CALGARY- Like many of their battle so far this season, it came down to the wire against a hungry Stampeder squad. Only this time, it was the opposition who made key plays in key moments to hold off the red-hot BC Lions 25-24 at a hot and steamy McMahon Stadium. The defeat drops the Lions to 5-2 and second in the West Division behind the 5-1 Saskatchewan Roughriders who have a game in hand despite falling to the Lions one week ago. Calgary improved to 3-3. Now for some game takes:
Turnovers The Key For Calgary
The visitors were in a position to take this one home in the final minutes before a costly Vernon Adams Jr. interception to Kobe Williams with the score 25-23 with 3:12 to go. It was the second one thrown by the CFL’s passing leader, the first coming right before halftime deep inside Calgary territory. Due the math and it was at least six points left on the field on a night where both teams started out slow offensively.
“We got man coverage and I was working my man route there. If I just lead him a little bit more, it’s a completion. The DB made a good play,” said Adams of the late gaff.
Adams finished his night with season lows of 17 completions and 192 yards while throwing touchdown strikes to Stanley Berryhill and Justin McInnis. The totals would have been higher if not for a few other overthrows and miscommunications that he took full ownership of at the end.
“I overthrew a few guys. I accept that. I just have to learn how to connect because those are some big misses. If we can complete on those, it’s a different ballgame,” Adams said.
As far as the defence goes, they had the chance to get the ball back if not for back-to-back plays inside the final two minutes. The first was a Jake Maier completion to Clarke Barnes to move the sticks on a second and 18 followed by a Tyson Philpot fumble that Ciante Evans failed to control in his grasp before the Stampeders recovered it. It would have set the Lions up on Calgary’s 50-yard line with a chance to get in a position to walk it off.
“We beat ourselves. You’ve got to give credit where credit is due to Calgary. They made key plays and executed in all levels of the football game and played complimentary football across the board,” said Christian Covington.
“It was just a lot of self-inflicted wounds, self-made mistakes that you don’t normally see from a team of this caliber. It’s humbling and something we’re going to have to sit on entering into this bye week. Yeah we have to move onto the next one.”
Barnes was a thorn in the Lions’ side as he scored the eventual winning touchdown with 6:35 remaining. Maier finished the game 25/32 for 307 yards and three touchdown strikes.
The defence got a big boost with T.J. Lee’s return as the veteran made a big tackle to keep Marken Michel short of the goal line on a third down gamble when the score was tied at 17 to end the third quarter. It had the makings of a possible TSN turning point but it wasn’t meant to be. To a man, the squad knows they have to and are capable of bouncing back.
“We’re a good football team. It’s part of the journey. It’s going to be the ups and downs that are going to make us better,” added Adams Jr.
Key Numbers
76- Maier’s completion percentage on the night. He threw touchdown passes to Barnes, Jalen Philpot and Reggie Begelton.
274– it was season-low total for net offence by Adams Jr. and company.
23– the teams combined for 23 penalties. The Stampeders had 12 for 180 while the Lions had 11 infractions for 70 yards.
100– Adams suited up in his 100th regular season game on Sunday. He is now 20-8-0 in games he has started for the Lions dating back to October 2022.
42- Whyte’s field goal streak remains intact after he hit all three attempts, the longest coming from 52 yards out. Whyte officially passed Calgary’s Rene Paredes for the second-longest streak in CFL history trailing only Ottawa’s Lewis Ward hit 69 in a row from 2018-19.
Next Up
The Lions now head into their first bye week of the season before returning to full practice next Sunday in advance of a week nine visit to Winnipeg on Thursday, August 1. Kickoff at Princess Auto Stadium is 5:30 pm PT. The 2-5 Blue Bombers pay a visit to 4-2 Toronto next Saturday.