WINNIPEG – The Calgary Stampeders stand alone atop the CFL standings after their 41-20 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday night at Princess Auto Stadium.
The Stamps proved their Week 5 win over Winnipeg was no fluke, delivering a complete performance to improve to 5-1, already matching their win total from all of 2024.
Quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. completed 16 of his 24 passes for 267 yards, three touchdowns and an interception as he guided Calgary to its first win on Winnipeg turf since 2017 – the Bombers’ first home loss this season.
Damien Alford’s two receptions were both touchdown grabs – his third and fourth in two games. He added 79 yards to lead the team in the receiving game, and Dedrick Mills led the team on the ground with 13 rushes for 70 yards – still searching for his first 100-yard game of the season.
Calgary’s defence continued to set the standard across the league, forcing four interceptions, including Damon Webb’s second pick-six of the season.
Bombers pivot Zach Collaros went eight-for-11 for 151 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions before being ruled out in the second quarter with an injury. Chris Streveler, who entered the game in relief, finished 16-for-25, totalling 136 yards with a touchdown and matched Collaros with two picks.
Nic Demski stood out in the losing effort, notching 146 yards and a touchdown on seven catches, 116 of those yards coming in the first half.
Calgary clinches the season series with a second win over Winnipeg, with one final meeting set for Week 10 on August 9.
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The Bombers looked to hit the ground running out of the bye. Winnipeg marched 40 yards before Collaros was sacked on second down by Miles Brown – his first sack as a Stampeder. The Bombers, already feeling the absence of four-time Most Outstanding Lineman Stanley Bryant, were forced to settle for a 46-yard Sergio Castillo field goal, giving them the first points of the game.
The Stamps responded in a hurry. Adams Jr. worked the sidelines with three completions to Dominique Rhymes, Jalen Philpot and Tevin Jones for a combined 44 yards. Mills added a 17-yard run, and a roughing-the-passer penalty moved Calgary to the one-yard line, where short-yardage specialist Quincy Vaughn punched it in. René Paredes added the conversion to make it 7-3.
Trey Vaval gave the Bombers good field position with a 27-yard return on the ensuing kickoff, but back-to-back runs by Brady Oliveira could not move the chains. Winnipeg called on Castillo for another long kick, and the veteran delivered from 56 yards to cut the deficit to one.
A strong punt from Mark Vassett pinned Winnipeg inside its 10-yard line, but Zach Collaros quickly flipped the field with a 73-yard bomb to Nic Demski, who blew past Sheldon Arnold II. The momentum was short-lived, as two plays later, intended target Kody Case tripped on his route, and Anthony Johnson came up with a gift-wrapped interception.
Adams Jr. closed the first quarter with a 35-yard strike to Jones to cap a 95-yard opening frame. The drive stalled out in the second, and Paredes hit from 32 yards to restore Calgary’s four-point lead.
Winnipeg found its rhythm on its first drive of the second quarter, cutting up Calgary’s defence for 70 yards in six plays. Demski came up clutch with two big gains on second-and-longs, then capped the series with his 40th career touchdown reception – a dart from Collaros to the front of the end zone. Castillo added the convert to give the Bombers a 13-10 lead.
The Stamps would not be outdone on their next offensive possession. After Rhymes’ 16-yard reception got Calgary to midfield, Adams Jr. connected with Alford on a 37-yard jump ball for the rest – the 2025 first overall pick hitting ‘The Moose’ celebration for his third major in two games.
After Paredes’ extra point and kickoff, Collaros turned back to his favourite target, Demski, but overshot him trying to thread the ball between deep and shallow coverage. Jaydon Grant stepped in for the interception – Collaros’ second of the night and fourth against Calgary in two games. The Bombers’ pivot was hit low on the throw and was ruled out of the game shortly after in the third quarter.
Two plays later, Adams Jr. would hand it right back while looking for Rhymes deep in double coverage.
With Collaros in the locker room, the Bombers turned to Streveler. The dual threat helped dig the offence out from deep inside its five-yard line on his second series, but couldn’t beat the clock for points before halftime. Demski’s 27-yard rush on the drive pushed his total to 143 yards, punctuating a standout first half.
To start the second half, the Bombers’ defence made an important stand to force Calgary’s first two-and-out of the night. The offence followed up with a gruelling, 12-play drive to the Stamps’ red zone. Inside the 10, Streveler was flushed out of the pocket and tried to squeeze one to Kevens Clercius at the pylon, but Adrian Greene was lurking, and he saved a sure touchdown with his diving interception – his third of the season.
With the field flipped, Calgary mounted a long drive of their own. Burning over five minutes off the clock, Adams Jr. completed all five of his passes for 82 yards, capping the drive by finding a wide-open Alford 42 yards downfield for his second touchdown of the game – the rookie’s second straight game double-dipping in the end zone. Paredes hit the conversion to make it 24-13.
After the Bombers closed out the third with a two-and-out, Calgary came out in the fourth with their foot firmly pinned on the gas. Mills took two touches for a combined 22 yards to get them started, and – after drawing a pass interference penalty inside the five – Rhymes closed the drive with a touchdown grab. Paredes made the conversion to a chorus of boos from a frustrated Winnipeg faithful.
Moments later, Webb delivered the dagger, getting the jump on Streveler’s pass to the flats and taking it back 15 yards untouched to the house – his second pick six against the Bombers in as many games.
With 10 minutes left in the game, Winnipeg pressed but could not gain any traction against the confident Calgary front, turning it over on downs twice. Calgary turned to their backups for the procedural final minutes, adding a 37-yard field goal from Paredes.
Streveler hit former South Dakota teammate, Case, in the end zone to spoil Calgary’s record of holding opponents to under two touchdown drives in every game this season, but it was too little, too late, as the Stamps cruised to the 41-20 win.
Calgary is back home in Week 8, where they’ll take on the Montreal Alouettes on July 24, while the Bombers hit the road for the first leg of their home-and-home against the Toronto Argonauts on July 26.