It has been determined that the B.C. Lions will play the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the CFL’s Western Division Semi-Final this Saturday.
Who determined that is up for debate.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers beat the Montreal Alouettes 28-27 this past Saturday under a bizarre set of circumstances that left you wondering if you were watching a CFL game or a Stephen King horror movie.
With 17 seconds remaining in the game and faced with a third-and-six from their own 23-yard line, Montreal sent out their punting unit hoping to ice the game. Unfortunately for the Alouettes, a sudden gust of wind came across the McGill University campus, enough so that all the leaves from the trees surrounding Percival Molson Stadium blew onto the field.
The gust caused Joseph Zema to shank his punt – a 21-yard effort – leaving the Bombers in position to kick a game-winning walk-off field goal and send them home as the first-place team in the West.
It also sent the Lions to Regina.
Yes, Regina. Where just over two weeks ago the Riders routed the Lions 38-9.
So how do the Lions reverse their fortunes with their season on the line?
Let’s start on offence, where quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. will be at the helm instead of Nathan Rourke. The Lions needed a spark following that loss on the prairies and they got it from Adams Jr., who led the Lions to a 27-3 win over the Montreal Alouettes in the last game of the regular season on Oct. 19 at BC Place.
The offence will need to put some points on the board in Regina but Big Play VA and company will face a different challenge in the Riders defense.
Montreal blitzed Adams Jr. frequently and the Lions took advantage with some explosive plays. The Riders, however, play a more conservative style on defense and will sit back, usually rushing three to five players.
The weakness of using extra cover personnel is that you’re not as stout against the run. Enter William Stanback, who was brought to B.C. to give them a physical running back who can be relied upon come playoff time.
Picking up yardage with Stanback on first down – as well as the short passing game – will be imperative for the Lions on offense. To use an old Pete Carroll expression, the Lions need to ‘stay on schedule’ and make second down manageable.
That doesn’t mean that the Lions can ignore taking shots downfield. In fact, if they are to win, they need to have some explosive plays on offence as the Riders defence is too good to try and nickel-and-dime your way downfield against them.
The effectiveness of the Lions offence is also a key to the success of the defence.
Some of the better efforts the Lions defence has had this season have come in games in which the offence has been very productive with the two victories over Montreal and the win in Victoria against Ottawa being the best examples. When the offence is rolling, the Lions defence feeds off that energy and it allows them to play with confidence and aggressiveness.
For the Lions to be successful on defence, there are a couple of things they need to do.
One is to stop the Rider running game featuring A.J. Ouellete on first down. As much as the Lions need to stay on schedule on offecse, they have to get the Riders off schedule on defense by controlling the line of scrimmage.
Making the Riders one-dimensional on offence will help the defenve in terms of meeting another objective – disrupting Saskatchewan quarterback Trevor Harris and making his life miserable. With time, Harris can pick you apart, so the Lions defense must get pressure on him.
And as much as the defence feeds off the offence, the Lions special teams get their energy from how the defense is playing. Seeing how most of those units feature players from the defence, you can understand how that correlates.
However, there is something that is paramount for the Lions to have success and it has nothing to do with X’s and O’s. It’s the game played between the ears.
Bad things are going to happen. It’s how you react to that adversity that will probably determine your fate.
First, play aggressively. Don’t let a receiver catch an under route and then make the tackle for an eight-yard gain. Jump the route and break up the pass. Be aggressive when the ball is in the air and that goes for both sides of the football. Finish your blocks on offence. On defence, get off your blocks and get people around the football. You never know when a ball will go off a heel and pop into your hands for a pick-six.
Second, play with confidence. The Lions have to play with the mindset that they WILL win - not that they ARE going to win. Blow a coverage on defense? Forget about it and think of getting an interception the next play. Drop a pass that would have resulted in a first down? Think of how you’re going to burn the defense the next series.
It’s about a mindset and a belief that the Lions have shown on occasion this season.
It’s critical that they have it this Saturday in Regina. Their season depends on it.
OVERTIME
* Kickoff is set for this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Pacific (TSN; 980 CKNW; Sher E Punjab Radio 600). This will be the third meeting of the season between the Lions (9-9) and the Roughriders (9-8-1). As mentioned, the Lions lost to the Roughriders 38-9 on Oct. 12 at Mosaic Stadium. The Lions beat the Riders 35-20 at B.C. Place on July 13.
* This will be the 12th time the two teams have met in the playoffs with each team winning six games. It’s the sixth time they will play in the Western Semi-Final with the Riders having won four of those contests. The last meeting between the two teams in the post-season was in 2013, when the Riders eliminated the Lions 29-25 at Taylor Field.
* The Lions returned to practice Monday with a relatively healthy unit. Receiver Jevon Cottoy (ankle) should be able to play against the Riders, returning after a three-game absence. Linebacker Ace Eley (back) is probably the biggest concern although his status will be determined as the week progresses.
Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob “the Moj” Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.
