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5 Takeaways as Calgary Stampeders crush Winnipeg Blue Bombers again, become Grey Cup front-runners

5 Takeaways as Calgary Stampeders crush Winnipeg Blue Bombers again, become Grey Cup front-runners

Ottawa Citizen19-07-2025
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They're not just the Red and White.
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The Calgary Stampeders are the Red, White and Blew out the Canadian Football League's so-called best team …
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Again.
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For the second time in three weeks, the Stampeders blew away the vaunted Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday night.
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This time it came in Bombers territory, 41-20 at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg.
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The result moved the Stampeders to a wowzer 5-1 start on the season, matching their win total of a year ago. It widens the gap for them atop the CFL's West Division, as they have sped away from the Blue Bombers — now 3-2 — in the standings.
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The Red and White went into Winnipeg and beat a team that was an eye-popping 31-5 since the COVID pandemic. And … oh, yeah … that team has been West Division champs each of the last five years, twice winning the Grey Cup in that stretch.
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After all, the Bombers were humbled — humiliated even — by the upstart Stampeders two weeks back in the inaugural Stampede Bowl.
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So the Horsemen had to believe a serious brush-back was coming from two-time CFL Most Outstanding Player Zach Collaros and the Blue Bombers on their own home turf in the CFL rematch.
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But they shook all that off and played their own game, dominating the Bomb and making themselves sudden front-runners to capture the Grey Cup.
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Yeah … we said it.
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2) ZACH WHO?
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Forget Collaros.
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Vernon Adams Jr. is looking like the man at quarterback these days in the CFL.
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In his first year as the Stamps pivot, Adams seems to be getting better with every passing game, underscoring his early season statement that he had yet to get comfortable with the offence in Calgary.
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V.A. was a solid 16-of-24 for 267 passing yards and three touchdowns to best the Bombers.
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While the stats aren't eye-popping, the plays he makes — both timely and worthy of the highlight-reel — certainly make heads spin, especially those noggins on the defence.
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