Calgary quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. settled a personal score when the Stampeders toppled the BC Lions in Week 4, now the sides renew hostilities to headline Week 11 in the CFL on TSN.
The Stampeders (4-5) will host the Lions (3-5) in a crucial clash of West Division foes seeking to solidify their spot in the playoff picture as the second half of the season gets underway.
Also on the schedule, the Ottawa Redblacks (0-8) look to pick up their first win of the season in a battle against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (4-4), while the Toronto Argonauts (4-4) head to Edmonton to battle the Elks (6-3) and the Saskatchewan Roughriders (6-2) take on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (3-6) in a doubleheader on Saturday.
Lions take on Stampeders in Calgary on Thursday
The Stampeders lost on a late field goal in the Argonauts’ home opener on Thursday, and will need to defeat the division rival-Lions in order to bounce back and get in the win column.
Adams Jr. spent two seasons with the Lions from 2023-24, where he started in 26 games - but was relegated to the bench in the middle of the 2024 season when Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke returned to the team after a foray into the National Football League. Adams was traded to the Stampeders the following offseason.
The Lions beat the Stampeders in all three of their matchups last year - including in the postseason - and Rourke took home Most Outstanding Player honours, proving in a way that the Lions made the right choice.
Adams is working to correct that narrative this year and enters this week leading the league with 21 passing touchdowns. He was especially excited after the Stampeders beat the Lions 41-33 in Week 4, a game in which Adams threw for three touchdowns.
“It means a lot,” Adams said of the win to TSN’s Farhan Lalji after the game. “It does feel good to get that monkey off my back, but now it’s time to get back to work and keep working.”
The Stampeders are a half-game behind the Blue Bombers and a half-game ahead of the Lions as the sides are jockeying for playoff positions.
Winless Redblacks try to snap streak in game against Blue Bombers
The Redblacks were defeated by the Blue Bombers 36-34 in overtime in their showdown in Week 7, and get a chance to reverse that result on Friday - with a potential new quarterback under centre for Winnipeg.
Zach Collaros could return to lead the Blue Bombers again as he began practicing earlier this week. Collaros hasn’t played since Week 5, when he suffered a neck injury.
The two-time CFL Most Outstanding Player has 985 passing yards on 74 completions with five touchdowns and three interceptions in four games this season.
The Redblacks’ first season under Ryan Dinwiddie, the newly-hired head coach who won two Grey Cups with the Argonauts, has been a complete disaster. Speaking to TSN1200 Ottawa following practice on Monday, wide receiver Khalil Pimpleton summed up the season succinctly, saying “none of us imagined we’d be in this position” at 0-8.
Jake Maier has thrown for 2,366 yards with 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions through eight starts in his first season in Ottawa. The team ran for just 12 yards in their loss to the Roughriders a week ago, and have averaged 53.5 rushing yards per game this season - by far the lowest in the league.
Argonauts open Saturday doubleheader against Elks
The Argonauts have won two games in a row, including a 33-30 victory in their home opener against the Stampeders in Week 10, and try to extend the winning streak on the road against Edmonton.
Chad Kelly threw four interceptions for Toronto in their victory over Calgary, but was able to drive the team down field when it mattered most to set up a game-winning 11-yard field goal by Brady Lidster.
“There’s always going to be throws we wish we had back but Chad gives us a chance every week,” Miller said. “I’m sure glad he’s an Argo, I love working with him.
“Passionate, a generous teammate, he puts it on the line.”
The Elks, meanwhile, have lost two straight and were manhandled in a marquee game against the Montreal Alouettes a week ago.
“I think [the Alouettes] sent a message to the league,” Elks quarterback Cody Fajardo said after the game. “We’re one of the top teams in this league and they beat us in all three phases.
“That’s a good football team. All three phases, they beat us up pretty good and we got to be better.”
Roughriders battle Tiger-Cats to cap off Saturday doubleheader
The Roughriders have won two straight, and will try to stay hot in a battle against the flailing Tiger-Cats, who have lost three in a row.
Saskatchewan lit up the Redblacks 42-20 in Week 10, in a game where quarterback Trevor Harris threw for 401 yards and two touchdowns and eclipsed 40,000 career passing yards.
“It’s incredible. We all know how long the league’s been around, and there’s only 12 people do that,” Roughriders head coach Corey Mace said of Harris’ accomplishment. ”In true Trevor fashion, he took that [game ball] and was looking to give away offensive player of the game ball. I said, ‘No, buddy, that’s your ball. You pick another one to give somebody else, right?’"
The Tiger-Cats dropped their third game in a row in a 27-24 loss to the Lions in Week 10. Harrison Frost became the third quarterback to start for the Tiger-Cats since Bo Levi Mitchell suffered a gruesome leg injury in Week 5, and he threw for 239 yards and a touchdown.
Hamilton’s rushing attack struggled in the game, amassing just 26 yards on 10 rushing attempts.
