Stampeders hand Argonauts first loss of 2023, Calgary earns first home win

The Calgary Stampeders dominated the undefeated defending Grey Cup champion Toronto Argos Friday night at McMahon Stadium, winning 20-7. (Photo: X@Calstampeders)

Desperate for both a win and a home win, the Calgary Stampeders ground out a 20-7 victory over the defending Grey Cup champion Toronto Argonauts on Friday.

Toronto's streak of six wins to start the 2023 CFL season halted in Calgary, while the Stampeders (3-5) picked up their first victory at McMahon Stadium.

"We needed it bad," Stampeders quarterback Jake Maier said. "We executed a game plan damn near to perfection.

"First night all year offensively we didn't turn the football over. Lo and behold, we give ourselves a great chance to win."

Maier was a tidy 22-for-24 in passing for a 91.7 completion rate, and for a conservative 149 passing yards with no interceptions.

Calgary instead rushed the ball a season-high 168 yards, with Dedrick Mills accounting for 137 on 27 carries, against an Argonaut defence ranked second in the CFL at stopping the run.

"When you play a team that leads the league in interceptions, that's a problem. That's how they win football games, right?" Maier said.

"I think the mentality tonight was take care of the football at all costs. If you have opportunities, take them. But man, we were running the ball so well that you just felt like as the game went on, we can really lean into that."

The Stampeders had a short week to prepare for the Argonauts following Sunday's 25-18 road loss to the Montreal Alouettes. Mills added another 18 yards on four receptions for more than 30 touches Friday.

"I wasn't expecting that, but hey, I'm satisfied and happy we did what we did," Mills said. 

Tommy Stevens and Michael Griffin scored Calgary's touchdowns. Rene Paredes kicked field goals from 42 and 45 yards and contributed a pair of convert points in front of an announced 19,234 at McMahon Stadium.

With Argonauts starter Chad Kelly limping in the second quarter, Cameron Dukes drew in to play the remainder of the game.

Cam Phillips caught a touchdown pass from Kelly with Boris Bede adding a convert point in the first quarter. 

Kelly completed four of six passes for 96 yards and a touchdown pass during his quarter and a half of work. 

Dukes was 8-for-15 in passing for 63 yards and one interception in relief.

Argonauts defensive lineman Jared Brinkman and defensive back Adarius Pickett also left the game with injuries.

Toronto head coach Ryan Dinwiddie indicated post-game that while Brinkman could be out of commission for awhile, he felt it was possible Kelly and Pickett could play next week.

"I could kind of tell in warm-ups there was no energy there," Dinwiddie said.

"Guys were feeling pretty good about themselves. It was good we got punched in the mouth and we've got to learn from it."

Trailing by 13 points with three minutes remaining, Toronto recovered the ball at midfield on a fumbled punt return by Calgary's Tommylee Lewis. 

But the Argonauts then turned the ball over on downs on Calgary's 41-yard line.

Stampeders coach Dave Dickenson's successful challenge for roughing the passer gave his team the ball on Toronto's 40-yard line midway through the third quarter. Paredes' 42-yard field goal gave the Stamps a 20-7 lead.

"Hats off to them. They came out prepared," Argonauts linebacker Wynton McManis said. 

"We didn't play hard enough. We didn't make the plays that were out there to make."

Calgary led 17-7 at halftime thanks to a special teams touchdown on the final play of the second quarter. Calgary's Griffin recovered the loose ball in Toronto's end zone when Argonaut Javon Leake fumbled a punt.

Dukes came into the game when the hosts led 10-7 on a Paredes' 45-yard field goal. 

Kelly appeared to sustain an ankle injury. He remained on the sidelines testing his foot after he came off the field.

Dukes' attempted touchdown throw to Jeremiah Haydel in the end zone was intercepted by Calgary's Jonathan Moxey.

The Stampeders weren't able to generate an offensive touchdown in the 96 seconds remaining in the half, but Griffin's speed and quick wits produced a major.

Calgary struck first in the opening quarter, but Toronto quickly countered to knot the score 7-7 when Kelly and Phillips combined on a 76-yard pass and run to the end zone.

Calgary generated a major on its second possession of the game. Backup quarterback and short yardage specialist Stevens stayed in after gaining a first down.

He ran the ball in a yard on his second attempt after Toronto denied him on his first plunge.

Toronto was coming off a heavy travel week after Touchdown Atlantic in Halifax on Saturday followed by Thursday's flight to Calgary.

Kickoff was under cloudy skies and a temperature of 24 degrees. Showers moved in to start the second half but tapered off before the end of the game.

MILLS' BIG NIGHT

Mills had sat out Calgary's lone full practice Wednesday because of a respiratory bug that's made its way through the team.

"I went home one day (to) shake it off, sweat it all out, came back the next day, was very happy, having way more energy and very excited to come back to play this game," Mills said.

"I told them I wasn't sitting out, whether I was sick or not. I was going to play the game and that's what I did."

His teammate Ka'Deem Carey, the CFL's leading rusher last season, is expected back in the lineup next week for the first time since injuring his toe in the season-opener.

That would give Calgary a strong one-two punch on the ground.

"It's going to be a joy to watch when we get Ka'Deem back too and those guys really tandem off each other," Maier said.

UP NEXT

The Stampeders are in Vancouver on Aug. 12 to face the B.C. Lions. The Argonauts are at home to the Ottawa Redblacks on Aug. 13. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 4, 2023.