After a 3–0 start to the season, BC Lions Watch their Saturday night clash against the defending Gray Cup champions Winnipeg Blue Bombers As an opportunity to test your ability.
“They’ve been the best team in the league over the years, and they’re undefeated this year too,” Lions coach Rick Campbell said after practice on Thursday. “You always want to see how you perform against good teams.”
The 4-0 Blue Bombers arrived at BC Place five days after a 23-22 win in Toronto on Monday night, with a last-minute attempt to make up the gap in the game by Argonauts kicker Boris Bede.
After beating BC by a combined score of 75-9 in a pair of blowout victories last season, Winnipeg will see a team firing on all cylinders en route to their first 3-0 start since 2007 .
Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke was named the CFL’s top performer for June on Wednesday, thanks to 1,077 passing yards for nine touchdowns, an 83.8 percent completion rate, and 180 rushing yards for three scores.
Amidst the hype, 24-year-old Rourke remains grounded.
“I don’t think Nathan is a guy who cares about the spotlight,” said wide receiver Dominic Rhimes.
“That’s what you admire about him. He just wants to win at the end of the day. He keeps his head focused, keeping everyone else’s attention.”
“He’s a boring guy when it comes to practice, because he’s so predictable,” said Campbell of Rourke’s preparation habits.
“I say tongue-in-cheek, but he’s the kind of guy you can put in a practice movie from any day and it’s going to look remarkably the same. He comes out here and practices Like he means it. And that’s a good sign.”
Rourke may be new to the role of full-time starter, but he has had his share of reps, including two starts last season, while veteran starter Michael Reilly was resting an injured elbow.
This familiarity with the received core has proved valuable. The Five Lions, led by Keon Hatcher, already have more than 100 receiving yards.
Stepping into the slotback position in place of injured veteran Brian Burnham, Hatcher entered the Lions’ 34-31 victory in Ottawa 7-for-7 for 166 yards in Week 4, earning him the CFL’s week. Named Top Performer of the Year.
“Burnham, he’s a great player, a great leader – I don’t take it lightly,” said 27-year-old Hatcher, who has now graduated to a full-time position in the 2021 season after appearing in seven games with BC.
“Coming up last week, I knew I had a big job, a big role that week. I just locked up and got the job done.”
Burnham will miss his second game after breaking a rib in BC’s third win over Toronto, while receiver Lucky Whitehead is expected to play despite an ankle injury.
While the Lions’ offense has been in the limelight at the start of the season, the defense has also impressed. BC’s 16.3 points allowed per game are the second lowest in the CFL, behind only Winnipeg (15.8).
Campbell enjoys watching his players push each other on the practice field.
“Our practices are set up so that much of it is our offense competing against our defense,” he said. “We want good on good and we want people to be able to compete at their best in practice.
“I think it pays off on both sides of the ball where you are playing against a unit that is trying to get better and be a cohesive unit. In practice that is always the focus for us.”
Winnipeg Blue Bombers (4-0) at BC Lions (3-0)
Saturday, 7 p.m., BC Location
Welcome to the West With a pair of victories against Ottawa and one win each against Hamilton and Toronto, the Lions will be Winnipeg’s first Western Conference opponent this year. Both sides will return to BC Place on October 15, then finish the 2022 regular season schedule at IG Field in Winnipeg on October 28.
Wilson to IR: The Blue Bombers announced on Thursday that linebacker Kyrie Wilson has been placed on a six-match injury list following an Achilles injury against Toronto on Monday. Malik Clements is expected to step up to his place in the lineup.
Family Fun: The Lions will host Family Day on Saturday, which will include an expanded family zone, festivities at Terry Fox Plaza, and a chance for the kids to run at BC Place Field after games.
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