Sometimes it’s not so much that a team lost a game, it’s how that loss happened.
The B.C. Lions have been facing plenty of questions after their 39-38, last-play defeat at the hands of the Montreal Alouettes.
The Lions lost after leading 21-7 at halftime. They lost against a Montreal team missing nine starters, including quarterback Anthony Calvillo. They lost playing against a third-string quarterback. They lost despite the Alouettes facing a second-and-10 on their own 46-yard line with nine seconds left in the game.
No one is predicting the Lions will go into a tailspin for the rest of the CFL season. It would take a total calamity for B.C. to miss the playoffs. Players and coaches do realize though the Lions better have some answers when they play the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at BC Place Stadium Friday night.
“It’s a very important intersection for this team,” said hard-hitting middle linebacker Solomon Elimimian. “It’s a very important game.
“It’s not the way we wanted to play the last game. We want to get that taste out of our mouth as soon as possible. We have to come and play hard.”
Defensive end Keron Williams said the Lions need to set a tone for the last half of the season if they hope to be playing in the Grey Cup game in Regina.
“It’s definitely a gut check,” said Williams. “Nobody is happy.
“It’s vital for us to go out there and perform well. It is mid-season. This is when we have to start making our push to get that momentum to bring us through in the end.”
| Lulay looking to be Lions’ voice |
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“The leadership is different. That being said that doesn’t give me less confidence in the leadership of the group. That dynamic has changed. I don’t see that handicapping us in the long run.” – Travis Lulay on having to step up as a leader in the absence of the likes of Geroy Simon and Arland Bruce. |
Head coach Mike Benevides said against Montreal the Lions were like a boxer who let an opponent get up off the canvas and throw a knockout punch.
“You have to find a way to put people away,” he said. “You’ve got to have that killer instinct.
“When you get those opportunities you have to finish the deal.”
The loss against Montreal was like a microcosm of the B.C. season. The Lions did a lot of things right. They also managed to do the opposite at bad times.
On the plus side, the Lions scored 38 points against the Als, their highest total of the season. The defence created seven turnovers, including five interceptions. Tim Brown had his second special teams touchdown in two games, returning a missed field goal 124 yards.
On the negative side, too many B.C. drives ended in Paul McCallum field goals. Too often the offence found itself in second and long. The Lions allowed Tyron Carrier to return a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown. The offensive line couldn’t stop the Montreal blitz and gave up five sacks. The Lions defence allowed three big passes for 195 yards, including Eric Deslauriers’ 57-yard catch on the second-last play of the game which set up Sean Whyte’s winning field goal.
“It was a terrible loss to come to that last couple of seconds,” said Benevides. “We have to clearly use this, flush it out, and get ready for the next opponent.
“If we let this linger, that’s not positive at all.”
It was another game where Lions’ quarterback Travis Lulay was good but not great.
Against Montreal Lulay completed 15 of 28 passes for 205 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. On the season he’s competed 150 of 236 passes for 1,896 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. His completion ratio of 63.6 per cent leave him fifth among quarterbacks with over 140 attempts.
While Lulay’s numbers are not horrible, they also are not what might be expected from someone who was the league’s most valuable player in 2011. 
“We’re 5-3,” said Lulay, who hasn’t thrown for 300 yards in a game this year. “There were three games where myself, and as a group, we were short.
“I haven’t played perfect football but that’s not necessarily the goal. We understand as a group we need to be better. Myself is included in that group.”
When a club sails into stormy weather it’s usually the role of the team leaders to grab the helm and steer the ship into calm seas.
The Lions lost some of their veteran leadership when Geroy Simon was traded to Saskatchewan and Arland Bruce released. That responsibility has now been passed to players like Lulay, running back Andrew Harris and wide receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux.
Lulay admitted it’s a role some players are still growing into.
“I would be lying if I said it was the same old, same old,” he said. “It’s definitely different.
“The leadership is different. That being said that doesn’t give me less confidence in the leadership of the group. That dynamic has changed. I don’t see that handicapping us in the long run.”
It’s not like the Lions don’t have the talent. The team just seems to lose its focus sometimes.
“Nobody is panicking,” said Williams.
“We know the problem has to be fixed. It is internal. We are the players, we step out on the field. We have to produce.”
