Stampeders' comeback falls short in 37-30 loss to Alouettes

MONTREAL — Vernon Adams Jr. threw for three touchdowns as the Calgary Stampeders erased multiple two-score deficits, but their late comeback came up short in a 37-30 loss to the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday night at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium.



Adams completed 19 of 34 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns, leading Calgary on a fourth-quarter charge that cut the deficit to a single score before the Stampeders' final drive ended on downs at the Montreal 15-yard line.



Adams took responsibility for Calgary's slow start.



"I need to give my team a better chance early," he said. "A few too many two-and-outs. I think a lot was on me. ... We just got to be better. We got to play more of Stamps football."



The loss snapped Calgary's two-game winning streak and dropped the Stampeders to 2-3, while the Alouettes improved to 4-1.



Head coach Dave Dickenson praised Calgary's resilience but said execution ultimately made the difference.



"I do like our fight, but we kind of lacked details and lacked poise," Dickenson said. "We try to be a process-driven team... even though they had a lot of heart and they had a lot of effort, we just weren't able to get it done."



Montreal opened the scoring on Jose Maltos' 27-yard field goal before wide receiver Tyler Snead tossed a seven-yard touchdown pass to Tyson Philpot for a 10-0 advantage.



Calgary answered late in the opening quarter when Adams lofted a perfectly placed pass to Dejon Brissett for a 20-yard touchdown. Jude McAtamney tied the game early in the second quarter with a 30-yard field goal after Calgary's defence came up with a stop.



The tie lasted less than a minute.



Davis Alexander, who finished 22-of-30 for 301 yards, found Alexander Hollins for a 34-yard touchdown before Travis Theis capped another Montreal drive with a seven-yard touchdown run. Theis rushed for 94 yards on 13 carries as the Alouettes built a 24-10 lead.



Dickenson credited Montreal's offence for capitalizing on its opportunities.



"They're a good team. They've got a lot of weapons, a mobile quarterback, a tough offensive line. They run the ball well. They're well coached," he said.



McAtamney kept the Stampeders within striking distance by drilling a 54-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, cutting the deficit to 24-13 heading into the locker room.



Calgary opened the second half with a single after Marc-Antoine Alford conceded Mark Vassett's punt in the end zone. Maltos answered with a 43-yard field goal, but Adams responded midway through the third quarter by floating an 11-yard touchdown pass to Brissett, trimming Montreal's lead to 27-20.



The missed convert prevented Calgary from getting within six, and the Alouettes answered immediately. Dustin Crum powered in from one yard out to restore a two-touchdown cushion at 34-20.



McAtamney, who was perfect on all three of his field-goal attempts, connected from 47 yards late in the third quarter to make it 34-23.



Calgary briefly swung the momentum early in the fourth quarter when Dave Dickenson successfully challenged a pass interference penalty against Zy Alexander. The Stampeders followed the overturned call with a tackle for loss, forcing Montreal to settle for Jose Maltos' 25-yard field goal.



Tyreik McAllister ignited Calgary's comeback hopes with a 42-yard punt return to the Montreal 33-yard line. Four plays later, Adams connected with Clark Barnes for a 19-yard touchdown, and McAtamney's convert cut the deficit to 37-30 with 2:17 remaining.



Calgary kicked deep on the ensuing kickoff and was rewarded when Shaun Peterson Jr. knocked down a second-down pass to help force a quick two-and-out, giving the Stampeders one final possession with a chance to tie the game.



Adams methodically moved Calgary back into Montreal territory, hitting Jalen Philpot for a 21-yard gain before connecting with Brissett for another 17 yards. Dedrick Mills and Ludovick Choquette kept the drive moving on the ground, and Barnes added another short reception to move the ball to the Montreal 15.



Facing third-and-two with the game on the line, Adams looked for Erik Brooks over the middle, but David Perales broke up the pass, ending Calgary's comeback bid.



Brissett led the Stampeders with five receptions for 86 yards and two touchdowns, while Philpot added three catches for 66 yards. Mills paced Calgary's ground game with 49 rushing yards, and Adams added 43 more.



Dickenson said Calgary's focus now shifts to cleaning up the small details before the teams meet again next week at McMahon Stadium.



"I just want to be better," he said. "There were too many lack of details. ... You want to make sure every team that beats you earned it, and they did. But I also felt like our discipline and our details just weren't there."



The Stampeders will look to split the home-and-home series next Saturday when they host the Alouettes at McMahon Stadium.