It started slow but ended with a bang.

The Stampeders improved to 3-0 this season, dumping the Ottawa RedBlacks 24-14 in front of 23,454 fans in Thursday Night Football Action at McMahon Stadium.

A big fourth quarter for the Stamps propelled them to victory, with touchdowns from Kamar Jorden and Don Jackson.

“We got the lead, and played enough good football to keep up for win three,” said head coach Dave Dickenson. “It was just a game that didn’t have a lot of flow in it, either side. The defences seemed to control it. The elements came in late, they coughed up some balls, we got the turnovers and found a little bit of rhythm.”

Stamps quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell passed a milestone in the tilt, as he crested the 20,000-passing yards mark, going 19-for-35 for 251 yards.

Both teams were held scoreless in the first quarter until RedBlacks kicker Lewis Ward put the visitors on the board with just over two minutes to play in the frame, topping off a six-play drive with a 39-yard field goal.

Ward added three more early in the second quarter to double the Ottawa lead.

With six minutes left in the second, the Stamps got on the scoreboard after a five-play, 17-yard drive was capped off by a touchdown from Eric Rogers.

A 64-yard punt into the endzone by RedBlacks kicker Richie Leone tied it up early in the second half.

A roughing the passer call on RedBlacks defensive lineman Andrew Marshall after a six-play Red & White drive would extend the Stampeders’ scoring chances late in the third.

After two incomplete passes, Rene Paredes notched a 22-yard field goal to make it 10-7.

“They made it tough on us tonight,” said Mitchell. “In the end I thought we finally matched their level of compete and it started to show.”

A dominant Stamps defence would highlight the start of the final frame.

A RedBlacks pass to Diontae Spencer at the three-yard line looked promising, until defensive back Ciante Evans caught him midair and drove him back right at the goal-line.

It was a game-changing play.

“Ciante’s not a big guy,” said Dickenson. “But he’s just really fearless.

“I ask a lot of these guys to dig deep and give whatever they got to the team, and I think the defence got really fired up after Ciante made that big hit, and was able to keep them out on third and one.”

“I think at that moment, the flags stopped flying,” said Mitchell, referring to the 14 penalties called on the Stamps throughout the game. “We were playing bad football.

“When the defence made that play, it gave us a little bit of life, and then we finished it and that’s where I saw a little bit of progression.”

After the Evans’ hit, the RedBlacks gave it another try on a quarterback sneak but the Red & White’s defence stopped them cold.

RedBlacks quarterback Trevor Harris was sacked for the third time in the game – this time, by Derek Wiggan – forcing a punt from the visitors, which was returned by Terry Williams for 35-yards.

Following a five-yard run from Jackson, a 32-yard reception from Jorden gave the Stamps their second major of the evening. Jackson was quick to add on with a touchdown on the following drive after a five-yard run.

The RedBlacks finished out the scoring with a major of their own with less than three minutes remaining, Greg Ellingson making a nine-yard catch after a 10-play drive.

The Stampeders now head into a bye-week before they take on Ottawa once again at TD Place Stadium on July 12.