5 Takeaways as Calgary Stampeders crush Winnipeg Blue Bombers again, become Grey Cup front-runners

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They’re not just the Red and White.

The Calgary Stampeders are the Red, White and Blew out the Canadian Football League’s so-called best team …

Again.

For the second time in three weeks, the Stampeders blew away the vaunted Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday night.

This time it came in Bombers territory, thanks to four interceptions and not even half-a-game played for Bombers superstar quarterback Zach Collaros in a 41-20 decision at Princess Auto Stadium.

“It was a gritty win, even though it was coming into hostile territory,” Stampeders receiver Dominique Rhymes told Stamps TV. “You know … Friday night, so it can be an excited crowd.

“But everybody made plays and did their jobs. It was ups and downs in the game, but we keep fighting. And I love this team, man. This team has no quit, and everybody’s gathering around each other and encouraging each other for the next play.

“All three phases complemented each other.”

The result moved the Stampeders to a wowzer 5-1 start on the season, matching their win total of a year ago. It widens the gap for them atop the CFL’s West Division, as they have sped away from the Blue Bombers — now 3-2 — in the standings.

“It feels great,” Stampeders defensive leader and safety Damon Webb, who had his second pick-six of the season in the triumph, told Stamps TV. “This ain’t the old Calgary. This is the new Calgary.

“They brought in some dogs.”

Here are five takeaways from the Stampeders’ triumph over the Bombers at Princess Auto Stadium …

1) RED AND WHITE FOR REAL

For anybody who believed the 4-1 start for the Stampeders was simply smoke and mirrors, the heavyweight bout they won Friday should change that fallacy.

The Red and White went into Winnipeg and beat a team that was an eye-popping 31-5 since the COVID pandemic. And … oh, yeah … that team has been West Division champs each of the last five years, twice winning the Grey Cup in that stretch.

They knew it would be a tough night at Princess Auto Stadium.

After all, the Bombers were humbled — humiliated even — by the upstart Stampeders two weeks back in the inaugural Stampede Bowl.

So the Horsemen had to believe a serious brush-back was coming from two-time CFL Most Outstanding Player Zach Collaros and the Blue Bombers on their own home turf in the CFL rematch.

But they shook all that off and played their own game, dominating the Bomb and making themselves sudden front-runners to capture the Grey Cup.

Yeah … we said it.

“We weathered the storm early,” Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson told reporters. “They were very physical. You could tell Winnipeg had edge and was bringing it, and it felt like we weathered a bit of a storm early and made some plays offensively and held them to field goals — that was big. And did think we got our momentum and started really kind of taking over that fourth quarter.”

2) ZACH WHO?

Forget Collaros.

Vernon Adams Jr. is looking like the man at quarterback these days in the CFL.

In his first year as the Stamps pivot, Adams seems to be getting better with every passing game, underscoring his early season statement that he had yet to get comfortable with the offence in Calgary.

V.A. was a solid 16-of-24 for 267 passing yards and three touchdowns to best the Bombers.

While the stats aren’t eye-popping, the plays he makes — both timely and worthy of the highlight-reel — certainly make heads spin, especially those noggins on the defence.

“Man … he’s he’s playing out of his mind,” Rhymes said. “Man … he’s just leading this team. Before the season started, he’s the guy to get the Stampeders back where we need to be.”

To boot, Adams threw just one interception in trying to cut his turnovers down, and that came early in the evening after which he avenged it by putting on a terrific performance but deferring credit.

“The defence … man … they’ve done such a great job all year,” Adams told reporters. “I keep telling myself, ‘If I can take care of the ball, they’re going to give me a chance. They’re going to give us a chance to win.’ (They) got a couple picks, there. Then us on offence, just getting everybody involved — ‘Moose’ (Damien Alford) on the loose, making some plays, and the offensive line and (running back Dedrick) Mills (with 70 yards on 13 carries) doing what they do … 

“So if we play a complete game like that, we’re going to be pretty good.”

Another Stamps QB in rookie Quincy Vaughn dove in from the one-yard line for the game’s first touchdown.

3) PLAYING NO FAVOURITES

Adams was asked in the lead-up to the game if he has any favourites in the receiving corps.

Although the Stamps QB did move the ball around Friday, it seems like he’s got quite the connection with a couple of receivers.

“I don’t get into favourite targets or anything like that,” Adams said. “Yeah … I go where the read tells me to go with the ball.”

By halftime, he’d targeted five receivers, including twice each to top-overall draft-pick Alford, Tevin Jones and Jalen Philpot and a whopping eight times to Rhymes.

Included in the first half was a 37-yard TD strike to Alford, for the receiver’s third in two games, to put the visitors up 17-13.

Then came the big one to Alford on what was a brilliant — but lucky? — bomb for a 42-yard third-quarter major after scrambling and spinning and looking like he just heaved it downfield on a hope and a prayer.

The question is whether the spin was a planned tip-off to the rookie receiver to jet downfield.

If it was in the playbook, it was executed to perfection.

Jones and Rhymes — the self-proclaimed ‘Twins’ — each led the Red and White with four receptions, while Alford hauled in a team-high 79 yards. Rhymes caught the team’s final TD of night, when he was left uncovered on the far side of the field and Adams hit him quickly on the snap for an easy three-yard TD pitch and catch.

4) GOT YOUR NUMBER!

Interceptions were a problem for the Bombers in the Stampede Bowl. Remember the two pick-sixes?

They were equally untimely Friday night in the rematch.

Collaros again tossed a pair, and so too did his understudy, fellow veteran pivot Chris Streveler.

Anthony Johnson got the start in place of Tyler Richardson at boundary-side corner and executed an interception of Collaros downfield to end the first quarter.

Then in the second frame, Jayden Grant thieved Collaros downfield.

Both were first CFL pick-offs for the Stamps secondary men.

“It’s just an unreal feeling — we have something really special going on,” Johnson told Stamps TV. “Man … it’s amazing. Really, just 12 guys doing their jobs, not caring who gets the credit. It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you don’t care who gets the credit. You know … you’re just trying to achieve the common goal.”

To add injury to insult, Collaros was hurt on the Grant interception, as Stamps defensive lineman Clarence Hicks pressured the QB and caught him flush in the chest while in his throwing motion, knocking him out of the game.

Winnipeg Sun columnist Paul Friesen described it as Collaros appearing “to hit his head on the turf in a whiplash effect. He appeared stunned and remained in a sitting position for an extended period of time with two members of the team’s medical staff at his sides.”

“None of us like to see that happen,” Dickenson said. “I just really like the way he plays. I get nervous for him, because I’ve been there. But it is what it is. 

“here’s two moments in this game that stood out to me. Milt Stegall’s tribute was amazing. I actually had a tear in my eyes — it was a lot. And then, obviously, I never like to see other quarterbacks with head injuries. So as just a coach and a man, those were moments that certainly affected their team.”

It’s the second time in as many seasons the Stamps have sacked Collaros and K.O.’d him from a contest.

Then came the second half, with the Stamps stunning the Bombers even more, including two picks of next-up QB Chris Streveler and running away with the victory.

“If we can get leads, then we force them into passes,” Dickenson said. “But some of that was because our defence was doing its job. 

“Adrian’s pick at the down there on the goal-line really was big. Took any momentum away from them. Then our rookie corner (Johnson) got one. And then Webb’s — his was just amazing.

“So our guys are competing … they tackle well, and they’re ball-hawks.”

5) CLARENCE & CO.

Hicks turned the tide for good for the Stamps in Winnipeg.

And his defensive mates then followed in his footsteps, further proving the Red and White defence is the best in the league.

Hicks, a second-year Stamps d-lineman, had two big plays — the hard hurry and hit of Collaros — after stunting inside — that led to the Grant INT, and a sack not long after of Streveler. It was a track-down that could’ve K.O’d another Bombers quarterback from the affair.

It didn’t get any better for Streveler after that, with the home-side pivot chucking a third-quarter INT at the Stamps’ goal-line. Defensive halfback Adrian Greene had that big play, stepping in front of the intended receiver in the endzone and thwarted a Bombers’ go-ahead score.

And then came the dagger in the fourth quarter, with Webb somehow hypnotizing Streveler to throw it right to him along the line on a hitch-screen attempt. Bad idea, as Webb jumped on the route and easily picked off the pass and ran it into the endzone for his second pick-six — this one of 15 yards — in two triumphs over the Bombers. Remember Webb and fellow defensive leader Derrick Moncrief returned INTs for TDs against Collaros in the celebrated Stampede Bowl.

“They tried to throw a screen,” added Webb. “I just jumped it. I don’t know why they threw that.

“We knew (with Collaros out), it would be a more physical game (in the second half). We just had to pay attention to details — lock in, stop the run and stop all the gimmick plays. And that’s what we did.”

Fellow starting lineman Miles Brown, an interior guy, also had a first-half sack for the Stamps, while teammate Jaylon Hutchings, also an inside lineman, had a QB take-down in the second half.

tsaelhof@postmedia.com

http://www.x.com/ToddSaelhofPM