Calgary Stampeders in CFL's Week 10: QB Vernon Adams Jr. returns, as do Bombers

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Vernon Adams Jr. looks as if he’s ready to climb back into the saddle for the Calgary Stampeders.

Without the hitch in his giddy-up after suffering a head injury two weeks ago, the veteran quarterback is back confidently talking about suiting up for the team’s Week 10 game in the Canadian Football League.

He’s practising with his usual elite awareness, as well.

“Yeah, I feel great,” said Adams, talking to reporters in the lead-up to Saturday’s contest for the Stampeders (5-3) against the incoming Winnipeg Blue Bombers (4-3) at McMahon Stadium (5 p.m., TSN, CHQR 770 AM/107.3 FM the Edge).

“Feels good to be back out there with the guys,” continued the 10-year CFL QB. “Some great energy, great weather and great days of practice. We’re excited for the opportunity this week to get on and take on the Blue Bombers.”

After getting his bell rung on a hit from Montreal Alouettes defender Tyrice Beverette last month, Adams wasn’t fit to meet CFL protocols to play in last week’s 31-11 Week 9 loss to the host Ottawa Redblacks.

Instead, it was backup QB P.J. Walker under centre for the Stamps, and his CFL debut start was strong in his some areas — 20-of-37 for 273 passing yards and his first-ever touchdown pass thrown in the three-down league — but ugly in others, with three interceptions tossed, including an ill-advised pick-six.

“Yeah … it’s very tough, you know?” said Adams, of watching his teammates lose from the sidelines. “You’re a competitor. You want to be out there helping out the team and doing what you can do. So you just have to help on the sidelines.

“But I thought we played well — we just didn’t make enough plays. So try to get back on track this week.”

The boss agrees that’s likely the case with Adams showing better in his health early on in Week 10 here.

“He looks and sounds like basically himself,” Stampeders GM/head coach Dave Dickenson told reporters. “So all positives.

“He’s getting a little extra running in. You do have to go through the hurdles and the steps (to be cleared to play), but we’re feeling pretty confident that he’s certainly on the way, if not all the way back.”

What about other injured Stamps?

While Adams is itching to get back in the lineup, so are a few of his weapons.

Clutch receiver Clark Barnes (ankle) — an underrated player in the passing game — is back practising fully with the offence.

And fellow pass-catchers Jalen Philpot (hamstring) and Damien Alford (hamstring) have both been limited participants in sessions.

Also limited in practice has been veteran receiver Tevin Jones, another important key to the offensive cog, after he left last week’s affair with a hip injury.

If any two of the above are unable to return to face the Blue Bombers, the Stamps are likely to return to CFL rookies Daylen Baldwin and Vyshonne Janusas, who caught three and two passes respectively, in their debuts last week.

“Yeah, adversity builds character, and it shows character,” said Adams, when asked about the performance of the two newbies in the nation’s capital. “A lot of these young guys stepped up, and they did what they can do to help the team out.

“And so we’ve just got to keep taking those steps, little by little. We’ve got to keep bringing these young guys along with us to make sure they’re ready for anything in the future and things like that.

“But I thought they did pretty good.”

Also back practising fully for the Stamps are RB Eno Benjamin (load management), LB Kelechi Anyalebechi (foot) and DB Jackson Sombach (hamstring).

“Yeah, I’d say we had a good chunk of the guys back practising — it looked like — full (Monday),” added Dickenson. “Now, how do they respond after that? We’ll see. Some guys we’ve held out, as well, that we think can play, but we’ll have a better beat on that (throughout the week), and we’ll see how they react.”

What do the Bombers bring to McMahon?

After starting out of the blocks 3-0, the Blue Bombers were stunned twice in three weeks by the upstart Stampeders — 37-16 in the Stampede Bowl, and 41-20 in the rematch in Manitoba.

Those losses made up the majority of a three-game skid for the defending West Division champions, which they halted last week in a 40-31 takedown of the visiting Toronto Argonauts (2-6).

That victory came without QB Zach Collaros in the lineup, as veteran backup Chris Streveler managed the day with 17-of-21 for 173 yards — despite throwing three INTs — in what was a run-heavy effort by the victors.

But Collaros is expected to return to run the show for the Bombers against the Stampeders, with head coach Mike O’Shea telling reporters in Winnipeg the future hall-of-famer is “trending towards playing.”

Remember that the QB was knocked out of the second game against the Stampeders in mid-July on a heavy hit laid on him by defensive lineman Clarence Hicks.

Eight-time CFL all-star offensive lineman Stanley Bryant is possible after missing the last few games with an ankle injury.

Regardless of who lines up Saturday for the Bombers, the Stamps insist they’ll be ready.

Not only does Week 10 offer a few more days between games compared to previous weeks, allowing the Red and White a longer rest after their first two-loss run of the schedule, the extra time off gave them an added day of practice to prepare for the affair.

“We’ve played Winnipeg twice already,” Dickenson said. “Not to say that we don’t need to do different things and do some things to scheme them, but (the extra day) was more about ourselves and work on ourselves — and not even really about plays. It was about techniques and trying to get better at little, small skills.

“Yeah, we used it as like a training camp or an extra day and really try to work on drill work, but also skills and also a couple things like situational football. Hope it pays off for us. You look around the league, and things do pop up sometimes that you forget. So you should cover these things a little bit more in detail, so that — hopefully — when it does happen to you, you’re ready to go.”

Short yardage

LS Aaron Crawford (knee) was also limited in Tuesday’s session … DL Jaylon Hutchings (calf), DB Adrian Greene (lower leg), DB Tyler Richardson and DB Ben Labrosse (hamstring) have not practised this week … The Stampeders signed Canadian DL Kyle Samson, a second-round 2024 draftee by the Blue Bombers, and placed him on their practice roster. Samson, who was traded to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats earlier this year from the Bombers, was a two-time Canada West all-star and a two-time second-team all-Canadian with the U SPORTS’ UBC Thunderbirds. He counted 76 career tackles, including 19.5 for a loss, and added eight sacks and one interception and was part of the Thunderbirds’ Canada West championship team in 2023 … American DB Bentlee Sanders has been released from the practice roster. Sanders played 16 games and made 10 starts as a rookie for the Stampeders in 2024, recording 45 tackles and one interception. He did not see any game action this season.

tsaelhof@postmedia.com

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