Vernon Adams Jr. and a red-hot Stampeders offense look to finish off a two-game Ontario sweep against an Argos team that just got its first bye-week reset.
Game Details
- Matchup: Calgary Stampeders at Toronto Argonauts
- When: Thursday, August 6 at 7:30 PM ET
- Where: BMO Field, Toronto
- TV: TSN
- Stream: Watch live on CFL+
Odds
- Spread: Calgary Stampeders -1
- Moneyline: Calgary Stampeders -122, Toronto Argonauts +102
- Over/Under: 67
Calgary has been money for backers all year, sitting 4-3-1 against the spread with a wild 8 overs, 0 unders. Toronto's split the difference at 3-4 ATS with a more balanced 4 overs, 3 unders — a hint that this number might come down to whether the Argos' defense can actually slow anybody down.
Overview
The Stampeders (4-4) are riding a two-game win streak and looking to complete a rare feat: back-to-back road wins in Southern Ontario within five days. After stomping Hamilton 44-20 last Saturday behind two defensive touchdowns — a Kyle Wilson fumble scoop and a Derrick Moncrief pick-six — Calgary now turns to a Toronto squad (3-4) that's coming off a bye and its own feel-good win, a 26-12 road victory in Vancouver where Makai Polk torched BC for 91 yards and two scores.
This one carries real juice for both sides. A Calgary win pushes the Stamps above .500 for the first time all season — something they've managed in 21 of their past 22 campaigns, minus 2023. It would also be Dave Dickenson's 100th career win, making him just the 12th coach in league history to hit that number and the fourth to do it with a single franchise, joining Mike O'Shea, Bud Grant and John Hufnagel. For Toronto, it's a chance to build off the bye and prove the BC win wasn't a mirage, at home, where the Double Blue have gone 30-13 over the last five seasons at BMO Field — though not against this particular opponent, where Calgary owns a 9-2 mark since 2013.
History and recent form both point one direction here. Calgary demolished Toronto 58-36 back in Week 5, with four of five starting receivers finding paydirt and Zy Alexander picking off two passes. Vernon Adams Jr. is now 5-5 in his career against the Argos and hasn't thrown an interception in 295 attempts dating back to last season — the third-longest streak in CFL history. The Stamps also boast the better point differential by a mile (+58 vs. -1) and the hotter recent form. Give the edge to Calgary, but don't sleep on a desperate Toronto team playing its first home game in weeks with a chip on its shoulder.
Key Players
- Vernon Adams Jr. (Calgary, QB) — League-leading 21 TD passes, zero interceptions, and he's 236 yards from passing GM/head coach Dave Dickenson on the CFL's all-time passing yardage list.
- Jalen Philpot (Calgary, SB) — Calgary's top target with 542 receiving yards, part of a receiver group that gashed this same Toronto defense for 58 points in Week 5.
- Chad Kelly (Toronto, QB) — 2,323 yards and 17 touchdowns, but he's thrown nine picks and gave up seven total TDs when these two teams last met.
- Makai Polk (Toronto, WR) — Fresh off a two-touchdown, 91-yard game in Vancouver and just 96 yards from 2,000 for his career.
- Zy Alexander (Calgary, DB) — CFL-best four interceptions, including two in the first meeting with Toronto, and he'll be tested again by Kelly's aggressive downfield style.
Keys to the Game
- Keep leaning on Adams and the passing attack — Calgary's offense has dropped 50-plus points twice in its last four games and Toronto's defense hasn't shown it can slow anybody down consistently.
- Make Kelly pay for aggression; Alexander and this secondary feasted on turnovers in the first meeting and Kelly's 9 picks this season say the opportunities will be there again.
- Don't let the two-game road trip catch up to legs and focus — Toronto is well-rested off the bye and desperate for a signature win at home.
The Calgary Stampeders do not have any injuries this week heading into Toronto.
Depth Chart
Calgary Stampeders starters by position, from the official Week 10 depth chart. Projected — may not reflect in-game adjustments.
| Position | Calgary Stampeders |
|---|---|
| QB | Vernon Adams Jr. / Josh Love / Quincy Vaughn |
| RB | Dedrick Mills / Ludovick Choquette / Tyreik McAllister |
| WR (Field) | Tevin Jones / Damien Alford |
| WR (Boundary) | Clark Barnes |
| SB | Jalen Philpot / Dejon Brissett / Erik Brooks / Jesulayomi Ojutalayo |
| LT | D'Antne Demery |
| LG | Zack Williams |
| C | Chris Fortin / Bryce Bell |
| RG | Christy Nkanu |
| RT | Bakyne Coly |
| DE | Kelon Thomas / Clarence Hicks — Charles Wiley / Folarin Orimolade |
| DT | Miles Brown — Elijah Hills / Jaylon Hutchings |
| WLB | R.J. Moten / Kyle Wilson |
| MLB | Terrence Ganyi / Micah Teitz / Marquel Lee |
| SAM | Derrick Moncrief |
| S | Ashton Miller-Melancon / Damon Webb |
| HB | Godfrey Onyeka / Zy Alexander — Anton Haie / Jaydon Grant |
| CB | Anthony Johnson — Adrian Greene / Ben Labrosse |
| K | Jude McAtamney |
| P | Mark Vassett |
| LS | Jason MacGougan |
Score Prediction
Calgary Stampeders 34 - Toronto Argonauts 33. This has all the makings of a shootout given both offenses' recent scoring pace and the fact these teams have already combined for 94 points once this season — expect Adams to out-duel Kelly late, with Alexander and Calgary's takeaway unit coming up with the game's decisive stop.
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Who takes this one? Drop your prediction in the comments.