CALGARY — Quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. and the Stampeders had a sense of occasion in Calgary's first "Stampede Bowl" with a 37-16 win over the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Thursday.
The hosts were dominant in the first CFL game named in honour of the Calgary Stampede that starts Friday and has been a city fixture for over a century.
After three straight games without a touchdown pass for the first time in his career, Adams threw his first two as a Stampeder while Damon Webb and Derrick Moncrief returned interceptions for a pair of touchdowns.
"It was a great team win, complementary football, defence two pick sixes. Finally got a passing touchdown, so that felt good as well," said Adams.
There were cowboy hats all around as the Stampeders hoisted a bespoke trophy designed for the game attended by an announced 22,485 at McMahon Stadium.
"Certain games bring a little extra emotion. Tonight the whole stadium had emotion," Stampeders head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson said. "We had some spark. I knew our guys were ready to play."
Clark Barnes and Damien Alford caught Adams' touchdown passes and Dedrick Mills scored a rushing touchdown for Calgary (3-1).
Rene Paredes contributed five kicking points and punter Mark Vassett a punt single for the hosts, who handed the Blue Bombers (3-1) their first loss of the season.
Winnipeg's Jerreth Sterns caught a touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter and kicker Sergio Castillo was good from 19, 21 and 29 yards.
Blue Bombers running back Brady Oliveira, the CFL's Most Outstanding Player in 2024, totalled 61 yards on 13 carries after sitting out two games with a shoulder injury.
Thursday's game was a matchup of the CFL's two stingiest defences, but the Stampeders raced to a 29-6 lead by halftime, while Winnipeg's offence was hampered by miscues, interceptions and a smothering Calgary secondary.
"We got our asses beat," Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea said. "They came out and put it on us pretty good."
Adams, acquired in a trade from the B.C. Lions last November, also completed 13 of 18 pass attempts for 222 yards and went interception-free.
His Winnipeg counterpart Zach Collaros went 34-for-48 in passing for 288 yards and one touchdown, but was intercepted twice for Calgary touchdowns.
"I can speak for the offence and myself, when you turn over the football, especially when it goes for touchdowns the other way, that’s not a winning recipe," Collaros said.
Collaros and his favourite downfield target Dalton Schoen connected on just four of 10 attempts.
Moncrief picked off Collaros for a 70-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
"I watched film all week. No sleep this week," Moncrief said. "Last night, I was watching film a long time and just trusting myself and trusting my preparation."
Webb nabbed a Collaros throw intended for Nic Demski and ran back a 30-yard touchdown to give Calgary a 15-3 lead heading into the second quarter.
"We called it early this week man, me and Webb, we said we had to make some big plays for our defence and that's what we did, but we credit our defensive line for putting the pressure on them too," Moncrief said.
After Jalen Philpot's 68-yard catch and run put the Stampeders on Winnipeg's doorstep with two and a half minutes left in the first half, Mills punched the ball into the end zone.
Collaros pushed the Blue Bombers downfield with the clock ticking down but Winnipeg settled for a Castillo field goal and a 23-point deficit at halftime.
Adams threw his first touchdown pass as a Stampeder on Calgary's opening drive when he aired the ball out to Barnes for a 43-yard major. His second was an 11-yard yard catch and run by Alford for the latter's first CFL touchdown.
UP NEXT
The Stampeders visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders on July 11. The Blue Bombers have a bye week before a rematch with Calgary at home July 18.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 3, 2025.
Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press
