The B.C. Lions toyed with the idea of competitiveness on Saturday in Regina, but opted for bad turnovers and porous run defence instead in a 37-18 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Here are my thoughts on the game.
Better safe, still sorry
Some football games are decided before the opening kickoff, and this was certainly one of them. The Lions made the correct decision to rest Nathan Rourke for another week in his continued battle with an oblique injury, but they simply lack the talent to win without him. That statement encompasses far more than the quarterback play, but the quarterback play didn’t help.
According to ProFootballFocus, which recently made its CFL data publicly accessible, Jeremiah Masoli entered this week with the lowest overall grade and the worst passing grade of any CFL quarterback to take a snap through three games. Those new-age data metrics are far from perfect, so take them with as large a grain of salt as you want, but the eye test backs them up on this occasion.
The soon-to-be 37-year-old was also credited with four turnover-worthy plays and zero big-time throws in his roughly five quarters of action before Saturday. After this game, those numbers are certain to be even more skewed, as Masoli tossed three interceptions and put a couple of other balls — and teammates — at risk on off-target floaters.
Perhaps the most unfortunate part of the performance was that Masoli showed brief flashes of brilliance. After starting the game with four straight incompletions — five if you include an underthrown shot to Justin McInnis that was deemed pass interference — he found his rhythm in the second quarter on a 97-yard touchdown drive, delivering four excellent completions with tempo and timing. Nothing would have warmed my dessicated husk of a heart more than to see that success continue for a guy who has earned a feel-good ending; it simply didn’t happen.
There is no excuse for the 89-yard pick-six that Masoli threw to end the first half. It was late, slow, and came at a moment when B.C. had all but guaranteed themselves points. You could justify almost any decision in that situation, except for a delayed throw to the wide side with former NFL cornerback and college track star Tevaughn Campbell waiting in the wings. I’ll allow some leeway on the second interception as he seemed to lose track of A.J. Allen before the tip, but the final turnover mirrored his first — a ball he never should have thrown ending up in the hands of a diving Antoine Brooks.
There was less pressure in Masoli’s face than last week, but even routine checkdowns seemed difficult at times. His ball placement was often high and behind, and he finished just 16-of-29 for 173 yards before being pulled for Chase Brice with less than three minutes left. That decision came a week too late, even if it may not have saved the Lions anyway.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Through three weeks, we had seen two dramatically different versions of the B.C. defence. In Week 1 and Week 3, they were exceptionally stout, allowing less than 260 net yards and two touchdowns each time. In Week 2, they were a rusty sieve, getting exploited by backups through the air and on the ground.
Given that disparity of outcomes, I was fascinated to see what we might get from Mike Benevides’ group in this one. Disappointingly, it was the version of the team we saw in the first game against Winnipeg and stopping the run was a Sisyphean task.
With backup Jake Maier under centre, the Riders leaned on A.J. Ouellette to carry the load. The Lions offered no answer as he ran for 139 yards on 23 carries. It should be noted that B.C. entered this game without their best run-stuffing defensive tackle, Jonah Tavai, and only got more banged up as the night progressed, but much of the damage was done before the injuries began to mount. Saskatchewan’s longest run of the night, a 26-yarder, came in the first quarter when Sione Teuhema was sealed by fullback Morgen Runge and nobody spilled over the top to help contain Ouellette.
The last time the Lions got butchered on the ground, players insisted the problems were with personnel and not the system. I tend to believe that remains true, as time and again it seemed like the one defender designed to make the play failed to do so. Sometimes, that was the result of an obvious missed tackle, like when Tyler Coyle whiffed on Ouellette’s touchdown run after Kemoko Turay spiked inside. Other times, it was less obvious, as virtually everyone struggled to shed blocks. Ben Hladik actively seemed to flow away from the run on a couple of occasions, and far too many of Micah Awe’s team-leading 11 tackles came while flat-footed after a six-yard gain.
B.C. largely kept the Riders’ passing game in check, save for a spectacular catch by Joe Robustelli and a late touchdown from Dhel Duncan-Busby. Both of those plays may have been the fault of veteran cornerback Garry Peters, though TSN did not provide an adequate replay to be definitive. Either way, it didn’t matter because Maier didn’t need to throw to move the chains. By the end, Saskatchewan didn’t even need a running back; they just let third-stringer Tommy Stevens run out the clock.
I don’t mean to be dramatic, but it is gut-check time for the Lions’ defence. They have to decide which version of themselves they want to be or every opponent they face will try to win in a cloud of dust.
Pacific time
One of the best things about covering sports from the West Coast is the early start times, but the Lions took that to the extreme in this game.
From the beginning, it seemed like the timing of offensive snaps was off. The Lions were flagged three times for illegal procedure and once for an offside, though it probably should have been more. Two of those penalties actively took points off the board.
Before Masoli sent a touchdown back the other way, he nearly ended the half on a high note for the Lions by connecting with Justin McInnis up the seam on one of his better throws of the night. The would-be major came back, though, as the Canadian receiver had given himself a 10-yard head start. The next time that the quarterback marched his team down the field, he was going to punch it in himself, but left guard Kory Woodruff must have thought the snap count was on negative-one with how early he jumped. After a failed end zone throw, that forced a field goal instead of an easy touchdown.
It goes without saying that Mosaic is a tough place to play and crowd noise was certainly a factor, but these are inexcusable mistakes at the professional level. The team may need to break out the loudspeakers more regularly at practice and crank up the volume if this persists.
Long time coming; longer time left to wait?
Mathieu Betts had been held sackless through the first three weeks of the CFL season, but it wasn’t for a lack of effort. The former Most Outstanding Defensive Player has been a disruptor in the backfield and entered this week trailing only Calgary’s Folarin Orimolade and Saskatchewan’s Habakkuk Baldonado for the highest PFF pass rush grade among edge rushers. It was only a matter of time before he got home.
It happened against the Riders, as the 30-year-old was a wrecking ball throughout the first half. Even before he managed a sack, Betts had made a couple of run stuffs, created a two-and-out thanks to an early pressure, and forced another with a tipped pass. Then, with the Riders backed up in the second quarter, he bided his time on the three-man rush and flowed across to body Jake Maier as he tried to flee pressure from DeWayne Hendrix.
Betts and Hendrix combined for another key sack later in the frame, forcing a Brett Lauther field goal. Unfortunately, the ratio-breaking pass rusher looked to be in immediate discomfort and left the field with his left arm hanging limply. He was almost immediately ruled out for the remainder of the game, raising concerns about his health long-term.
The Lions also lost Hendrix to a hamstring injury early in the third quarter and already had defensive tackle Jonah Tavai on the shelf with a calf injury from last week. That means the status of B.C.’s three best defensive linemen is in question heading into Week 5 and beyond. That is a serious concern.
Running along a silver lining
If one good thing came out of this game, it was the performance of running back James Butler. Despite the lopsided final score, the 30-year-old ball-carrier nearly matched his season total, going for 123 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. He also caught four passes for 26 yards on a night when no receiver really separated themself.
Butler was the victim of a fumble early in the second quarter, which was upheld on review due to insufficient evidence. I suspect his knee was actually down before the ball came out, but I wouldn’t trade the turnover for the righteous fury that he displayed afterwards. All the momentum that B.C. seemed to gain in that frame came courtesy of his downhill and decisive running, as he entered the break with 92 yards already.
To their credit, the offensive line opened up holes for Butler that they hadn’t yet this season, but he was also able to shrug off first contact when it came in the backfield. Masoli did not make it easy for him as a receiving weapon either, and he endured a couple of massive hits from Marcus Sayles and Shane Ray. The only thing that seemed to slow him down was the offence moving away from the run out of desperation.
Part of the allure of bringing in Buck Pierce as the offensive tactician was the establishment of a consistent run game. It took until the team’s third loss to find it, but hopefully, Butler’s prominence is here to stay.
Centre of the issue
It was a better game for B.C.’s offensive line despite the absence of right tackle Dejon Allen, who was placed on the six-game injured list after suffering an arm injury late last week. The former Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman honouree was acquired via trade this offseason to shore up a suspect front and has slightly underwhelmed thus far, allowing seven pressures through three appearances according to PFF.
Chris Schleuger stepped in as an experienced backup and did just fine, except for a few penalties, as edge pressure didn’t really seem to be an issue. When someone did get after Masoli to bat a pass or disrupt timing, it continued to come from the interior and I’d like to see that addressed.
Centre Michael Couture was credited with nine pressures allowed entering this game, trailing only Ottawa’s Jacob Ruby and Toronto tackles George Moore and Hampton Ergle as the most oft-beaten blocker in the league. He almost certainly left with a couple more given up. This isn’t a new problem either, as the 31-year-old surrendered the most pressures of any centre in 2023 and had the highest pressure rate allowed at the position in 2024.
Some middling guard play over the years has done little to help Couture, but with Anu Una now healthy enough to play, it’s time that the team took a long look at their 2024 first-round pick. Tyler Packer has proven in the past that he is capable of playing centre at a level equivalent to Couture or better, so shift him over and let Una state his case at right guard.
Queries for the stripes
CFL officials are generally some of the best out there but in a game where 261 combined penalty yards are handed out, there are bound to be some questionable calls. Or, at the very least, some issues of process that fans would like ironed out.
Most of the questions from B.C. supporters are likely to centre around the horse-collar tackle penalty against Deontai Williams in the third quarter, which helped extend a Saskatchewan touchdown drive. The Lions appeared to have stopped Robustelli short of the sticks and forced a third down near midfield, when the call came down late from the booth. Fans may not like it, but video officials are allowed to make calls on obvious major penalties that the on-field referees miss, and this fits the bill. Ultimately, the penalty was called correctly, if a little late.
I’m more curious about a meaningless pair of offsetting fouls earlier in the game, when Masoli was flagged for intentional grounding after a Baldonado offside. If an illegal play causes the pressure that forced the throwaway, why do both penalties stand? That seems like a strange loophole in the rulebook that needs to be closed.
The only truly bad call of the night, in my opinion, came against Betts for roughing the passer in the second quarter. The Laval product had his back turned to Maier and did a full spin off his block to chase down the play, only to bump into the QB as he slipped past. I have no doubt there was some gamesmanship here from Betts, but that sort of minor, incidental contact should not have erased a highlight reel hit from Cristophe Beaulieu down the field.
A gift from old friends
The Lions’ quest to find a viable returner continued on Saturday with the insertion of Phillip Brooks. The Kansas State product joined the team on Wednesday with Seven McGee, who made his unremarkable debut last week, nursing a hamstring injury and was immediately handed the job.
In a roundabout way, you can thank B.C.’s former head coach, Rick Campbell, for Brooks’ addition this week. The Lions’ front office made a savvy move last year when they signed Southern Utah speedster Isaiah Wooden, but the coaching staff refused to play him over proven veteran Terry Williams. Wooden balked at a spot on the practice roster, and the team was forced to release him. That’s how he ended up in Hamilton, where he beat out Brooks in a heated battle for the returner job in training camp this year. The loser got cut and will now attempt to fill he same role for B.C.
Unfortunately, Campbell’s parting gift didn’t do much of anything in his debut and let two punts he probably shouldn’t have bounce over his head for singles. The return job remains very much up for grabs.
Tibo the Usurper
Tommy Stevens may have run all over the Lions late in the game to ice the clock, but the short-yardage king was only trying to save face after losing his crown earlier in the night. Belgian defensive tackle Tibo Debaillie did the unthinkable and stopped Stevens for a multi-yard loss on second-and-one, manhandling left guard Trevon Tate in the process.
The impressive play resulted in Debaillie’s sixth career sack and made up for a miss earlier on the same drive, when he over-penetrated and ran past Ouellette in the backfield in the shadow of the Riders’ goal post to allow a first-down run.
Patience you must have, young Padawan
Pierce is still developing his own identity as a young head coach, but whatever he eventually becomes will be heavily influenced by his time serving under Mike O’Shea in Winnipeg. We saw that clearly this week in the uncertainty regarding Rourke’s status.
Once Rourke bowed out of first-team reps on Thursday, it was clear to almost everyone that Masoli would be under centre again. Still, the Lions put Rourke at number one on the depth chart and listed him as a game-time decision, using his limited participation earlier in the week to sow seeds of doubt for their opponent. That’s a classic move pulled straight out of the O’Shea playbook.
You can debate the big-picture merits of injury obfuscation in the modern betting era, but there is some advantage to it — however minute. Riders’ head coach Corey Mace admitted this week that his team was forced to split their focus because of the QB situation, even joking that it cost him an extra night at home with his family. If you keep a team focused on tendencies for two different players long enough, something might slip through the cracks.
The only thing O’Shea would have done differently than Pierce in this situation is wait until his offence trotted out on the field to declare a starter, rather than announce it two hours in advance. I’d say that type of patience only comes with experience, but Pierce had no problem waiting until the last moment to pull the plug on his veteran QB — another classic O’Shea move.
No rest for the wounded
The Lions are beat up and more than a little demoralized coming out of this loss — their third consecutive double-digit defeat. Things aren’t going to get any easier next week either, as they are back on the road against a Montreal Alouettes team with lots to prove.
Expect another week of the “will he, won’t he” dynamic with Rourke, but I can’t imagine that the team will go back to Masoli if he’s not ready to go. That means a decision between the health of Rourke’s oblique or the debut of Brice, with the West Division slipping further out of reach with every passing day.
