It was a game that had been circled on the calendar as an easy win for weeks but the B.C. Lions refused to land a deciding blow against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, squandering a commanding first-half lead. After allowing 18 fourth-quarter points, they fell 32-29 in overtime on Friday night.
Here are my thoughts on the game.
Deciding throw
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats got some sensational play from quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell in the second half but the best throw of the night came from head coach Scott Milanovich, who tossed the deciding challenge flag in overtime.
After Ronald Kent Jr. appeared to keep the Lions alive by breaking up a pass intended for Brendan O’Leary-Orange in the end zone, the command centre tore all hope away by ruling pass interference. Local kid Ante Milanovic-Litre ran it in from the one-yard line a play later and sent the Ticats flooding onto the field.
Lions fans and staffers were immediately aghast at the call, sparking the latest in a long string of revolts against video review this year. The players on the field were equally outraged and Kent made clear what he thought of the call post-game.
“I was just playing defence. I was just trying to do my job and I thought I played it very well. The refs wanted to control the game and that’s just what it is,” he said in the locker room.
“I definitely disagree with the call. He was pushing and I was still right there. I didn’t tug him, I didn’t grab him. I just played it through his hands and it felt clean to me.”
“I don’t want to get fined for my opinion or anything, but games can’t come down to that, especially if both guys are looking,” veteran teammate T.J. Lee added. “He’s looking for the ball — come on, man.”
Having watched the replay, I tend to disagree with the defensive back room. Kent clearly had one hand locked into O’Leary-Orange’s collar and while it is debatable as to whether he exerted undue force to drag him down, it’s hard to imagine there wasn’t some restriction on the Canadian receiver as he jumped for the ball.
I’m much more sympathetic to the argument that it didn’t meet the clear and obvious standard set by the CFL for overturned calls, as more egregious plays have withstood review in the recent past, but it still checked every box that I have for a PI call. Nevertheless, it is unfortunate that such an integral moment in the game had to come down to a review system that fans and players no longer trust.
Kent was clearly devastated by the ruling and remained in his pads long after any of his teammates. The rookie played a solid game, notching his first career interception and collecting four tackles. However, he was in man coverage against Kiondre Smith on the touchdown that kickstarted Hamilton’s comeback and will be the image left in the mind of most from this contest. Here’s hoping that he can bounce back from the adversity.
Hit or miss
Most overtime games keep fans on the edge of their seats throughout but for much of this contest, the product on the field was anything but exciting. They really should look into installing natural grass at BC Place, as watching it grow might have provided a nice pick-me-up for fans in between all the two-and-outs they’ve been forced to witness in the last three home games.
What made this game different was that the Lions were leading for most of it, pushed in front by a blazing-hot start. In the opening minutes, the offence looked poised to shed their slumping tendencies and Nathan Rourke looked exceptional. Then, without warning, everything reverted back to the plodding, dull, and woefully inefficient attack that we’ve seen more often than not since July.
After notching 117 yards on their first two offensive drives, which were aided by a big opening kickoff return from Terry Williams, B.C. managed just 46 over their next four series. They figured things out with a field goal before the half but were equally as inconsistent after the intermission, producing two good scoring drives and three atrocious early exits.
“We do some really good things and we have some really good intentions, but we miss some plays that are going to be difference makers — picking up first downs, staying on the field, or scoring a touchdown, whatever that is,” head coach Rick Campbell said post-game.
One way or another, the focus always falls on Rourke for the performance of the offence. Two weeks after being pulled, he finished 22-of-36 for 264 yards and scored a pair of rushing touchdowns. There were flashes of brilliance and some of the miracles he was able to perform with his legs were mystifying — even if they did get him into trouble on occasion. Yet, the consistency still wasn’t there on a play-to-play basis and missed throws cost B.C. before most of their punts.
“I think that, especially in this league, your offence goes as much as your quarterback allows you to,” Rourke acknowledged. “I think there were times where I was playing well and moved the ball, and then there were some times where we weren’t moving the ball and that was because I wasn’t making the throws or making the reads.”
The Canadian QB had a different aura at the podium than after previous defeats, still defiant but with a troubling touch of dejection. Campbell made clear in his own address to the media that he felt Rourke did more than enough to maintain the starting job going forward, but somehow this still doesn’t feel like Rourke’s team six games in. He denied any suggestion that the benching against Toronto affected his psyche but a lack of success is undeniably wearing on him.
In 2022, a Rourke-led offence was as effortless as a quill flowing across paper, penning an ode to everything we love about football. Now, it feels like watching prisoners at a stone quarry — a joyless, repetitive, and back-breaking grind where most of the participants are going through the motions. That has more to do with the Lions’ flawed roster than it does with the quarterback himself but it is painful to witness a player for whom success once felt inevitable shoulder the failings of an organization and do too much, missing throws which were always automatic for him.
You won’t find many passers tougher than Rourke but after getting the NFL run-around and nearly falling out of love with the game, you wonder what effect these continuing struggles might have on his confidence long term.
Tale of two halves
Despite their offensive inconsistencies, it felt like B.C. had this game signed, sealed and delivered by half-time. The defence bottled up everything early on as Greg Bell was a non-factor and Bo Levi Mitchell was held to just 36 yards and a pick. This game had all the makings of an old-fashioned rout.
The only problem was that Mitchell didn’t get the memo, going on a remarkable 29-of-30 run following his interception. Down by 16 and without a score, the veteran gunslinger put together a second-half performance that should define his season and make him a worthy M.O.P. even if the Ticats can’t slip into the playoffs. Hamilton would punt just once after the break as he tossed for over 315 yards and scored 18 points in the fourth quarter alone — including catching a two-point convert himself.
As much praise as Mitchell has earned, the Lions’ defence didn’t do anything to slow him down. On the positive side, the secondary prevented any big busts and held the Ticats to just two plays of more than 20 yards, but keeping everything underneath means nothing when you struggle to tackle and can’t make a play on the ball to save your life. It was death by a thousand paper cuts as the visitors seized control of the clock. When they opened the final frame with an 11-play, 81-yard drive lasting six minutes, you knew B.C. was doomed to bleed out.
The Lions offered up yet another new secondary combination in this game, benching Adrian Greene in favour of rookie Cristophe Beaulieu and giving Jalon Edwards-Cooper his first start of the season. I’m a huge believer in both players but neither showed anything different in this one, with JEC showing clear signs of rust coming off injury. No matter who they have fielded this season, there aren’t enough playmakers in the defensive backfield and they continue to sit dead last in the CFL for interceptions as a result.
The bigger issue, however, was the lack of pass rush, which allowed Mitchell to pay standard delivery rates when handing out parcels to his receivers. There is no need to expedite shipping against a team that can’t get home with their front four, as two of B.C.’s three sacks came off free blitzes from defensive backs. Mathieu Betts, who has boosted the unit considerably since his return, was a complete non-factor, save for a costly dumb penalty and a comical late hit on the following play that should have drawn another flag. Sione Teuhema was beyond invisible — frankly, I’m not even certain he played in this game.
These are the same issues that have defined the Lions’ season and they aren’t changing come playoff time. This team has to play defence with their offence but right now they can’t even play a tune. Given that the Winnipeg Blue Bombers finally seemed to figure out their offence on Friday, fans should be very afraid.
Put the boot down
In a game that was defined by a hot start and failure to finish, two third-down decisions by head coach Rick Campbell should provide plenty of fodder for the talking heads. Though they bookended the game, each could have changed the outcome dramatically.
The first came on the Lions’ second offensive series when things were clicking and yards were coming in bunches. Rourke drove the team down the field on a nine-play, 60-yard drive to the Hamilton 13-yard line but on second-and-five, backup Canadian receiver Kieran Poissant dropped an almost certain touchdown pass thrown right to his chest. At the time, it felt like a turning point, with B.C. staring down an opportunity to go for the jugular when the Ticats couldn’t stop them. It seemed like Campbell might roll the dice and go for it but the offence stayed out on the field only to take a delay of game penalty, settling for a Sean Whyte field goal.
The second decision occurred on the final play of regulation, with the Lions driving and down three. Rourke looked the best he had all night and receivers were finally making plays, but the team found itself facing third down and a short two from the Hamilton four-yard line with 14 seconds left. Campbell elected for the chip shot field goal to force overtime, as most would in those circumstances, but there remains a segment of fans and analysts who believe going for the win in that scenario is the better move.
For his part, the coach was not happy when I asked him about the merits of the decision post-game.
“You’d be after my ass if I didn’t get it on third-and-two, so you’re kind of in the results-oriented things,” he said. “If it works, you think I’m smart and if it doesn’t work, you’d think I’m a dumb ass. That’s kind of how you roll, but that’s fine.”
I always love to hear from a reader but before Campbell gets too up in arms, I actually agreed with his choice to kick at the end of the game. I certainly wouldn’t have faulted any coach for going for the win, but that was far from an automatic conversion and the clock was just a touch too low for me to justify a gamble. What I disagreed with was his decision to kick in the first quarter, when the moment felt ripe for a bold gamble that could have knocked Hamilton down for good.
Some in the press box felt the exact opposite way, believing the second drive was too early for risk and that a statement was needed at the end instead. The most aggressive fans will believe both calls are wrong, while the most conservative will side with Campbell entirely. No matter the result, these decisions determine outcomes and are a topic of conversation that needs to be asked about — whether the coach likes it or not.
Clocking in late and leaving early
When you tell the story of the Lions’ 2024 season, remember who was the first to inform you that they lacked a number-one receiver.
Even amidst a historic start from Justin McInnis and Alexander Hollins, I was pumping the brakes on the hype train and questioning who among this group would dictate results down the stretch. Now that the wheels have fallen off, that early hot take is looking pretty good. Over the last two months, B.C. hasn’t gotten a complete game from any of their pass catchers. Instead, it looks like what media have dubbed “quiet quitting” — a bunch of employees doing the bare minimum, showing up late or leaving early.
With Hollins out of the lineup this week, that remained true. Seven different receivers caught passes but none stood out in the final accounting. Canadian big man Jevon Cottoy led the team with 81 yards through the air, but 63 of that came on the first two drives before a lower-body injury caused him to go silent for three quarters. Stanley Berryhill caught all six balls thrown his way but only managed 36 yards, while McInnis put up 38 in fits and starts. Ayden Eberhardt managed 41 but caught just two of his six targets.
All of those struggles paled in comparison to Keon Hatcher, who was held without a catch until the final drive of regulation. By all accounts, the 30-year-old should be the leader of this unit but he just hasn’t been the same since making an early return from his Achilles tear. When the Lions needed a tying drive, he delivered with a big catch over the middle and a spectacular grab on the sideline, but they needed him to show up earlier. While none of the other four passes thrown his way were easy catches, there were plays that he should be expected to make left on the table.
In a lot of ways, his impressive final grab highlighted what the Lions haven’t gotten from their receivers this year: big plays. A common refrain among Nathan Rourke critics is that his production was inflated in 2022 by incredible receivers and while I don’t think that is entirely fair, there is a grain of truth to it. Two years ago, Bryan Burnham was reaching the end but his rate of mind-boggling catches never wavered. Dominique Rhymes was at the peak of his head-topping powers and Lucky Whitehead was the league’s premier deep threat. Rourke put them in a position to do the things only they could and they delivered almost without fail.
B.C.’s receivers put up huge yardage through the first six weeks of the season but there are no unicorns here — let alone three. Hollins is streakier than your grandpa’s underwear, McInnis is a great possession option but wins surprisingly few jump balls for his size, and Hatcher looks like he’s moving at half-speed right now. They can still beat a defence when they show a fatal flow consistent with the strengths of Jordan Maksymic’s scheme, but none of them are going to consistently dominate one-on-one matchups or take the top off against tough opponents.
I had hoped that without Hollins taking up space, Berryhill might prove to be the missing speed element but he wasn’t used as such. He was given one shovel pass off of jet motion that stretched Hamilton laterally and picked up a big chunk gain, but Maksymic never went back to the well. For a team desperate to hit the deep ball, the offensive coordinator is doing a remarkably poor job of drawing the defence in close with screens, sweeps, or hitches, which isn’t helping his speed-deficient unit any. The shine has come off of his guru status and the lack of flexibility that hurt the team early in his tenure has returned.
Triple charged
I’ve been watching football at BC Place for most of my life and I had never seen a football hit the video board before this year. It has now happened in three straight games, with this particular Stefan Flintoft punt getting lodged beneath the score clock. Arguably, it was the most exciting thing the Lions did all game.
I spoke to Flintoft in the locker room and he was not happy with the flukey kick, only because the team’s council of specialists have elected to charge him for the price of a replacement ball. Fortunately, the cost of the fine will also help pay for an end-of-year activity for the group, so he’ll get something out of the sky kick after all.
The only way to continue this punting escalation going forward is to have the lodged ball drop back down during the course of a game. As I understand it, that would cause whatever play was going on to be halted immediately, erasing any result. That would cause absolute chaos if it prevented a touchdown so I vote we change the rule and play with two balls to really spice things up. What say you, Randy?
Guardian (Cap) of the galaxy
Kudos to veteran defensive back T.J. Lee, who on Friday night became the first Lion and second CFL player to wear a Guardian Cap in a game.
The protective headgear, which reportedly reduces the risk of concussions, was made legal this year but Lee had not played with it previously. He remains on the fence about it’s usage long term but decided during the bye week that he wanted to set an example for others, despite pushback from teammates.
“After reflecting and being that change and example I want to see for my family and kids, why not try it? If I don’t like it, I can take it off,” he said in the locker room.
“A lot of people tried to discourage me from wearing it and all that shit but I’m a leader, most importantly, and if I want to do something, I’mma do it. I don’t care what anybody says about it.”
Let’s be frank, Guardian Caps look pretty comical but that is meaningless in the face of personal health and well-being. If some goofy foam leads to a more fulfilling life for players after retirement and plays even a small role in preventing the tragedies we’ve seen as a result of repeated head trauma, everyone should be wearing them.
Our home on native land
For the fourth year in a row, the Lions honoured the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with an Orange Shirt game, putting Indigenous voices at the forefront of the gameday experience. It is an important initiative and it is great to see the rest of the CFL finally catching up to their lead, with all teams now sporting Indigenous-designed logos for this week.
The tributes, gestures and donations are incredibly meaningful, but I still wish there was more being done by the league here. A few years ago, I attempted to dig into the history of Indigenous athletes in the CFL and came up against a brick wall in terms of a lack of records, foiling my search. Properly recording and highlighting the stories of Indigenous athletes was one of the official recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission but the league has made no effort to rediscover the history it is so proud of touting. If they want to accomplish something tangible, every franchise should have an official historian picking through the primary sources to write the forgotten stories of Indigenous CFL players.
Mea Culpa
Following the Lions’ last game, I received a lot of negative feedback on my article’s headline, which played on the team’s failure to perform against Chad Kelly despite several members making a subtle statement against him with their pre-game attire. I already addressed this topic last week on the podcast but it is also worth putting it in print.
Part of my job when writing articles is to create engagement through creative titling and while I wasn’t trying to be funny on this occasion, I was attempting to be pithy. I wanted to place the Kelly controversy at the centre of the narrative and I felt emboldened to play off the slogan because I felt the Lions themselves were being clever with their shirts — with no one except Rourke actually speaking on the issue. It’s abundantly clear that I badly missed the mark on that attempt in the eyes of many readers and for that I unreservedly apologize.
I believe that my comments on Kelly and his suspension, both in that article and previously, speak for themselves, but that is not an excuse. Applying constructive criticism is a point of pride for me and I can be better. My sincere thanks to all who reached out with their concerns — thank you for sticking with me.
Kitty declawed
Here’s the reality: the B.C. Lions have three games left and the playoffs are no longer a guarantee. By the end of Saturday, the Saskatchewan Roughriders could leapfrog them for second place and the Ticats are hot on the trail of a crossover berth. The dream of a home Grey Cup is on life support and this roster seems strangely content to watch it happen.
“We have a good group of guys but we don’t respond well when things don’t go our way,” Campbell said. “We’re good when things are humming along and that’s okay, but when something goes wrong as far as the other team makes a play or we think a call’s bad or something like that, we don’t respond quickly enough.”
“We need to be better at that and not be phased by a game where it gets tough at the end. If you’re gonna win in this league coming down the home stretch or in the playoffs, you’re gonna have to not be phased by a back-and-forth game that comes down to the fourth quarter.”
Wins over Calgary, Saskatchewan, and Montreal down the stretch are no longer optional. B.C. has to make a statement and run the table, or they risk putting their fate in other people’s hands — although given how they’ve handled themselves lately, maybe that would be a more competent option.
