micah Awe. “At the end of the day, we’ve just got to get our killer instinct.”

Under pressure

Awe's total of 134 defensive tackles last season was third best in CFL history behind only his former B.C. teammate Solomon Elimimian, who finished with 144 in 2017 and 143 in 2014.

One key to victory for Awe and the Calgary defence will be to pressure Adams, who threw one touchdown pass against the Roughriders in addition to a pair of interceptions.

“This league, the talent margin is so little,” said Awe. “It’s heart, not muscle. It’s hustle, not speed. At the end of the day, there’s going to be a play that it’s not going to come out to how athletic someone is. It’s going to be did you hustle or did you not hustle, because Vernon, a lot of his plays are hustle plays.

"That’s what’s going to have to happen is that margin of difference is literally going to be a hustle play. It’s going to be heart. It’s not going to be muscle.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20, 2024.