Tiffany Luke/BCLions.com
You have about 30 minutes after the Eastern Semi-Final to get ready for the Western version featuring two very different looking teams, the BC Lions travelling to face the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
You probably don’t have much time to get ready for the second game as you’ll want to get up, stretch, get some air or replenish your snacks, so please let me help you out with some of the key matchups to focus on between two teams that have gone on divergent paths to get to the same spot.
2024 CFL PLAYOFFS
» Head To Head: Who has the edge in the Western Semi-Final?
» Costabile: 3 storylines to watch in the Western Semi-Final
» Buy Semi-Finals Tickets: BC at Saskatchewan
Milligan Jr. led the CFL in picks in 2024 with eight (Matt Smith/CFL.ca)
Justin McInnis vs. Rolan Milligan Jr.
Just like what I did with my Eastern preview, what better place to start than best on best? Both players have been nominated for Most Outstanding Player Award by their respective teams. You have the games most productive receiver and the CFL interception leader.
One of the big stories going into this clash is the turnover battle. The Roughriders had the game’s best turnover ratio meanwhile the Lions were near the bottom. On one level a tip of the cap to BC for making the playoffs despite finishing 2024 with a regrettable minus six mark.
For the Lions to win at Mosaic Stadium they can’t find themselves losing this critical battle. Back in Week 6 McInnis went nuts with 243 receiving yards and a touchdown against Corey Mace’s team. The statistic that sticks out the most in that Lions 35-20 victory is Justin was targeted 14 times by Vernon Adams Jr., and he caught each one of those passes.
With the games best ballhawk in Milligan patrolling Saskatchewan’s secondary, the Lions are going to need that sort of level of efficiency; they can’t have balls going off a receiver’s hands or Adams Jr. throwing behind his intended target. All it takes is one missed throw and the team that led the CFL in turnovers will have another.
William Stanback vs. Jameer Thurman
How about William Stanback! How many running backs do you know that at the age of 30 set a personal high for yards from scrimmage (1,588) and fall just one yard short of tying their own rushing record? Stanback’s career year came with him putting up 100-plus rushing yard days against Montreal and Winnipeg, two of the league’s most fearsome defences.
On the other side is veteran linebacker Jameer Thurman. While he didn’t lead his team in any major defensive categories Thurman is one of those smart defenders who is always in the middle of the action as he finished the year with 78 tackles, one sack, two interceptions and recovered three fumbles.
This is a basic, don’t overthink it matchup that I’m excited for, the workhorse running back against the middle linebacker. Two veterans who have appeared in nearly 200 combined games trying to exert their will on the other.
Betts rejoined the Lions halfway through the season after a stint in the NFL (Jimmy Jeong/CFL.ca)
Mathieu Betts vs. Trevon Tate
This is my narrative matchup I’m keeping an eye on. In 2023 Betts put together one of the best seasons you will ever see from a defensive player no matter where they are born with 18 sacks while taking home the CFL Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award. Betts is out to prove he can reach those heights again and possibly give himself another chance in the NFL.
The man tasked with blocking him is out to show the Calgary Stampeders made a mistake releasing him this year after just one game. It would be a great story if Tate shuts down one of the game’s best pass rushers after briefly finding himself without a job this summer.
Garry Peters vs. Samuel Emilus
In one corner is the 32-year-old, two-time All-CFL defensive back Garry Peters. In the other corner, hailing from Montreal he has twice put up 1000-plus yard seasons, it’s 27-year-old receiver Samuel Emilus!
One is the Lions nominee for Most Outstanding Defensive Player while the other is the Roughriders Most Outstanding Canadian nominee. Now Peters is FAR from over the hill and Emilus just completed his third year so he isn’t some wide eyed rookie, but I am always here for the young guy/veteran guy matchup, especially when it involves two players of their respective talents.
The Lions had both Adams Jr. and Rourke taking snaps under centre in 2024 (Jimmy Jeong/CFL.ca)
Vernon Adams Jr. vs. Nathan Rourke
Both these things are true, the BC Lions made the right move brining back Nathan Rourke to the fold and giving him a three-year deal and Adams Jr. deserves to be the starter this Saturday.
We all saw what peak Rourke looked like two years ago in his MOP -calibre season. You always take a chance on quarterback play like that, especially at Rourke’s young age. I can totally see how fans of Adams Jr. would view the move as unfair but in professional sports “fair” often doesn’t exist.
As for who deserves to start it is Adams and it’s not even close. No one was hotter in the first six weeks when it looked like Adams Jr. was on his way to 6,000-plus-yard season and he did finish the season in style in a win over the Montreal Alouettes.
In the 2023 playoffs Adams Jr. was brilliant against Calgary but struggled mightily in Winnipeg the following week. Of course, most quarterbacks don’t exactly have career days against that defence at that stadium. If the Lions are struggling offensively in the first half in Regina will coach Rick Campbell, make a move? Be honest we are all wondering the same thing.
Bonus: Micah Johnson vs. the Lions Defensive Line
Nope you read that right. Could we see Saskatchewan sack leader trying to protect Trevor Harris? Remember during the OK Tire Labour Day Weekend game the Roughriders lost several offensive linemen to injury against Winnipeg and Johnson was thrust into offensive line duties.
