Adams, Mills carry CFL-leading production into Stamps-Lions clash

CALGARY — The Calgary Stampeders reach the midpoint of their season with the CFL’s leading touchdown passer and top rusher sharing the same backfield.



Vernon Adams Jr. has thrown a league-high 21 touchdown passes through nine games. Dedrick Mills leads the CFL with 707 rushing yards. They give Calgary two league leaders on an offence that has shown it can overwhelm opponents, but the Stampeders remain 4-5 after another narrow loss.



Calgary forced five turnovers and scored a defensive touchdown against the Toronto Argonauts last week but lost 33-30 on a field goal with 12 seconds remaining. The Stampeders left Toronto believing their offence had not done enough with the chances the defence created.



Now, as Calgary returns home for a Week 11 matchup with the BC Lions on Thursday night, the prescription has been repeated throughout the locker room: Win first down, stay out of long-yardage situations and finish drives with majors.



“Just winning first down,” quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. said. “That’s first and foremost. Got to get yards on first down against a good defence, man.”



Adams said second-and-long is precisely where Calgary does not want to find itself against BC defensive coordinator Mike Benevides.



“He’s always dialing it up over there,” Adams said. “If we could get yards and be in second-and-medium, four to six, seven, you know what I’m saying, that gives us a better shot. So if we could do that and convert, then, you know, obviously get points, score touchdowns, that would help our defence out.”



Dave Dickenson delivered a nearly identical assessment.



The Stampeders’ general manager and head coach said Calgary must protect Adams better, win the line of scrimmage and create second-down situations requiring 5 yards or fewer.



“But I do feel like we’ve got to start having more rhythm, more consistency, better production on first downs,” Dickenson said.



Mills credited Calgary’s offensive line, the play-calling and execution for his first-half production, then pointed to physicality as the requirement against BC.



“Just go out there and be the most physical team,” Mills said.



Mills said Calgary must carry the preparation and work it has shown in practice into Thursday’s game.



Calgary’s passing game is also trying to find the balance between aggression and ball security.



Adams threw two interceptions in Toronto, with the first ending his streak of 299 consecutive attempts without one. He said he wants to give his receivers opportunities to make plays without putting the team in danger of more turnovers.



“But I can’t play scared either,” Adams said.



Adams said Calgary has a selfless receiving group and that he must do his best to get them the ball.



Jalen Philpot has become Calgary’s leading receiver with a team-high 573 yards. Philpot said the Stampeders’ record does not reflect where they expected to be, but each of Calgary’s five losses has come by 7 points or fewer.



“The plays are there to be made,” Philpot said. “We just got to make a couple more plays than they do.”



Philpot said Calgary needs to start quickly and avoid falling into an early hole.



“Just start fast and just come out and put points up,” he said.



The Lions arrive at McMahon Stadium with momentum and their starting quarterback back in place.



BC has won two straight to improve to 3-5, one game behind Calgary in the West Division. Nathan Rourke returned last week and passed for 370 yards in a 27-24 victory over Hamilton. Justin McInnis caught five passes for 159 yards, including an 82-yard touchdown.



Calgary is already familiar with the danger of BC’s passing game.



Rourke threw for 462 yards and three touchdowns when the teams met in Kelowna in Week 4. Keon Hatcher Sr. had 162 receiving yards and Jermaine Jackson added 149, but the Stampeders made enough plays to leave with a 41-33 victory.



The Lions will have another receiver available Thursday, with Stanley Berryhill III returning directly to the starting lineup. Zander Horvath, who has a team-high seven touchdowns, starts at running back ahead of James Butler. Horvath and Butler have rushed for 316 and 311 yards, respectively.



Mathieu Betts leads BC with six sacks, while Darnell Sankey has a team-high 42 defensive tackles.



Adams praised Calgary’s defence for keeping the team in games and said it is time for the offence to provide more support by reaching the end zone.



“The defence has been playing amazing these last few weeks, man,” Adams said. “We need to get back to playing our ball and having fun.”



Special teams could also carry weight. Dickenson listed turnovers, quarterback play, physicality and special teams as the areas most likely to decide the game.



Kelon Thomas has already established a career high with 16 special-teams tackles, one behind Calgary leader Jesulayomi Ojutalayo. Thomas said the Stampeders need to reproduce the execution they showed in their June victory over BC.



“Just playing our football, our style of football, and just executing every play,” Thomas said.



Receiver Ajou Ajou also enters Calgary’s lineup, while linebacker Terrence Ganyi is out. Dickenson said Ajou’s first responsibility will be contributing on special teams and remaining ready when another opportunity finds him.



Thursday’s Week 11 matchup marks Calgary’s first home game since July 18 and begins a stretch of three consecutive games at McMahon Stadium, with a bye separating the first two. The Stampeders have won only once at home this season.



A victory would bring Calgary back to .500 and give Dickenson his 100th regular-season win as a head coach. It would also create more distance from the team immediately behind the Stampeders in the West.



“We need to beat the BC Lions in order to get to where we need to get to and start protecting our house,” Dickenson said. “We need to start winning at home and making sure that teams that come in here leave with a loss.”



Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. MT.