WINNIPEG -- Khari Jones won't want to save the footage from his homecoming party. Making his first start against his former team, the Calgary Stampeders QB threw an interception and fumbled four times as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers posted a 37-16 victory in the season finale for both playoff-deprived teams.
With the loss, the Stamps finish 2004 with a 4-14 record -- that's one less win than the team's previous campaign.
"I'm glad it's done with," Jones said of the rematch with the Bombers. "Now we can move on and concentrate on this team."
Calgary scored
13 straight third-quarter points to crawl back into the game at 17-16.
But Jones threw a sideline pass that corner Eric Carter picked off before sprinting 46 yards for the touchdown.
"Carter made a good play and took it," Jones said.
"We fought hard but we missed some opportunities when we had it in their territory and had to settle for field goals."
Slotback Milt Stegall's
15-yard TD and a Troy Westwood field goal closed out the scoring in the fourth quarter.
On a bright note, Stamps rookie receiver Nik Lewis surpassed the 1,000-yard barrier.
"It keeps the 1,000-yard streak alive," Lewis said, hinting of bigger and better things to come.
"I'm going to get at least 1,000 yards every year of my career but I've got to get better. I'm going to be bigger, faster and stronger. I'll work hard in the off-season. If everyone on this team gets better, we'll have nothing to worry about next year."
Trailing 17-6 at halftime, the Stamps offence began to show signs of life.
After the Bombers conceded a safety, Jones somehow managed to escape heavy pressure, sprinted from the pocket and found a wide-open Wane McGarity in the endzone to make it 17-15.
Jones received a warm welcome from the fans as he took the field before the game and even accepted a high-five from Bombers mascot, Boomer.
But he got off to a rough start, fumbling on each of the first two plays from scrimmage.
"It was unfortunate that it happened," Jones said with a smile.
"The first ball, I never got in my hand. It was just wet as wet can be and it just slipped out of my hands. The second one, I just got hit."
After Westwood opened the scoring with a 27-yard field goal, Winnipeg took a 10-0 lead seconds into the second quarter when ex-Stampeder Scott Regimbald ploughed his way into the endzone from two yards out.
Stamps fullback Randy Bowles had a similar opportunity to stick it to his old team but fumbled on a second-and-goal from the Winnipeg one-yard line.
Calgary was forced to settle for a field goal.
Bombers QB Kevin Glenn engineered a 75-yard scoring drive, capped off by another ex-Stamp, Kamau Peterson, who made a 25-yard grab inside the goal-line.
Safety Wes Lysack, who made no secret of the fact he wanted to sting his old team, had a perfect opportunity to make a statement late in the half but dropped a sure interception.
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WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS: 37
CALGARY STAMPEDERS: 16