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'We’ll be better this week, for sure,' said Stampeders defensive leader Damon Webb
Published Jun 17, 2026 • Last updated 8 minutes ago • 5 minute read
Calgary Stampeders vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Calgary Stampeders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers battle during the Stampeders’ home opener at McMahon Stadium on Friday, June 5, 2026. Gavin Young/Postmedia
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There’s nothing like a bye-week to allow for a loss to linger a little too long in the minds of football players.
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Especially one that happens after a season-opener that was supposed to help kickstart a promising campaign.
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But that’s where the Calgary Stampeders stand with the second game of their regular schedule on tap this weekend.
They’re on 0-1 and up against the Grey Cup champion Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-0) on Saturday at McMahon Stadium (5 p.m., TSN, QR Calgary 770 AM).
So the defence is on for the Riders.
And the defence will have to be on for the Stamps, moreso than what they fielded in the Week 1 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
“Give it like a C, right?” said Stampeders defensive leader Damon Webb, when asked to grade his unit’s loss in the 30-28 home-field drop to the visiting Blue Bombers 14 days ago. “I feel like we did some good things, and I feel like we did some not so good things. But it just all comes with just growing and communicating throughout the week and getting together and just everybody having to be on the same page.
“So I’ll give us a C.”
Another C effort won’t cut it against Trevor Harris and the Roughriders offence.
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Webb & Co. know that.
“Yeah … but it was also just Week 1,” continued Webb. “We were going off pre-season film (against the Bombers). So now we have Sask, who has played a game, too. And we’ve got a whole extra week to get ready for Sask and see the game plan that they have. So now we’ve got a game plan to set up this week.
“So we’ll be better this week, for sure.”
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[The Calgary Stampeders celebrate a turnover against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers during the Stampeders' home opener at McMahon Stadium on Friday, June 5, 2026.
Stampeders back from early CFL bye-week, hoping to 'knock a little rust off'](https://calgaryherald.com/sports/football/cfl/calgary-stampeders/stampeders-back-from-early-cfl-bye-week-hoping-to-knock-a-little-rust-off)
2. [Calgary Stampeders running back Dedrick Mills carries the ball against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at McMahon Stadium in Calgary on Friday, June 5, 2026.
5 Takeaways from Stampeders' season-opening loss to Blue Bombers](https://calgaryherald.com/sports/5-takeaways-from-stampeders-season-opening-loss-to-blue-bombers)
What do the Riders bring to McMahon?
Rider pride, as always.
Fans, too, of course.
And this year, bragging rights as defending CFL kings.
“Grey Cup champions, man,” said Stamps running back Dedrick Mills. “They’re a pretty good team — pretty solid all around, got a great quarterback, great offensive line, great running back, great defence … just overall great.
“I mean … I like to give those guys their respect, because they proved their self and showed us what they got. We’ve got to come out and be the more physical team, like we did last year against them every game.”
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Yes … you’ll recall the Stamps got the better of the Riders in 2025, sweeping the Saskatchewan squad in two games of the regular slate.
The first was a Week 6 win — 24-10 — in the smoke-delayed start in Regina.
And then they followed it up with a 32-15 victory at home in Week 12.
It’s a nice resume to bring into this week’s first contest against them at McMahon.
But the Riders roll into town with an opening win already under their belt following a 31-27 drop of the visiting BC Lions last Saturday.
And it came behind the charge of wily QB Harris.
“Yeah … he’s just a great veteran quarterback,” Webb said. “There’s not too many defences he hasn’t seen, so he has a good pre-snap awareness of the coverages that defences are playing.
“So it’s just our job to just give him different looks and try to confuse him a little bit, because there’s not too much that he hasn’t seen.”
Trevor Harris
Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris (7) looks downfield during the first half of CFL action against the BC Lions at Mosaic Stadium in Regina on Saturday, June 13, 2026. Heywood Yu/Postmedia
Harris, who copped a CFL Player of the Week honour, went 30-of-36 for 417 passing yards and three touchdowns thrown.
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Not bad for a guy who didn’t see much pre-season action, throwing just three passes.
“Just gotta mix it up,” said Dickenson, of facing Harris. “You’ve got to be willing to play man (coverage), too. You can’t just sit back and play zones.
“Smart quarterbacks can generate too many easy throws — quick throws. So you’ve got to play some man,” continued Dickenson. “You’re going to get beat at times, so just keep competing, try to create some turnovers, get your hands on the ball …”
How do the Stamps handle Harris?
Harris has seemingly gotten better with age out there.
And his first-game effort as a 40-year-old underscores that.
But Dickenson is quick to point out the QB wizardry has been spellbinding across the CFL the first two weeks.
“Really good quarterback play throughout the league,” Dickenson said. “Just a lot of good quarterback play throughout the league, and through a lot of crappy weather, too. And I think our guy (Vernon Adams Jr.) played well, as well.
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“So to see what the quarterbacks are doing, it’s very impressive.”
That won’t sit well with any of the defences, including the one dressed in Red and White.
They’ll all want to show better performances in Week 3, with the Stamps arguably facing the most challenging task in facing the Grey Cup champs and perhaps with the most to prove after the Week 1 missteps.
Included was they just didn’t get enough pressure on Bombers QB Zach Collaros, who was timely in engineering three TD drives.
So they’ll want more from the defensive line against Harris.
“We do have to rely on the pressure from our d-line, because he gets the ball out fast — really fast,” Webb said. “So without going into much detail about what we’re doing, just we need pressure and just to give them different looks.”
Added Dickenson, “We didn’t do a great job overall stopping the run, and we were getting beat on the corners against Winnipeg.
“We’re just going to try to play better as a group against Saskatchewan — all 12 guys. We’re really not worried about whether it’s a pass or run. They have a ton of weapons and good personnel, and they’re an aggressive physical team. So we’re going to have to do a good job to stop them.”
Short yardage
WR Damien Alford was waived Wednesday by the NFL’s New Orleans Saints. The Stamps’ first-overall pick in 2025 is apparently injured and can return to the NFL squad’s injured list if he clears waivers, according to QR Calgary 770 AM’s Mark Stephen. “We’ll just play it out,” Dickenson told reporters. “We’ll see how hurt he is.” … The Stampeders have signed American DL Savio Frazier. He originally signed with the Stampeders on Nov. 19, 2025, and was released on May 13.
tsaelhof@postmedia.com
X: @ToddSaelhofPM
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