STAMPEDERS 26 BLUE BOMBERS 25

CALGARY (CP) – Juwan Simpson preserved a big win for the Stampeders on Saturday with a key interception late in the game.

The veteran linebacker picked off an errant pass by quarterback Drew Willy with 23 seconds remaining as Calgary edged the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 26-25 in front of 29,255 fans at McMahon Stadium.

“I just happened to be in the right place at the right time,” said Simpson, who also had four tackles. “It felt good to be able to seal it for my team. We’ve been in this situation before. There was no panic by anybody on the team. We just keep fighting through. These are the games that you cherish because you realize how hard you fought to come back and get that win.”

The Stamps (3-1) erased a 16-point deficit and won the game thanks to a 40-yard field goal by Rene Paredes, which was followed by Simpson’s heroics.

“Fortunately we made a play at the end to seal the game,” said Calgary coach and general manager John Hufnagel. “(Parades) hit a big one. We needed it.”

Following the game-winning kick by Paredes at 12:46 of the fourth quarter, Winnipeg’s Liram Hajrullahu had a chance to put the Bombers back out in front but he missed a 52-yard field goal attempt.

Bo Levi Mitchell, who started at QB for Calgary, threw a touchdown pass to Eric Rogers, while his backup Drew Tate had a rushing TD. Adam Thibault scored another touchdown for Calgary after picking up a blocked punt and running it into the end zone, while Paredes also kicked a pair of singles.

Willy threw a pair of long touchdown passes to Clarence Denmark and Darvin Adams, while backup quarterback Brian Brohm ran for another TD. Hajrullahu kicked a field goal and added two singles for the Bombers (2-2).

“It all stings,” said Winnipeg coach Mike O’Shea. “It’s sickening. We’ve got a team like Calgary on the ropes and we let them off the hook. We’re not smart enough yet. We need to play smarter football and they all know it. The positive out of it is these guys expect way more out of themselves.”

Notes: Appearing in his first CFL game with the Stamps, rookie offensive lineman Karl Lavoie left the game with an apparent leg injury late in the first quarter and didn’t return … Stamps defensive back Brandon Smith played in his 100th CFL game.