Stampeders, Bombers both looking to bounce back after season-opening losses

CALGARY – Both the Calgary Stampeders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers would rather forget about the first week of the CFL schedule.

While the Stampeders dropped a 20-18 road decision to the B.C. Lions on Saturday, the Blue Bombers lost 22-14 to the Montreal Alouettes at home one night earlier. Both teams will be looking to move on from early setbacks when they meet at McMahon Stadium on Friday night.

“If you look back too much, you’re going to be in trouble, so we’re onto the next week,” said Calgary’s Dave Dickenson, who’s in search of his first victory as a CFL head coach. “We know we’ve got a big challenge and we expect to come out here and win.”

Stamps quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, who completed 16-of-27 passes for 233 yards and one touchdown against the Lions, didn’t even want to talk about Calgary’s Week 1 setback against. B.C.

“That week’s over man,” Mitchell said. “We’re (preparing for) Winnipeg right now and that’s what matters. We have a game to come out (for) and we’ve got to come out and win. Our job is to start hot and make sure that we reinforce that feeling right away.”

Running back Jerome Messam will be looking to get more involved against the Bombers.

“We’ve got to go out there and execute the game plan, everybody stay dialled and locked in, and just play good football,” said Messam, who carried the ball just seven times for 16 yards against the Lions. “Hopefully we can run the ball more. I just want to go out there and be fundamentally sound and help my team however I can.”

Messam is also hoping the Stamps can get a boost from fans at McMahon Stadium on Canada Day.

“The fans are going to be hyped and excited, so hopefully we can go out there and keep them going and make it really loud and tough on Winnipeg,” he said.

Winnipeg coach Mike O’Shea also didn’t want to talk too much about his team’s opening-week loss to Montreal.

“I thought there was too many mistakes, that’s all,” said O’Shea, who quickly turned his attentions towards getting the Bombers prepared to face a tough Stamps team. “They’re a good team. They have been historically. I expect a good effort from them. They’re well coached and well managed.”

Winnipeg quarterback Drew Willy, who tossed a 63-yard touchdown pass to Darvin Adams late in the fourth quarter against the Als, said the Bombers will focus on having a much better start against the Stamps on Friday.

“We need to be better in the first half, put points on the boards and then the rest will take care of itself,” said Willy, who completed 25-of-34 passes for 303 yards with a TD and an interception against the Als. “We have to be positive at all times. I’m always going to have belief and faith in our team and our players. We’ve worked very hard. For us to go out there and be successful, it all starts in our locker-room.”

Defensive lineman Jamaal Westerman also has confidence that the Bombers have what it takes to bounce back from their disappointing showing in their home opener.

“I definitely believe we’re better than what we showed, but it doesn’t matter what I believe,” Westerman said. “It’s all about what we put out there on film and last week we didn’t do a good enough job to get a W and this week we have to have a much better effort from everybody.

“You want to go out there, you want to play your best and if you win enough one-on-one battles and you play your best, you should win the game.”