Calgary had this game won. Up 25-7, the Stampeders were cruising against Edmonton before everything fell apart in the fourth quarter — turnovers, blown tackles, big plays given up, the works. The Elks stormed back to steal it, and now these two teams have to do it all over again in five days.
Head coach Dave Dickenson didn't sugarcoat it afterward. His team had the game in hand and let it slip through their fingers with poor tackling and mental mistakes down the stretch.
"We just, we lost rhythm. We weren't playing great offensively, but we were making some big plays and we just couldn't stack plays together. Kept our defense on the field too long. And then they wore out. The tackling wasn't up to par and, you know, lost our poise," Dickenson said.
A 25-7 Lead Turns Into A Gut Punch
Dickenson made clear this wasn't a case of his team not trying — it was a case of trying without executing the fundamentals that actually win football games.
"Sometimes effort and trying isn't necessarily good football. You gotta still play all 12. You got gaps, gap sound, leverage partners, wrapping up. Give them credit though. They definitely had the better second half and got after us," Dickenson said.
He still believes his team had a real shot to close it out, even as things slipped away late.
"I felt like there was a chance to win that game all the way till the end. And it did get, I think, got us down the way it finished. We have to look in the mirror, but also take a big breath and understand we just can't play football like that if we think we're going to win," Dickenson said.
Asked about his message to the locker room, Dickenson made it clear he's not big on speeches.
"Talking's just, it doesn't really do anything for you. Talking is just talk and action to me is what it's about. I always, when I look at a man, I respect what he does, not what he says. As a coach, keep working, get them in better situations, find out how to take less penalties and try to win ball games," Dickenson said.
The Fourth Quarter Fell Apart Completely
Defensive back Folarin Orimolade didn't try to spin the collapse either. He called the fourth quarter about as bad as it gets.
"We played terrible in the fourth quarter. We turned the ball over, we gave up big plays. Everything you can do wrong, we probably pretty much did it in the fourth quarter," Orimolade said.
He pointed to a consistency problem that's dogged this team all year, not just in this one game.
"Just not consistent enough right now. We gotta be a more consistent team. It's been the whole season," Orimolade said.
When asked whether conditions — it was raining — played a role in Calgary losing its footing on tackles late, Orimolade shut that theory down.
"They have the same conditions. Their defense played really well in the fourth quarter. And we didn't, so we couldn't really blame the conditions, right?" Orimolade said.
Vernon Adams Jr. Takes Ownership, Deals With Another Big Hit
Quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. put together a solid outing overall but admitted the offense stalled out completely late, especially in the fourth quarter.
"That second half, I think we only, especially fourth quarter, really fourth quarter, I don't think we really did too much. It was tough, just trying to find the playmakers, trying to give them opportunity to do what they do. Gotta watch the film and see where I could be better at to help this team out," Adams said.
He also pointed to a missed opportunity on special teams that could have flipped momentum before things unraveled.
"Tyreek on that big return, if we could turn that into 7, that helps us out right there," Adams said.
Given where Calgary sits in a tight West Division race, Adams didn't hide his frustration with how this one slipped away.
"It sucks, because we understand where we are, you know what I'm saying? And that would have been huge for us and for the organization. We see them again in 5 days. That's a good team, man. They coach well, they play hard. And we're a good team too. So we just have to finish. We had a lead and we just gotta take care of that," Adams said.
Adams also addressed a scary moment in the second quarter when Edmonton's Nick Anderson hit him after a slide. Dickenson confirmed the officials flagged it for a lowered helmet, but was relieved it didn't turn into anything worse.
"I knew we were going to get a call, but anyway, I was glad Vernon was okay. We try to teach our guys to keep your chest up. The refs made the call. It's just one play," Dickenson said.
Adams brushed off any lingering effects from the hit, saying only that he might need to get down a touch quicker next time.
"I was good, you know what I'm saying? Maybe I slide a little sooner. But I don't know," Adams said.
What's Next
Calgary and Edmonton don't get much time to stew on this one — they're right back at it in five days, a quick turnaround that leaves little room for major scheme changes. Dickenson was blunt about what that means heading into the rematch.
"You're not really going to change a lot of scheme and you can try to mix it up and you can have counter punches to what you've done, but you only have one day of practice. You're going to be playing a little bit on fumes and you got to dig deep," Dickenson said.
With the West Division standings as tight as they are, Calgary doesn't have the luxury of dwelling on this collapse. The Stampeders get an immediate shot at redemption against the Elks, and after blowing a 25-7 lead, Orimolade's message says it all — they know exactly what needs fixing, they just have to actually do it.
Watch the Full Videos
Calgary Stampeders: General Manager & Head Coach Dave Dickenson | Post-Game | 07.09.26
Calgary Stampeders: Vernon Adams Jr. | Post-Game | 07.09.26
Calgary Stampeders: Folarin Orimolade | Post-Game | 07.09.26