(Vancouver)- The BC Lions ran into a Winnipeg buzzsaw for the second time in three weeks. Once again, the resurgent Blue Bombers rallied behind a stout running game and a couple of big plays through the air to stifle the hometown Leos 20-11 in front of 30,803 fans at Save-On-Foods Field at BC Place. The result moves Winnipeg just two points back of the 5-5 Lions with the tiebreaker now in their back pocket from here on out. Now for some game takes.
Rourke Owns Up To It
Hindsight being what it is, it may be fair to suggest the return of Nathan Rourke was bound for a bit of turbulence after a cross-country flight on Tuesday, three days of practice and right into game action against a Winnipeg team fresh off of their bye week. Rourke finished 8/25 for 126 yards and a pair of interceptions, the second one to Tyrell Ford led to a field goal and a 10-0 halftime lead for the visitors. His first interception to Dietrich Nichols stalled some momentum when the Lions trailed by seven earlier in that second quarter.
Always the consummate professional, Rourke would not use any of the week’s craziness as an excuse and fully owned his mistake by making a post-game statement before his formal press conference began with questions. Here is a snippet transcript of that statement:
“I’d like to say something, and hopefully it answers all your questions. I want to take this moment to publicly apologize. That was not my best football right there. You know, as a quarterback here, and it’s never, never a one-person job, but it is the position where everything you have the ball in the hand, your hands every single play, and I didn’t make enough plays.
Obviously, I’m not going to sit here and make excuses in terms of it being a short week and getting into the offence again. And it’s definitely a tough, tall task when you play team like the Bombers, who have been so successful. But I’m not going to make those excuses. I know that I’m better than this. I’m sorry to the team who stuck their necks out for me for getting me here and allowed me to play the rest of my teammates who, you know, effort is never going to be an issue with this locker room that they fought right until the end got, battled and gotten to the end zone in that last possession.
“You know, teams that have less character, you know, they’re not fighting at that time in the game. So I’m proud of them. I’m sorry to the fans. I know there was a lot of excitement going in this game and I didn’t deliver.”
The lone Lions touchdown came with two seconds remaining in regulation on a one-yard plunge from David Mackie. Chase Brice then connected with Jevon Cottoy on the two-point conversion.
There were certainly moments in the second half when Rourke and the offence had a chance to flip the switch. The half started with a third down stop by the defence when Chris Streveler failed to move the chains on a third down gamble. T.J. Lee’s first interception since returning from injury looked to be a big moment early in the fourth quarter with the score 17-3. Neither moment was capitalized on and that’s what the squad needs to get back to when working on their execution.
Said head coach Rick Campbell on the defeat:
“Right now, it doesn’t matter who our quarterback is, we’ve got to play better as a football team and as a whole offensive unit. I will always give the other team credit because when we win, we did something right. They’re playing very well on defence and I think they got in our heads a bit, because man we were struggling.”
It’s a short week ahead of a long trip to face the Ottawa REDBLACKS on Saturday night. Still, it will be nothing like the crazy turnaround for Rourke in his preparation for a first road start since the 2022 Western Final.
“I don’t know how we flew across the country and switched from four-down football to three-down football and a new playbook and all that,” added Campbell.
“His work ethic and his intentions are through the roof and he’ll just continue to get better and more comfortable as he gets back into the swing of the CFL game.”
Key Numbers
109- a game-high in receiving yards for Nik Demski who scored the opening touchdown on Winnipeg’s first drive, one that was aided by a Pete Robertson roughing the passer call on second down inside Winnipeg’s own territory.
102- yards from scrimmage for Oliveira with 78 coming on the ground on ten carries. That’s an average of 7.8 yards per rush.
100– rushing yards for William Stanback to establish a new high in 2024 as a Lion.
31.6– the Lions’ conversion rate on second down in this contest as they finished 6/19.
4– it is the Lions’ first four-game losing skid since the 2021 season where they would wind up dropping seven straight after a 4-2 start before missing the playoffs.
Next Up
We’re back on the road for a clash with the 6-2-1 Ottawa REDBLACKS on Saturday, August 24. Kickoff at TD Place is 4:00 pm PT. Ottawa is coming off a thrilling 31-29 win at Calgary and will enter week 12 in second place in the Eastern Division. The same teams will meet the following Saturday, August 31 in Touchdown Pacific at Victoria’s Royal Athletic Park.