Five takeaways as Calgary Stampeders pummel Edmonton Elks in final pre-season game

Article content

A first-play first down followed by a first-drive touchdown.

That’s the way to get the home fans feeling good about the Calgary Stampeders for the 2025 Canadian Football League campaign.

Even better was parlaying that early success into a convincing win over the rival Edmonton Elks in the CFL pre-season final for the Stampeders — a 31-4 decision Saturday night in front of 15,531 fans at McMahon Stadium.

Strong performances? Check.

A desired result? Double check.

The Elks didn’t offer much in the way of starters — 40 rookies peppered the visiting team’s roster — but it still makes for a feel-good start for a franchise in need of it this season.

And with that the Stampeders are off to the regular season — with a monster break between now and their first game Saturday, June 7 against the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats at McMahon (5 p.m., CHQR 770 AM/107.3 FM the Edge, TSN).

“We’re going to have another week of practice to get a chance to see what our team is,” said Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson. “We’re not gonna it’s hard, but still games, it’s like, what are these guys basically keeping at it. We just gotta try to understand that we’re still competing. There’s still jobs to be one. There’s still basically practices that are important so we can improve going into week one, and we’ll have some tough decisions, but make our final cuts.

Here are five takeaways from the Stamps win in Langford, B.C. …

1) BIG-START V.A.

Fans at McMahon got their first look at Vernon Adams Jr., and the much-heralded quarterback acquired in the off-season strutted his wares.

The top-shelf QB — nicknamed ‘Big-Play V.A.’ — was gunning right from the start and moving the ball with authority, instantly wiping away the stumbles seen at the position of previous years which have maligned the offence.

Primarily, he hooked up rangy receiver Dominique Rhymes — another prized off-season pick-up — and he was impressed with a number of his weapons making plays Saturday, including speedy Ishmael Hyman, dynamic Cam Echols and newcomer Terrell Vaughn.

And points were scored on all three drives Adams engineered — a couple of touchdowns on QB sneaks by fellow pivot Logan Bonner and a 52-yard field-goal bombed by veteran kicker René Paredes, although he felt like he “left some plays out there.”

“I thought he looked good,” said Dickenson of his starting QB. “I mean … he only played quarter-and-a-half, and he was on fire there. And I really think he is moving (in the backfield), he’s at his best.

“Now, a lot of those weren’t called he ad-libbed and did some good things,” continued Dickenson. “When he’s moving around and extending plays, he’s really tough to blitz. I thought he made some really nice reads and nice throws. You could tell he’s got chemistry with most of the guys — Dom seemed to be the most open, but I think he’s had good chemistry all camp with the guys.”

After that, it was P.J. Walker’s chance to show his wares at quarterback for the Stampeders.

He marched the club downfield on many drives, hooking up with receiver Daylen Baldwin on a 13-yard TD on a third-and-long gamble in the fourth quarter.

But the former NFL starting QB did throw a pair of picks.

“I didn’t think P.J. had great protection, and first off, as a quarterback, it’s tough when you’re getting hit,” Dickenson said. “He is making some reads and some throws that the other team is catching, and that’s a problem. We’re going to keep building on that. I mean … it’s unfair to think he’s just going to step in and just look like million bucks when he’s never played in the CFL.

Josh Love mopped up at QB for the Stamps with minimal snaps.

2) RUN, JESHRUN, RUN!

Running back Jeshrun Antwi looked right at home in his return to McMahon a few years after starring for the U SPORTS’ Calgary Dinos.

The local product, who’s put together some early-career success in his first few CFL seasons, signed with the Stamps over the winter in hopes of catching on in the backfield.

After Saturday’s showcase, it looks like he’s got a gig with the Red and White.

His Canadian citizenship helps, but Antwi’s performance — hitting holes with patience and dialling up the speed in the open field — did plenty to help his case.

Antwi’s actions were part of the larger success put in by all the running backs on the night.

American back Eno Benjamin was also dynamic, making a brave catch off an Adams’ shovel-pass as part of his solid effort. He also had a dynamic punt return — or two — on the evening, as did receiver Terrell Vaughn.

3) O-LINE, OH YEAH!

It’s hard to have that kind of success from the backfield without a contribution from the offensive line.

And so the Stamps got that, too, with a young but experienced bunch pushing around the Elks defensive line in the trenches.

For the early drives, it was centre Rodeem Brown, guards Zack Williams and Christy Nkanu and tackles D’Antne Demery and Josh Coker — a could-be starting five on the o-line.

“Yeah … I feel like they were all here last year, so I feel like their chemistry is there,” said Adams of the o-line. “So I think we’re good. The only sack was on me, where I had the ball a little bit too long. And other than that, they were fine.”

Later on, other o-linemen stepped up and continued the excellence and their own individual pushes for roster spots.

Bryce Bell, a third-year centre pencilled in at that position, missed the pre-season due to injury. So he’ll add more experience to a unit that’s gelled well through training camp.

“Bryce is just dealing with a bit of a shoulder, so we’re trying to see where we’re at with that,” Dickenson said. “I like our young guys, too, but I just felt like we just didn’t have the same level of execution when they starters came out.”

4) DEFENSIVE DECISIONS

With pretty much an entirely new defence set to be in place for the Stampeders, there are plenty of decisions to be made.

And those who got the reps Saturday didn’t do the coaching staff any favours. There were simply many gamers.

Returnee Clarence Hicks, fellow defensive end Shaun Peterson Jr. — with speed and a sack — middle linebacker Marquel Lee and defensive back Jeremy Lucien were among the staunch performers.

“To me, when I looked at there, Peterson on the d-line was the one getting the sacks,” Dickenson said. “You don’t know, though, if that’s somebody else may be creating the mismatches.

“I thought we stopped the run. You can’t be a good defensive you can’t stop the run. And we didn’t do that last year, so the guys did have physicality.

“And I think there was a chance to make some plays in the ball late, and we weren’t quite able to do that. Great teams will have that killer instinct and finish off the game.

“We’ll have some tough decisions when we make our final cuts.”

5) FLAG-FREE STAMPS

The Stampeders put up another disciplined display of football, just as they did a week ago in the 26-16 win over the host BC Lions on Vancouver Island.

That wasn’t the case on the Elks’ side of the field, however.

The difference perhaps in why the Stamps haven’t taken many penalties was the extended training camp visit of former CFL referee Bud Steen. The Edmontonian came to Calgary to help the Red and White in practice, helping to quickly acquaint the many new players to the team — especially those more familiar with the American game — to the Canadian rules.

It seems to have helped big-time for the Stamps, and that should put them ahead of other clubs early in the regular schedule.

“That was our second pre-season game, and so we were playing in our starters, and I thought they played well,” added Dickenson. “I thought they came out and set the pace on both sides of the ball — even special-teams. Then we fell into a little bit of a rut there with penalties, and that was something I know I’m going to make a point of when we get back at it.

“But it does seem like they’re getting better. We’re at the ground floor, though. We’ve got a long way to go, but did like what I saw out there.”

tsaelhof@postmedia.com

http://www.x.com/ToddSaelhofPM