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From the Stands: Lions 26 Stampeders 7

November 8, 2013 By Brian Wawryshyn

There were some very promising signs in the BC Lions final home game this season at BC Place. Fans certainly left the building feeling pretty good about the Lions as they head to Regina. Here’s I saw Friday’s regular season finale from the stands.

QB Comfort

Friday’s game gave the Lions exactly what they needed to see at the quarterback position. Buck Pierce and Travis Lulay both moved the offence and engineered scoring drives for the club before giving way to Thomas DeMarco in the second half, and now the questions will begin as to which one should start in Regina next week.

Lulay didn’t seem to incur any adverse effects from his two series and the Lions offensive line did an outstanding job protecting both he and Pierce. Lulay tested his arm on a 36 yard strike to Nick Moore and then tested his confidence on an option from the shotgun, running in for a score.

The Lions certainly have to feel more confident about the QB situation then they did a week ago. Do they go with Travis Lulay who has two series under his belt in the last month and a half, or go with Buck Pierce who has a little more than that? To me it all depends on Lulay’s shoulder this week and whether or not increased work this week gives him a setback. Lulay never took a hit in the game so there is that to factor in as well.

If Lulay comes through the next week fine, I believe he will and should start the game and the Lions will have Pierce waiting if needed. I feel Pierce would be the more effective option coming off the bench than Lulay would.

Welcome back Andrew Harris

Andrew Harris seems to have his confidence back and that can only bode well for the playoffs. The addition of Stefan Logan has been a huge boost for the offence and Harris has been the main benefactor. All year the long the struggles of the offence could be pinned on a poor ground game and we’ve seen that proven in the last two weeks as the offence has started to move the ball more consistently.

Defence

The defence didn’t see much of Jon Cornish in the game but put in a very strong effort holding the Stampeders offence out of the endzone and to just seven points on the night. Eric Taylor led the way with a strong game, racking up with five tackles.

I know he’s in tough to win the awards he’s nominated, but at the risk of sounding biased Adam Bighill should be the league’s top defensive player. No he doesn’t have the sexy sack stats that are popular with voters, nor does he lead the league in tackles. What he does do well is everything, and that’s something I’m not sure the other candidates bring to the table. He is the heart and soul of the Lions defence, and I hope that voters look at the whole picture when casting their votes.

The Stampeders

The Stamps had nothing to really play for in the game and rested several key players as the game went on. But they lost two starters off their defensive line and one of their best receivers on Marquay McDaniel. Early reports say that none of the three are expected to be ready for the West Division final on Nov. 17.

Drew Tate took over for Kevin Glenn, didn’t have much success and seemed to be frustrated at everyone but himself for the lack of production at times. Kevin Glenn deserves to start for the Stamps in the Western Final and we’ll see if John Hufnagel agrees, but in my opinion leaders don’t lead by shaking their head and throwing their arms up in disgust at teammates.

Looking ahead

While the Lions used their final game to get tuned up for the playoffs, the Riders chose to rest key players on their season ending loss to the Eskimos. I left the building Friday feeling a lot more confident about the Lions chances than I did a week ago. The offence is coming around, the Lions are relatively healthy and it seemingly confident with their new-found success.

Will it continue against a pumped up Riders team on the road? The Lions’ recent success has come against the Eskimos and an uninterested Stampeders club but the real test will come next week at Mosaic in Regina.

They have certainly given the Riders lots to think about this week. Who will start at QB for the Lions? How will Logan and Harris be utilized? I have a good feeling about next week and all the pressure is on the Riders. The Lions would love nothing better to spoil the party on the prairies.

Veterans Night

One of my favourite nights of the year is the annual salute to our veterans that the Lions do each year. They always do a great job of the halftime show on this night, reminding us all to be thankful what these men and women have done for us and the sacrifices they have made in their lives.

What were your thoughts on the regular season finale? Are you more confident with the Lions heading into Regina next week? Leave a comment here, or talk football with me on Twitter, @BCLionsDen and watch for our playoff preview “Pawdcast” this week on BCLionsDen.ca

From the Stands – Lions 43 Eskimos 29

October 31, 2013 By Brian Wawryshyn

Buck Pierce shovels a TD pass to Andrew Harris. (Photo: PNG: Gerry Kahrmann)

The BC Lions fought off a shaky start and got a boost from Buck Pierce on the way to a 43-29 win over the Edmonton Eskimos Friday. There were several promising things for fans to take from the game, and here is how I saw things, From the Stands.

Slow starts still a concern

The Lions were flat to start the game and that won’t please Wally Buono whose comments earlier in the week put many in the organization on notice. The defence allowed a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage and the offence led by Thomas DeMarco had fans frustrated early on. It was a J.R. LaRose turnover that turned took the Lions out of neutral and it was Buck Pierce that put the pedal to the metal.

The turning point

The first career interception of JR LaRose came just when the Lions needed it. Not only did it change the momentum it fired up his teammates as well.

With DeMarco struggling to move the offence, Mike Benevides had seen enough to give Buck Pierce a shot and almost instantly the Lions offence started to move the ball. Pierce used his arm, and his legs to make things happen and wasn’t shy to throw a block downfield that allowed Stefan Logan to finish off a 54 yard scamper for six.

I talked last week about how the presence of Logan may motivate Andrew Harris and as Logan was having success so did Harris, who had two touchdowns on the night. It was Harris’ best game in a long time and it appears the Lions have found something with Logan getting first down snaps and Harris coming in on second down.

Both players were banged up in the game, Harris on his final play from scrimmage and fans will hope that both will be fine going forward.

With all the abuse the offensive line has taken, they need to be applauded for a solid performance both in pass protection and opening holes for the run.

Managing the QB’s

Mike Benevides had several fans and others scratching their heads last week when he left a struggling DeMarco in the game. His reasoning was that DeMarco needed to learn how to fight through tough games. Fair enough, but a legitimate question might be whether or not a home playoff game might have been in the Lions grasp had he brought Pierce in last week in Regina. Hindsight is indeed 20/20 but those that witnessed the performance of Pierce Friday should at least be able to put the rest of the “learning the offence” reasoning.

Pierce was masterful and the confidence of the offence grew under his leadership. He got up slowly from a couple of hits, and that anxiety for fans and the team is always going to be there when he’s in the game, but the Lions now know what they have with Pierce should they need him.

The question now becomes who starts against Calgary next week? The game has no implications on the playoffs, as we now know the Lions will play Saskatchewan in the West semis. After thinking about it, I think the clear choice is that Thomas DeMarco should start and Pierce should play a few series as well.

Benevides put DeMarco back in the game in the fourth quarter in a move aimed at giving him a chance to get some confidence back with the game wrapped up. His 46 yard connection with Manny Arceneaux probably accomplished some of that, but if they can restore more of it against the Stamps, it would give them better options heading into Regina.

At that point I would start Pierce, simply for the fact of what I saw Friday and that he has playoff experience on his resume and to use one of the biggest clichés in all of sports, there is no tomorrow.

Of course this gets cloudier if the Lions think Lulay can go, but Pierce showing what he is capable of was vital for himself, his coaches and his teammates.

Some coverage concerns

I mentioned the slow start and the defence getting burned for a long touchdown on the Eskimos first play from scrimmage. Adarius Bowman had a big game for the Eskies and at times was left wide open. With the Lions having offensive success, they can’t afford a drop off by the defence who for the most part has been solid all season.

Manny returns

Arceneaux finally returned to a prominent role which was perhaps aided by a veteran QB at the helm. Arceneaux has been pretty much invisible the last few weeks and it was great to see him return to have an impact. The Lions are going to need multiple receivers going in the playoffs, so it was another positive to take from the win.

What were your thoughts on the game? Who should be the Lions starter next week against the Stampeders? Are the Lions on their way to turning their running game around with the Logan and Harris combo? I’d love to read your comments below and as always, talk football with you on Twitter @BCLionsDen. We’ll also have more for you on our weekly podcast, watch for it Thursday night.

From the Couch, Riders 35 Lions 14

October 23, 2013 By Brian Wawryshyn

The BC Lions went into Regina and gift-wrapped a home playoff game for the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday thanks to an offence that simply cannot get on track. Here’s how I saw the game, From the Couch.

Turnovers

The Lions ran five offensive plays and committed four turnovers. Thomas DeMarco couldn’t be blamed for all of his four interceptions and would have had six had it not been for flags calling them back, but he can be blamed for missing open receivers. His protection has been good the last two games so you can’t blame it on the offensive line. Simply put, he has not been progressing since his first game and that has to be a concern for the Lions going forward.

It certainly wasn’t all on DeMarco; the Lions need to protect the ball better, period. You will not win many games in this league with eight turnovers, but you also won’t win many with an offence that simply can’t get into a rhythm.

Can someone tell me why the Lions acquired Buck Pierce? With DeMarco struggling so badly, it would have been a great time to give Buck a look. Instead the Lions decided to let Pierce, a QB with CFL and playoff experience sit on the sidelines. If I had a choice I would start Pierce against the Eskimos and see if he can get this offence going. The last two games mean nothing as far as the Lions and playoff positioning go, so you might as well get Pierce up to speed in case you want him to start the playoff game if Lulay is unable to return.

Stefan Logan

Logan showed flashes that he still has the speed and moves that caught the NFL’s attention after one season in the CFL. He averaged 27.4 yards per kick return, and had some decent runs from scrimmage, mostly on first down, but with the Lions down big after the first half they once again had to abandon the running game. Andrew Harris only had six carries and looked frustrated at the end of the game. It remains to be seen whether the addition of Logan will bring out the best in him in the final two weeks and into the playoffs.

Defence

This loss simply can’t be blamed on the defence with all the turnovers offensively. They started the game aggressively forcing two turnovers of their own but were barely able to catch their breath before being called on again and again. The defence held the Riders to just four points in the second half but the damage was done and they got no support from the other side of the ball.

That said, Kory Sheets ran for 145 yards while Jon Cornish racked up 130 the week before and the Lions definitely need to shore up that part of their game if they hope to have success in the coming weeks.

Where do they go from here?

The Lions have talked all season about the season being a marathon, not a sprint. How they want to be peaking at the right time. The injury to Travis Lulay hasn’t helped, but it appears the Lions are running on fumes as they approach the finish line.

I’ve already stated that I would start Pierce next week, and we’ll see if that happens, but the same problems on offence that plagued the Lions with Lulay in the lineup still exist today. The team has two games to figure their issues out, but you have to start to wonder if they simply don’t have the horses, or the coaches to get it done.

There is certainly no hurry to rush Lulay back now and all they can do is hope that in the next two weeks his shoulder improves dramatically.

To come out in such a big game like this and basically gift wrap a win for the opposition is concerning to say the least, but this is the CFL and stranger things have happened. They are in the playoffs and have a chance to redeem themselves in three weeks in Regina or Calgary.

It’s safe to say that if they hope to finish their marathon, they still have miles to run. The Lions are 3-6 on the road in 2013 and to win the Grey Cup they will have to equal those three wins in the playoffs.

I’d love your thoughts on the game and the Lions as they head into their final two games of the season. Do they have what it takes to get on a roll and get to the Grey Cup? Leave a comment for me and of course I’m always up for Lions talk on Twitter, @BCLionsDen

From The Couch – Stampeders 40 Lions 26

October 17, 2013 By Brian Wawryshyn

The BC Lions lost 40-26 to the Calgary Stampeders and with that result they lost the ability to finish first in the CFL West. The Lions started slowly and didn’t have enough to overcome a good Stampeders team at home and here’s how I saw the game, From the Couch.

Same old running game

We heard talk heading into the game that the Lions had worked a lot on their running game this week but they better work on it a whole bunch more, because once again it wasn’t good enough with just 9 carries and 31 yards for Andrew Harris.

This is now getting kind of silly, especially when you watch teams like the Stamps continually open up holes for Jon Cornish. At times it seems as if Harris is running right into the arms of defenders and to me he just doesn’t look confident out there. The lack of touches he’s received in most games this season seems to have taken a toll on the Lions running back.

Solid Protection

While the offensive line wasn’t exactly opening up big holes for the run, they were protecting Thomas DeMarco well most of the night, holding the Stampeders to just one sack. Ben Archibald and Jovan Olafioye each had strong games at tackle going up against Charleston Hughes and Cordarro Law, two of the best in the CFL this season.

Offence

DeMarco threw for his first 300 yard game in the loss, but he started slowly with off target passes and didn’t have much success until late in the first half. He engineered some nice drives but once again seemed to be tentative in his decision-making. There are still times when DeMarco would be wise to keep the ball and run and he struggled with accuracy when forced to throw on the run.

Nick Moore had a strong game for the Lions, including a couple of contested catches, something he has been criticized for of late. Courtney Taylor showed his value to the offence once again and Shawn Gore had a decent game as well, including a heads up play to knock the ball out bounds on a Marco Iannuzzi fumble.

Manny Arceneaux was not a factor again and the Lions could sure benefit from him making a contribution in the final three games of the season.

Special Teams

Tim Brown had a pretty solid game for the Lions, perhaps hearing the footsteps of Stefan Logan on his way to Vancouver. Despite Brown’s work, the Lions offence couldn’t turn the field position in the Lions favour until the second half of the game.

The Stampeders inserted newcomer Clifton Smith into the lineup as a backup for Cornish. He was replacing the always dangerous Larry Taylor but the Stamps didn’t miss a beat. The Lions special teams’ coverage struggled, especially in the first half.

Penalties (Or lack of)

I hate writing about officials. They shouldn’t be part of the discussion in game recaps but the CFL certainly gives you plenty of opportunities to do so over the course of the season. The officials do have a tough job and for most fans it’s the inconsistencies that are the big issue.

The roughing the passer call on Solomon Elimimian was a complete joke. Glenn had pulled the ball down and was leaving the pocket when he was planted by the hard-hitting Lions linebacker, only to draw the flag. It’s getting to the point now where you might as well attach flags to a quarterback and call them off-limits.

Then with the Lions punting from their endzone, McCallum was contacted leg in the air and knocked to the ground right in front of an official and there was no call. The return was a good one and it set the Stamps up for a touchdown.

Where they strive to be

Jon Cornish runs through the BC Lions secondary. Photo: CBC.ca

It was clear watching this game that the Stampeders are the class of the CFL right now and they can hurt you in so many ways. Their offence is balanced thanks to a strong running game, their defence can be dominant, and their special teams are outstanding as well. It’s really what the Lions are striving to be but they are hampered with a passing only offence. Lions fans who have witnessed the lack of a running game all season must be envious watching Cornish explode through gaping holes and around sealed off ends.

The road to the Grey Cup is likely to go through Calgary at this point and the Lions effort gives you some hope they could pull off an upset should they get there, but they have a lot of work to do offensively before they are on the same level as Calgary.

The Lions now head to Saskatchewan for one last hope at achieving a home playoff game. Lose that one and they’ll have to win two on the prairies in November to get to Regina for the Grey Cup. With a one-dimensional offence, the climb will be a steep one.

I’d love your thoughts on the game, and what lies ahead for the Leos. Leave a comment here or you can always find me on Twitter, @BCLionsDen.

From the Stands: Riders 31 Lions 17

October 10, 2013 By Brian Wawryshyn

The BC Lions had a chance to really set themselves up for a home playoff date but will have to do it the hard way after a 31-17 loss to the Riders on Friday night. The Lions lack of a running game once again left the defence with the task of getting the win and this time the Riders with Kory Sheets back in the line were too much to deal with. Here’s how I saw the game, From the Stands.

(Originally published on TheProvince.com)

Darian Durant escapes pressure in a win over the BC Lions Friday night. Photograph by: Gerry Kahrmann , PNG

One Dimensional Offence

The Lions simply don’t have a running game and they haven’t had one all season. Andrew Harris had 10 yards on six carries and it’s not the first time that type of stat line has been posted this year. The lack of an interior running game is a huge albatross for the offence and with that being the main problem it’s hard to imagine the problem getting rectified anytime soon.

Harris himself doesn’t look all that confident carrying the ball at times. He stated at the start of the season he was learning to follow his blockers more and be more patient. That approach doesn’t seem to be paying off with the lack of inside blocking and perhaps Harris just needs to attack his holes more aggressively and make his own yards.

Of course the lack of a running game puts far too much pressure on the passing game and the Riders were up to that challenge for most of the night. Thomas DeMarco displayed the inconsistency we usually see in all young QBs who come into the league. In addition to off-target passes he threw three interceptions and could have easily had thrown two more. With problems opening holes for the run, the Lions offensive line also didn’t offer much support for DeMarco, as he was sacked five times by the Riders.

Fans and critics can point at Jacques Chapdelaine and at times they will certainly have a beef, but the bottom line is that unless the Lions can magically fix their running game, the offensive woes and inconsistencies will continue, and that’s not going to help to get a home playoff game, or for that matter win a Grey Cup.

Defence

The Lions defence has been winning them games in recent weeks and with the offence putting the onus on them to do so again, a rejuvenated Riders offence won the battle on the day. The return of Sheets was a huge factor for the Riders. The Lions were doing a solid job early on but a really questionable pass interference call set the Riders up for their first TD of the night and seemed to give them the confidence they needed to get rolling.

It wasn’t just Sheets hurting the Lions. The Riders had a lot of success with pass plays across the middle with the likes of Weston Dressler, Chris Getzlaf and Taj Smith providing plenty of yards after the catch to make that a lethal combination.

The Lions defensive line got pressure in the Riders backfield, but too often Durant escaped the pressure or found a safety valve with Sheets.

The Show

There was a ton of hype generated for this game with the Lions promoting the game as “Lights Out” and a “Blackout”. The team sported their hugely popular gun metal jerseys and had their biggest crowd of the season in attendance aided by the presence of Rider Nation.

BC Place is a fantastic stadium and all the new bells and whistles allow the Lions to really raise the bar for live game entertainment. The pregame intro was outstanding with a video that would give any fan goose bumps. The lights were out with swirling spotlights as the Lions were introduced with AC/DC’s Back in Black playing in the background. It was a first class production that reminded one of a Canucks playoff game production. Despite the team’s play on the field on Friday, the game day production team scored a touchdown with the opening.

That said, the crowd was disappointing with their effort on the night. After a couple of games of being a factor I felt that the crowd let the team down in this one. The Lions have to find more ways to get the crowd loud on defence in addition to being told. Too many times at crucial points in the game I looked to my right and to my left only to find fans are just sitting on their hands.

As much as I hate to admit it, it would appear the average Vancouver sports fan is there to watch the game, rather than be a factor in it, and that’s a shame. I really wish every fan that attends Lions games could watch a football game in Regina, or down the I-5 in Seattle to see and feel how a real football crowd can affect a game.

It’s going to be an interesting next few weeks and if the Lions don’t get a home playoff game, they can look to Friday night as a big reason. If you look at the problems that have plagued this team for most of the season, it may be too much to expect the Lions can pull it off.

I’d love to read your thoughts on the game, so leave a comment here, and give us a follow on Twitter @BCLionsDen so we can talk Lions football with you.

From the Stands: Lions 26 Stampeders 7

From the Stands – Lions 43 Eskimos 29

From the Couch, Riders 35 Lions 14

From The Couch – Stampeders 40 Lions 26

From the Stands: Riders 31 Lions 17

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