Actions often speak louder than words.
A single play in the BC Lions’ 43-29 victory over the Edmonton Eskimos last weekend shouts volumes about what quarterback Buck Pierce brings to a CFL team.
With the Lions trailing 12-1 in the second quarter, and Pierce coming off the bench to replace starter Thomas DeMarco, slippery running back Stefan Logan squeezed through a crack in the Edmonton defence and headed 54 yards toward the goal line.
Some quarterbacks would have been content to watch the play unfold. Not Pierce. He accompanied Logan step for step down the field. A few yards from the end zone the nine-year veteran curled himself into a ball and threw a block that wiped out Edmonton cornerback Aaron Grymes, clearing the path for Logan to score.
When the block was shown on the instant replay it drew huge cheers from the crowd at BC Place Stadium. It also brought raves from Pierce’s teammates.
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“It’s probably a little bit rare to see a quarterback running down the field 50 yards and making a block. But that’s helping our team win.” – Buck Pierce |
“Huge,” is how slotback Shawn Gore described the play. “The quarterback giving his body up at that point to get the big score, that was what we needed. You look inside yourself to see what more you can do.”
“Man, that was beautiful,” chuckled defensive tackle Keron Williams. “I think defensively we fed off that.”
“He’s a vet,” said slotback Nick Moore. “It shows he cares.”
“It just shows the kind of player he is,” said running back Andrew Harris.
While teammates and coaches voiced accolades, one thought went unspoken. Given Pierce’s long history of injuries, especially concussions, what the hell was he thinking putting his body at risk throwing a block?
“That’s my job to be out there and make plays, doing what ever to help our team get in the end zone,” the unassuming Pierce said with a shrug. “It’s probably a little bit rare to see a quarterback running down the field 50 yards and making a block. But that’s helping our team win.”
Head coach Mike Benevides said asking Pierce to avoid a hit is like telling shark to stop swimming.
“The guy is playing to win,” said Benevides. “You can’t hinder him. I’m not going to take the aggressiveness out of the player.”
Pierce’s performance breathed life into a Lions team that was gasping like a fish flopping around on the deck of a boat. The win over Edmonton halted a three-game losing skid and gave BC some renewed confidence for Friday’s season-ending match against the Calgary Stampeders. That game means nothing in the standings but the Lions must beat Calgary in the playoffs if they hope to advance to the 101st Grey Cup in Regina.
When BC obtained Pierce in a Sept. 8 trade from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers the idea was he would be an insurance policy. With starter Travis Lulay out with a partially separated shoulder, and second-year player DeMarco having some trouble, the Lions finally cashed in on Pierce’s experience.
Against Edmonton the reborn Lion completed 11 of 14 passes for 141 yards and three touchdowns passes. Included in his three rushes for 18 yards was a 15-yard scamper for a badly needed first down and a plunge into the end zone for a touchdown.
Doing so many things right in a critical game raises the question why did Benevides wait so long to play Pierce? Eyebrows were raised two weeks ago when Benevides didn’t use Pierce in the Lions’ 35-14 loss to Saskatchewan, which locked BC into third place in the West.
Benevides defends his decision by saying Pierce was still coming to grips with the Lions offence. For his part, Pierce isn’t interested in discussing what happened in the past. He prefers to focus on what he can bring in the future.
“I’m here to help and be supportive,” said the 31-year-old New Mexico State product who played five years in BC before signing with Winnipeg in 2010. “I’m a teammate all the way.”
“I know my ability. I know where I am in the offence learning wise. It’s a tough transition picking up a new offence at the quarterback position. I lean on guys to help bring me along.”
Pierce is a genuinely nice guy who has been batted around like a pinata on the football field. He guided Winnipeg to the 2011 Grey Cup against the Lions only to lose against his old team. His string of injuries has caused some in the game to quietly suggest he should walk away from the sport.
Through it all Pierce has never lost belief in himself.
“I have been through a lot,” he said. “I can still play this game of football at a high level.
“I just continued to stay to myself and rely on my morals and my preparation and what I believe in. I just feed off the emotion of the guys up front and enjoy myself. It’s good to be back out there.”
Pierce is also thankful Benevides and Lions’ general manager Wally Buono gave him another chance.
“To have that kind of belief when there are so many people saying ‘I don’t know about him anymore,’ it’s one of those things I will remember.”
Pierce will start Friday against Calgary. The plan is for Lulay to dress as the backup and maybe even play.
For B.C., to road to the Grey Cup begins Nov. 10 when the Lions play the West Semi-Final in Regina against the Riders. The winner moves on to face Calgary Nov. 17 in the West Final.
It’s a long journey but having Pierce could make the trip a little easier.
