Stampeders 25, Lions 24: Winning streak snapped on wild, windy night

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The B.C. Lions’ winning streak is over and it’s finished in the oddest of fashions.

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The Lions (5-2) lost for the first time in six games on Sunday night, falling 25-24 to the Calgary Stampeders (3-3) at McMahon Stadium.

Calgary’s defence came into the night giving up a league-worst 405.6 yards per game. Conversely, B.C.’s offence was averaging a league-high 428.7 yards per game. Sure enough, the Lions could only muster 274 yards Sunday.

The teams were averaging the fewest penalties in the league coming in. On Sunday, the Stampeders were flagged 12 times for 180 yards and the Lions pushed back 70 yards on infractions.

Weather played a factor. The wind was whipping at McMahon, wreaking havoc on punts and long passes.

It was just peculiar.

With 1:30 to go, Calgary’ receiver Jalen Philpot fumbled at the Lions’ 54-yard line. B.C. defensive back Ciante Evans pounced on it, only to fumble the ball and have it recovered by Philpot.

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It was that kind of night.

“We’ve been on the other side of this where we’re the team making the plays at the end to win the game and we didn’t do that,” said B.C. coach Rick Campbell.

“I’ll give them credit. They’ve got good coaches, good players and they made the plays necessary to win the game, but man we had multiple chances to get the ball back and try to kick a game-winning field goal, but it didn’t happen.”

On the final play of the third quarter, B.C. defensive back T.J. Lee, who was in his first game of the season after suffering an Achilles injury in last year’s playoff to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, stuffed Calgary receiver Marken Michel on a 3rd-and-goal from the B.C. two-yard line, causing a turnover on downs.

Momentum was fleeting. On the first play of the fourth quarter, B.C. centre Tyler Packer was whistled for a holding call in the end zone on a 1st-and-10 for the Lions from their own one-yard line, resulting in a safety for Calgary and the ball immediately going back to the Stampeders.

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“It was a battle,” said Calgary coach Dave Dickenson. “I have to admit that never did I once feel like it was in the bag. Never once did I feel like we were out of it. Back and forth — good football game, glad we won at home.”

B.C. quarterback Vernon Adams. Jr. finished 17-for-31 for 192 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Receiver Justin McInnis had three catches for 55 yards, with one touchdown. Adams was coming off a 451-yard game in last week’s 35-20 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders — a game in which he connected 14 times with McInnis for 243 yards.

Kicker Sean Whyte was 3-for-3 on field goals, highlighted by a long of 52 yards. He’s now hit on 42 straight field goals dating back to last season.

Calgary quarterback Jake Maier was 25-for-32 for 307 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

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Here’s what else we learned. Keep in mind that B.C. returns to action after a bye week on Aug. 1, with a visit to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers:

Slow start

The Lions got off to a slow start. Adams started 0-for-4 and 4-for-9, and Calgary’s pass rush gave the Lions’ ample trouble.

Adams wound up 11-for-21 for 136 yards in the first half, and much of that came on a 31-yard connection to Ayden Eberhardt and a 32-yard one to McInnis late the second quarter.

“It was tough battle,” Adams said. “Ultimately, I felt like the defence did enough for us to win. I need to take care of the ball. I had some overthrows. It was a tough one. I just have to be better.”

Adams came into the night with five 300-yard games in his first six games. His low total was 277 yards, on 17-for-29 completions, against the Stampeders in a 26-17 B.C. win at home on June 15.

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Flag fest

The game was penalty filled, with B.C. getting flagged eight times for 60 yards in the first half and Calgary being called for six infractions on 78 yards.

The teams came into the game with the fewest penalties in the CFL this season. Calgary has received slightly more penalties, getting flagged an average of six times for 49 yards a game ahead of Sunday. B.C. was at six times for 57 yards a game.

Mr. Automatic

Whyte’s 18-yard field goal for B.C. with 1:24 to go in the second quarter made it 14-10 and it gave the ageless Whyte 40 straight three-pointers dating back to last season. That gave him sole possession of the second-best mark in league history. Calgary kicker Rene Paredes had also made 39 straight in the 2012-13 seasons.

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The league record is 69 in a row and belongs to Lewis Ward, who pulled it off in 2018-19 for the Ottawa Redblacks.

Last week, the 38-year-old Whyte tied the B.C. record with seven field goals in a game in the Lions win over the Roughriders and he became the CFL’s 11th player to reach 2000 points.

Returner doesn’t return

Calgary return man Erik Brooks had his left arm wrapped up and put in a support and he rode off the field on a cart after taking a hit in the first quarter. No word yet on how long he might be out.

Peyton Logan took his place in the return game for Calgary. His 50-yard return on a punt set up Calgary’s first touchdown by Reggie Begelton at 13:08 of the second quarter, and his 31-yard return on a punt set up Calgary’s second touchdown by Philpot with 2:34 remaining in the second.

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Wally on the Wall

The Stampeders added former coach and general manager Wally Buono to their Wall of Fame at halftime on Sunday. Buono, of course, moved on to coach and GM of the Lions after his time in Calgary.

He won Grey Cups in 1992, 1998 and 2001 with the Stampeders and in 2006 and 2011 with the Lions.

“It makes you think about all the people that were involved, and all the people behind the scenes and all the people between the lines, too,” Buono told Postmedia’s Daniel Austin ahead of the weekend.

“It’s a time of reflection and at the stage we are in our lives, sometimes those are the things that make you reflect on how blessed you’ve been and what a great life you’ve had.”

With files from Canadian Press

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