B.C. Lions shoot themselves in the foot, run out of toes in loss to Montreal (& 12 other thoughts)

Photo courtesy: Vitor Munhoz/B.C. Lions

The B.C. Lions’ five-game winning streak finally came to an end on Friday night in Montreal, and the team has only itself to blame. An ugly string of mental errors and missed assignments proved to be fatal, as they fell 37-30 to the Alouettes.

Here are my thoughts on the game.

Phalangeal massacre

With the Lions hotter than a two-dollar pistol entering Labour Day weekend, most analysts projected a shootout with the CFL’s undisputed top team. Instead, they took careful aim at their own foot and shot off each toe in methodical succession.

In fairness to B.C., this was a sloppy game all around, and there were stretches where neither team seemed interested in securing victory. Ultimately, it was the accidental discharges by the visiting offence that did the most damage. Nathan Rourke committed his second illegal forward pass penalty in as many weeks, which turned a potential touchdown drive into a field goal. Blatant drops by Keon Hatcher Sr. and Stanley Berryhill III killed other series in their cradle. Anu Una got blown back on short yardage, resulting in a turnover on downs from the previously automatic Zander Horvath.

No sequence exemplified this unforced ineptitude better than a series midway through the third quarter. B.C. led by two points at the time, but Montreal had just scored a touchdown, putting pressure on the offence to respond. Instead, left tackle Kory Woodruff false-started on back-to-back plays, kicking off a cascade of mistakes that bordered on the satirical. The Lions were then forced to call a timeout on second-and-15 because they were a man short in the huddle. After the reset, Hatcher appeared to get all the yardage back on a single play, but retreated from the line to gain of his own volition and was stopped a yard short. Finally, Rourke handed the ball to Horvath on third down, only for him to be stuffed for a second time.

That comedy of errors set up Montreal to take the lead with a field goal, though the Lions weren’t quite done hurting themselves. On the next drive, Rourke attempted to rifle a pass to Jermaine Jackson on the slant and was picked off by Tyrice Beverette, who took it all the way back to the house. It was a tremendous defensive play and a better call, but the quarterback should have recognized the defensive lineman dropping into coverage that freed Beverette up for the gamble. B.C. remained competitive, but they never recovered from that run of bone-headed decisions.

Duel for supremacy

Stunningly, Friday marked the first matchup between Nathan Rourke and Davis Alexander as the starting quarterbacks for their respective franchises. Given their ages and talent levels, this should be the defining CFL QB rivalry of the next decade, and it was rightfully billed as such.

With bragging rights on the line, both passers had solid outings. Alexander completed 25-of-34 passes for 297 yards and one touchdown in the victory, adding a late seven-yard run for a critical first down. Rourke was 31-of-45 for 375 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, while running three times for 31 yards. Frankly, despite the pick-six, it was one of his better performances of the season, and he was let down by his receivers on multiple occasions.

As an aside, some serious introspection needs to be done as to why this offence’s chemistry has degraded so much compared to last season. Most of the starting receiver unit spent the offseason in Vancouver and trained with Rourke daily, but all seem to have regressed. That is the complete opposite of what was expected to happen.

Alexander has clearly been the better quarterback this season and should be the M.O.P. frontrunner. I doubt Rourke would argue with that assessment, given his recent self-criticism, and the numbers don’t lie. However, anyone who believes that Alexander has definitively claimed the title of the CFL’s top passer going forward is suffering from an extreme case of recency bias.

We saw peaks from Rourke in 2022 and 2025 that belong in the same conversation with the greatest seasons in league history, not just because of what he can do with his arm, but because of what he can add with his legs. He is generally the more accurate quarterback and the more dynamic rushing threat. I fully expect him to reach that level again, which means that the debate between the two should continue for years to come.

Train derailment

Zander Horvath has been an unstoppable locomotive since taking over the starting running back job, but he was taken completely off the tracks in Montreal.

Head coach and offensive play-caller Buck Pierce did his very best to stimulate the ground game, giving the big-bodied ball carrier 17 carries. However, he managed just 47 yards rushing, averaging 2.7 yards per carry, and was stuffed twice on third down. Both of those turnovers turned into points for the other side.

Horvath did manage to rip off a long touchdown run that was called back by penalty — more on that in a moment — but he didn’t seem to have the same juice as in weeks past. More importantly, the offensive line was manhandled by Montreal’s front seven and struggled to open any holes. It was tough to watch at times.

Yet again, I’m left to wonder about the role played by James Butler. Even as Horvath struggled, he was given just a single carry for five yards and failed to reel in either of his two targets. Obviously, Horvath has a greater chance of grinding through a stalemate, but what is the point of a tandem backfield if you don’t throw in a change-up when the starter is ice cold?

A little help, please!?!

The Alouettes have the most explosive offence in the CFL, but the resurgent Lions defence held them in check for most of the night. Yet again, Mike Benevides’ unit was the best that B.C. had to offer, but they got limited assistance from the other side.

After a bad opening drive where they allowed Montreal to go sixty yards for a touchdown, the Lions flipped a switch with a remarkable goal-line stand. The next six Alouettes drives resulted in five two-and-outs, a forced fumble, and just 35 total yards. That is unbelievable dominance considering who they were facing.

Over the same span, the B.C. offence produced just three field goals. The window was wide open to seize complete control of the game, and they simply couldn’t do it.

The Lions did allow two long touchdown drives in the second half, but shutting out Montreal was hardly a reasonable expectation. Davis Alexander, Tyson Philpot, and Tyler Snead were all productive, but at no point did they take over the game. Holding that group to 338 net yards should have been enough, but it wasn’t.

What could have been…

In a first half that was light on scoring opportunities, both teams will rue the ones that could have been.

For B.C., it was a 69-yard run off the left side by Zander Horvath that could have changed the complexion of the ball game. The former NFL draft pick found the corner and outran everybody to reach the end zone completely untouched. That proved too good to be true, as fullback Riley Pickett was called for holding on the same edge where Horvath broke free. It was a good call by the official, an infraction that directly altered the outcome of the play, and a mistake that simply can’t occur from a veteran player.

Montreal had their own “what if” moment in the second quarter, when Tyler Snead got in behind safety Jackson Findlay up the seam. Alexander hit him in stride, but it was an outright drop by the pint-sized receiver. With Findlay desperately lunging to make a play, it seems unlikely he would have made the tackle if the pass was caught, and Snead might have finished with three touchdowns, rather than two.

Hold the plane

Facing back-to-back cross-country trips on a short week, B.C. elected to remain out east after their victory over Ottawa. That allowed the team the maximum amount of rest, though it did not appear to help their mental sharpness in the slightest.

There is a common belief that Eastern road trips are particularly strenuous for Western teams, though the numbers tell a different story. A recent study published in Chronobiology International found that CFL teams travelling eastbound see a noticeable improvement in both time of possession and score differential, an advantage that gets larger the further east you go. The authors hypothesized that body-clock alignment outweighs travel fatigue in terms of impact on performance, as teams moving west experience more negative outcomes.

If the research is to be believed, the Lions may have reduced their own competitive advantage by staying put. However, I would suggest that this was not a normal week, and that the paper wasn’t designed to account for the potential rigours of four five-hour flights in five days. Nevertheless, B.C.’s six-game winning streak against Montreal was ended, even though they still won the time-of-possession battle.

Is that enough for you?

When he was released by the Alouettes this offseason, Darnell Sankey wondered what more he could have done to keep his job. In two-and-a-half seasons with the team, the prolific middle linebacker had been named an East Division all-star twice and played an integral role in two trips to the Grey Cup, winning the first.

The reality is that age and passport were the determining factors in Montreal’s decision, as they looked to elevate a younger Canadian option in Geoffrey Cantin-Arku. Nothing Sankey could have done would have changed that, though that didn’t stop him from playing like he had something to prove in his return to Percival Molson Stadium.

The 31-year-old announced his presence late in the first quarter, with the Lions backed up against the goal line. Davis Alexander and company had moved the ball at will to that point, and needed just a single yard to take a 14-3 lead. That proved easier said than done, as short-yardage quarterback Terry Wilson was stuffed on three consecutive sneak attempts. Each time, it was Sankey who leaped over the top of the pile to knock him back, making as many elite defensive stops in a single sequence as most players can hope for in an entire career.

The six-foot, 242-pound defender finished with a game-high nine tackles, but left his former home empty-handed. It was bittersweet reunions all around, as Montreal linebacker Micah Awe, who was unceremoniously released by B.C. to make room for Sankey, got the win but was unable to play due to injury.

Too many, too few

For all the Lions’ self-inflicted wounds, the Alouettes had plenty of their own, including two too-many-men penalties. It is rare for a team to commit that embarrassing infraction twice in the same game, and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a team blow the substitution quite like they did in the third quarter.

Despite having 13 players on the field, not a single one of them was lined up to cover Justin McInnis when B.C. went tempo. Rourke hit the jump shot pass to the wide-open Canadian receiver for six. I’ve witnessed teams score short-handed before, but a 12-on-13 major is a new one.

Lost in the Woods

Sean Whyte deserves some love for hitting all five of his field goals, including a 50-yarder, but his accuracy gets taken for granted on special teams. What hasn’t been a given for the Lions is success in the return game, which led to the debut of newcomer Lawrence Woods III on Friday.

The former Ticat looked comfortable in his new colours, though he did little to cement himself into the role. His 23.5-yard average on four kickoffs was lower than what Stanley Berryhill managed, and his 11.5-yard average on two punts was merely solid. I’ll need to see a lot more to be convinced that Woods is a long-term solution, though this was at least a step in the right direction.

Age before beauty

I’ve been critical of veteran defensive back T.J. Lee at points this season, questioning whether the 35-year-old is still the best option now and in the future. He certainly was against Montreal, showing that age is just a number on multiple occasions.

The future Wall of Honour inductee made a couple of exceptional pass breakups down the field, taking away explosive play opportunities from some of the league’s best. He also forced two fumbles, one of which was recovered by B.C.

34-year-old cornerback Garry Peters was neither as successful nor as lucky, as he fell down trying to jam Tyson Philpot on Montreal’s longest play of the game and later left with what appeared to be a shoulder injury. After pushing through a bad knee to finally make his return last week, it was unfortunate to see him go down again, and I hope he recovers soon.

B.C. has some DB depth now, as Stantley Thomas-Oliver was forced to come out of the lineup this week and Cristophe Beaulieu is nearing a return. I was somewhat surprised to see the former take a backseat to Ronald Kent Jr. after his strong play as of late, but Benevides has made clear that he favours the veterans.

Bucking convention

Some might choose to criticize head coach Buck Pierce for choosing not to be more aggressive in a game with so many field goals, but I thought he generally had his finger on the pulse throughout. None of the kicks were complete chip shots, and they all kept momentum on B.C.’s side. He also shouldn’t be blamed for his team’s poor third-down execution; those are decisions you make 10 times out of 10.

Where Pierce lost me was on his decision to challenge for pass interference near midfield with 2:31 remaining. Not only was it a bang-bang play with little chance of success, but the payoff on first down for a relatively small gain would have been minimal. If you are going to go fishing, at least do it on a deep shot or a critical down. He might as well have lit his final timeout on fire.

I also didn’t understand the decision to go for two after B.C.’s final touchdown. Rourke made a tremendous play to escape and get the ball to Keon Hatcher, but the difference between a four-point and five-point deficit is essentially meaningless. The only angle I can think of is that he was planning a contingency for a failed onside kick and eventual Montreal field goal, which is ultimately what came to pass. Being down seven is better than trailing by eight in that scenario, but had the convert failed, then a field goal would have been fatal.

Shameless local plug

If the Lions aren’t enough to scratch your football itch by themselves, there will be plenty of options available to you to supplement the CFL in the coming weeks (and I’m not talking about the NFL).

The UBC Thunderbirds opened the 2026 Canada West season on Friday night with a 32-7 loss against the Calgary Dinos. U Sports football offers the best bang for your buck in all of Canadian sports, and if you are an avid football fan, then making a trip out to Point Grey is well worth it. The T-Birds have produced CFL talent at a rate that rivals any program in recent memory, including well-known names like Stavros Katsantonis, Dakoda Shepley, and Ben Hladik, and also boast two active NFL players in Theo Benedet and Giovanni Manu. You may not recognize Caleb Cunningham, Deacon Sterna, or Trey Montour yet, but you will in a few years, so do yourself a favour and sneak a peek early.

If you are looking for something even more grassroots, get engaged with your local high school program. Games are beginning with the first day of school just around the corner, and some incredible athletes have come through the BCHSFB ranks in recent memory. That includes Benedet (Handsworth), Manu (Pitt Meadows), Tyson and Jalen Philpot (Seaquam), Jackson Findlay (Vancouver College), Nate Beauchemin (Kelowna), Nelson Lokombo (W.J. Mouat), Keelan White (Handsworth), Michael Couture (Centennial), Ben and Brad Hladik (Vernon), Jonathan Kongbo (Holy Cross), Ryan Baker (Windsor), Adam Konar (Vancouver College), Gavin Cobb (Mount Douglas), Jacob Bond (South Kamloops), Chase Henning (Salmon Arm), Nolan Ulm (Kelowna), Brody Clark (Seaquam), and Dawson Hodge (Terry Fox).

After years of coaching at this level, circumstances this season forced me to step away and place my childhood program on hiatus. It was a heartbreaking decision, and having gone through it, I can attest to how much blood, sweat, and tears the coaches and volunteers in this province pour into their teams. If you can give your support in any way, whether through fundraising, time, or simply cheering them on, it would mean the world to those thankless grinders and the athletes they uplift.

No shame in the game

This game was filled with embarrassing gaffes for B.C., but there is no shame in losing a one-score game to the best team in the league. Perfection down the stretch was always unlikely, and of all the games to drop, this was the most forgivable.

The same cannot be said next week when they welcome this same Alouettes team to BC Place. Dropping below .500 at home at a time when the West Division is a back-alley brawl would be costly to morale and in the standings. You run the risk of emerging from the bye week back behind the eight ball, chasing a playoff spot.

The Lions (6-6) will have eight days to make their adjustments. Kickoff is slated for 7:00 p.m. PT on Saturday, September 12.