A win against the Calgary Stampeders would inject much-needed pep in Winnipeg Blue Bombers' collective step

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All wins are equal in the standings, but when it comes to deciphering the contenders from the pretenders, these tend to hold more weight.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers (4-3) will look to re-enter their names in the contenders hat when they face the Calgary Stampeders (5-3) at McMahon Stadium on Saturday (6 p.m. CT).

The Blue and Gold were in that conversation early on when they jumped out to a 3-0 start, but the poor play that has followed -- parlayed with the excellent play of the Stamps and arch rival Saskatchewan Roughriders (7-1) -- has kept this team out of the proverbial upper-echelon of the West Division.

The Stampeders waxed the Bombers in the first two meetings between these clubs by a combined score of 78-36. That was the beginning of an ugly stretch of three straight losses for Winnipeg which ended, albeit in unconvincing fashion, against the Toronto Argonauts last week.

While the Bombers won't complain about a win, they understand relying on three touchdowns from their defence and special teams isn't sustainable, nor is it impressing anyone. A win against the Stampeders would go a long way toward rewriting the narrative around this team.

"You don't really look at it that way," said Zach Collaros. "Every week is a new challenge, and Calgary just so happens to be on the schedule this week. We've played them twice, so we know them pretty well, they know us well. They're a good football team."

The Bombers are searching for some level of stability for the first time in months and some important pieces are returning in the process.

Let's tee this one up with the need-to-know ahead of kickoff in the latest edition of Five Storylines.

There was an outside shot that it would be backup quarterbacks Chris Streveler and P.J. Walker at the centre of this contest.

Instead, it's Collaros and Vernon Adams Jr. returning to action for their respective clubs.

Collaros suffered a neck injury in Week 7 that plagued him with whiplash-like symptoms, forcing him to exit Week 8 early and miss Week 9 altogether.

Meanwhile, Adams sustained a concussion in Week 8 that also prevented him from playing last week.

Adams, who has tossed for 1,913 yards, nine touchdowns and six interceptions while going 5-2 in seven starts this season, was playing at a high level before going down.

Meanwhile, Collaros -- 1,031 yards, seven touchdowns and eight interceptions (2-3) -- has struggled to find consistency and stay on the field this season. Entering this contest -- effectively the halfway point of the campaign -- Collaros has seen a little more than 15 quarters of action, as he served a suspension in Week 2, exited two separate games early and missed another one due to injury, on top of the Bombers' two bye weeks.

Winnipeg's pivot has thrown six interceptions across two starts against the Stamps this season. Calgary's has been pristine in both games, amassing 489 yards, five touchdowns and zero giveaways.

Collaros admitted earlier this week that he and the rest of the offence are still trying to find a rhythm.

For the club's sake, that needs to come sooner rather than later.

The Bombers' offensive line will receive a major boost, as veteran left tackle Stanley Bryant returns to the lineup after missing three games with an ankle injury.

The 39-year-old last played in Week 5 in Calgary, where he "tweaked" his ankle in the first half and played on it until exiting in the fourth quarter.

His return is a welcome one for the Bombers, who are searching for continuity along the front five.

Since Bryant went down, Micah Vanterpool (out with an ankle injury) and Eric Lofton have suited up at left tackle, while Gabe Wallace has jumped back into action at left guard.

There is a level of confidence that Collaros can play with when Bryant is protecting his blindside.

"That kind of experience is always tough to replace," head coach Mike O'Shea said of Collaros and Bryant. "The guys that step in for them, we never ask them to be those two guys because they're two of the best you've ever been around. It's always nice to get that level of experience back on the roster."

One week after Winnipeg reformed its defensive secondary due to repeated busts in coverage, the backend will look different once again in Calgary.

Dexter Lawson Jr., who signed with the Bombers last week, will make his season debut at field-side corner, in place of Jamal Parker Jr., who sustained a leg injury against Toronto last week.

Lawson, a versatile third-year pro who played the last two years with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, was among the last round of cuts from Bombers training camp earlier in the summer.

Winnipeg hopes the 5-8, 190-pounder can provide some much-needed stability at a position that has been a revolving door this season.

Marquise Bridges, who was released earlier this week, started the first six games of the year but was benched. Rookie Trey Vaval played in relief. Then Parker aligned at field cornerback before being injured. Vaval relieved him, as well.

Lawson was playing in the Indoor Football League two weeks ago. Now he's expected to help right the ship of Winnipeg's defence.

Aside from Collaros's return to action after serving a suspension in Week 2, perhaps Dillon Mitchell is the most anticipated debut of the season.

The fourth-year receiver has been the subject of one of the most peculiar situations for the Bombers this season after signing a healthy one-year deal in the off-season, then underwhelming in training camp.

Mitchell quickly found himself in the doghouse and sniffed hardly any time with the first team offence until this week.

"Cheering my teammates on, it's not patience, it's being able to be a brother and be a great teammate," said Mitchell, who will snap his longest inactive streak since entering the CFL in 2022.

"I think everything comes with a valuable lesson, so I've grown as a leader and, I think, as a teammate surely over this time."

With Dalton Schoen and his first replacement, Cody Kase, both injured -- and after trying out rookie fifth-round pick Joey Corcoran for a week -- the Bombers will now turn to their prized off-season addition to help provide a spark in what's been a dull offence.

Winnipeg, which recently appeared only interested in playing Mitchell at wideout, has listed the 6-1, 185-pound pass catcher at Schoen's usual spot in the slot.

"Trying to see if we can't get a guy on the roster who's produced at a high level in this league," said O'Shea. "He's been working diligently, not just biding his time, so he'll draw in and we'll see if we can't get him going."

This is the last meeting of the regular season between these West Division foes, but there is no season series on the line.

That was settled back in Week 7 when the Stamps drubbed the Bombers for the second game in a row.

There is still plenty to play for, though. Winnipeg will look to stave off being swept in a three-game season series by Calgary for the first time since 2016. That's also the last time the Bombers lost a three-game series to any team.

There was also a level of dissatisfaction that came with last week's triumph over the Argonauts, as if the Bombers knew they shouldn't have let it come down to the last three minutes to decide a winner.

A road win against Calgary in any fashion could provide a much-needed pep in the Bombers' collective step.

Saturday's contest won't write either team's fate -- it's still too early for that -- but it could go a long way toward deciding how the second half of this season will unfold for both clubs.