The Stampeders defence, under the guidance of new co-ordinator Chris Jones, will face a stiff test Thursday night when Calgary hosts the B.C.Lions (10 p.m. ET, TSN). The Lions posted a CFL-best 14-3-1 record last year and are expected to again be the team to beat in the West Division.

“B.C.’s always a playoff contender,” Armour said. “They always have a well-coached team.

“They have a lot of talent. It would be good to get a win against B.C. It would set a standard for our team and our defence.”

Armour should know. While he came to Calgary in the off-season as a free agent from Hamilton, he played his first two seasons in the CFL with the Lions.

Last season, Calgary’s defence was among the CFL’s worst. So one of new head coach/GM John Hufnagel’s first moves was to hire Jones, who spent seven years with Montreal and put together some solid defences with the Alouettes.

And so far, Hufnagel likes what he sees.

“I like how they’re flying around, trying to make plays, being aggressive and hopefully we will develop and get better as the season progresses,” said Hufnagel, noting he’s impressed with the speed of players like defensive backs Brandon Browner and Wes Lysack and linebacker Armour.

Armour said Jones has worked hard in training camp to explain his systems to the defence to prepare them for Thursday’s season opener.

“It’s an intense defence, physical defence,” Armour said. “We fly around a lot.

“The best thing about it is that he simplifies it. He makes it easy to understand. Whenever you have a bunch of new guys coming together that’s the most important thing is simplifying it so that we all can relate to it.”

The speed and physical tenacity of players like Browner and Lysack will make opposing receivers “wake up in the morning thinking about getting hit,” Armour said.

“They don’t want to make those catches because they don’t want those hits.”

There’s certainly nothing wrong with a Calgary offence that’s spearheaded by veteran quarterback Henry Burris and features such potent weapons as running back Joffrey Reynolds and receivers Nik Lewis, Jeremaine Copeland and Ken-Yon Rambo. And should Burris struggle or be injured, the Stampeders have a very competent backup in veteran Dave Dickenson.

Predictably, there’s no doubt in Burris’s mind the Stampeders have what it takes to contend in the CFL.

“Every team always sets their goals high to win a championship,” Burris said. “It’s all about us coming out and being more disciplined this year and continually executing and getting better.”

Burris, 33, pointed to penalties and turnovers as two key reasons why Calgary struggled to a 7-10-1 regular-season record before losing 26-24 in the playoffs to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who went on to win the Grey Cup.

“We’ve got to play smarter football,” Burris said. “If we do those two things right then we should be more successful than we were.”

The acquisition of Dickenson, 35, who signed as a free agent Jan. 31, gives Calgary a solid quarterback tandem.

“He understands truly what’s going on out on the field plus he’s an extra set of eyes for you,” Burris said of Dickenson. “Dave’s almost like a coach too.

“He not only makes sure that you’re on top of what he’s seeing from the sidelines, but he also helps get the receivers in the right positions.”

Hufnagel said he’s “pleased about the situation” of having two veteran quarterbacks to lead the offence.

“Henry definitely is going to be our guy,” Hufnagel said. “I know that when Dave gets on the field, we have every opportunity to win as if the other guy is on the field.”

Calgary boasts one of the league’s top receiving corps with Rambo, Lewis, Copeland, Brett Ralph and Ryan Thelwell.

“It’s good for the quarterbacks so they know our timing from last year and the year beforehand,” said Rambo, whose 10 TD catches tied him for the team lead with Copeland. “Our group, we’ve been working together for a while.

“Our timing gets down very well. It’s just running the new plays that we’ve got and connecting with (the quarterbacks) and that’s what we’re going to do.”

Once again, Reynolds will be called upon to lead Calgary’s rushing attack. Last season, the five-year veteran ran for 1,231 yards and five touchdowns, down from his personal best of 1,541 yards and six TDs the previous season.

“Each year you try to improve on your game and enhance your game better than the last year,” said Reynolds. “As a player, that’s how you go from possibly being a good player to a great player.”

Ken Simonton, Jon Cornish, Rob Cote and rookie Demetris Summers will also be called upon to run the ball at times to give Burris and Dickenson more play-calling options.

“They’re guys who can make plays in the open field whether it’s catching the ball or when you put the ball in their hands,” Burris said. “To have that big play ability of guys that can move the chains on any given play in the backfield, it just puts that much more pressure on each and every defence out there.”

Burris also has high hopes for the offensive line in front of him of Rob Lazeo, Jeff Pilon, Antonio Hall, Godrey Ellis and rookie Dimitri Tsoumpas.

“We’ve got a bunch of guys who are ready to go in there and work their tails off and make this team better and protect the ball and block for Joffrey,” Burris said. “We’re confident in those guys.”

Place kicker Sandro DeAngelis and punter Burke Dales will once again handle the special-teams duties.