"We're not as good as we thought," said Craig Dickenson moments after losing to his brother Dave in the first meeting of sibling head coaches in CFL history.

But that angle took a back seat Saturday night after the Roughriders failed in their first indicator game of the season.

A team never really knows how it truly measures up until they go up against the defending champs.

An easy win over the Argos five days earlier had them feeling good about themselves, until the Stampeders went and spoiled all those warm and fuzzy thoughts.

Bragging rights in the Dickenson family go to Dave after Round 1.

"I think it tells us we've got a little more work than we thought, but it's a long season."

'This one is on all of us, coaches, players, everybody,' said Riders head coach Craig Dickenson after the loss to his brother's team. (Glenn Reid/CBC)

The Stampeders whooped the Riders across the board at Mosaic Stadium, taking advantage of rookies on the corners and finding weaknesses against a defence that suddenly couldn't tackle.

Adding salt to the wound was the fact that the Calgary's offence was led by a quarterback making his CFL start.

The league's most expensive player, Bo Levi Mitchell, missed his first meaningful game since 2014, so maybe the Riders defence arrived at the ball park thinking it was going to be their night.

"I said before it's the unknown that worries you," said linebacker Solomon Elimimian after making his Riders debut.

In his first CFL start, Stampeders quarterback Nick Arbuckle chewed up the Riders defence, leading Calgary to their first win in their first meaningful game without Bo Levi Mitchell since 2014. Mitchell was placed n the six-game injury list on Friday. (THE CANADIAN PRESS)

The only tape the Riders had on Nick Arbuckle was the last few minutes of Calgary's come-from-behind win over B.C. the week before.

Arbuckle outperformed the Riders' Cody Fajardo who quickly plummeted back down to earth after consecutive 400 yard performances.

One of the best back-to-back showings by a newbie quarterback in CFL history was forgotten by a mistake-riddled show consisting of turnovers and sacks.

But all the credit in the world to Fajardo who owned up to it and put the loss on himself.

Not all quarterbacks will do that.

Riders quarterback Cody Fajardo quickly found the adversity he predicted would happen at some point during the season. Fajardo threw for only 89 yards and was intercepted twice. (THE CANADIAN PRESS)

"Anyway you cut the cake, put that game on me," said Fajardo after his third consecutive start following the injury to Zach Collaros.

"I came out and definitely under performed, turned the ball over twice which is a no-no in this league," one of which, a pick six, was returned 48 yards for a touchdown which put the game out of reach for the Stamps.

There would be no 'sprinkle of Jesus' on this night as Fajardo so eloquently put it less than a week earlier after the win over Toronto.

"He can't put it on himself because football is a team game," said Dickenson upon hearing of Fajardo's confession.

"This one is on all of us, coaches, players, everybody."

"A loss like that, we all didn't do what we needed to do," said Naaman Roosevelt, who had his best game of the season with five receptions for 66 yards.

Cody Fajardo was pulled in favour of Isaac Harker early in the fourth quarter after throwing a pick six - an interception returned 48 yards for a touchdown by Tre Roberson. (Glenn Reid/CBC)

Fajardo actually predicted last week adversity would show its ugly head at some point of the season, but he probably wasn't thinking it would be the next game out.

How one responds to a bad game can be a make-or-break of a career.

He seems to have a character type to persevere.

"My confidence isn't shaken at all, it just wasn't my night tonight."

Fajardo believes the only certainties in life are the love of his wife and the love of God.

Everything else is a crap shoot.

After Round 1, Dickenson family bragging rights go to Dave Dickenson, right, of the Calgary Stampeders after getting the upper-hand on his older brother Craig of the Roughriders. It was the first meeting between brothers in CFL history. (THE CANADIAN PRESS)

The Riders head into a bye week with the next game on the schedule not until July 20 when they host the B.C. Lions.

A break which could have been a lot more enjoyable coming off a win, not an ugly loss.

One and three, four games into the season.

Rider Nation will be restless.

But at least all is well again in the world of gopher.

Gainer got his eyes fixed, which sadly for the home side, was the loudest ovation of the night.