The two-time defending Gray Cup champions posted 429 yards against a BC defense that averaged just 244 yards per game, a day after Lions defensive back Marcus Sayles referred to his former CFL team’s offense as “vanilla ” and said BC felt they could beat Winnipeg “pretty bad” on Saturday. After the game, defensive lineman Willie Jefferson said he would call Winnipeg’s offensive performance a “chocolate sundae. We had some sprinkles in there, some whipped cream, a cherry on top. It just wasn’t vanilla, I can tell you that.” Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros passed for 288 yards and three touchdowns, while Janarion Grant returned the opening kickoff for a big one to give his team an early 7-0 lead. “You can’t go out there and smile,” Kolaros said. “Every game is the biggest game and that’s how we approached it all week.” “I think their quarterback was the Houdini guy tonight,” Lions coach Rick Campbell said. “He made some key plays where we did our job on defense. But then he stepped up and made some key first downs and a touchdown.” Dru Brown added a quarterback sneak for a big one as well as taking over the Bombers’ pivot late in the fourth quarter. Mark Lieggio scored three goals. In their first loss of the season, the Lions (3-1) got two runs from Dominique Rhymes and one from Josh Pearson. First baseman Nathan Rourke went 16-for-25 through the air, passing for 278 yards with two interceptions. Michael O’Connor took over as the Lions’ center late in the fourth quarter. He went 4-for-7 for 27 yards and threw an interception in his first action of the junior season. “I think we were a lot closer than the score,” Rourke said. “I’m glad this happened early in the season. We can make the adjustments earlier.” The Blue Bombers’ dominance began with the first play of the game, Grant’s 97-yard punt return for a touchdown. The Lions’ opening drive was stalled when Jackson Jeffcoat picked off a pass intended for Keon Hatcher. That set up a nine-play drive that ended with Zach Collaros’ 12-yard touchdown pass to Dalton Schoen deep in the end zone. The Bombers pushed their lead to 21-0 as the first quarter ended after Brown completed a 77-yard drive with a half-yard quarterback. “They made more plays than we did today and that’s all that matters,” said Lions defensive back TJ Lee, who finished with five tackles. “I love how my kids responded, not beating each other up during adversity. We embrace each other through adversity, letting each other know that we will ride for each other.” The Lions were in penalty trouble to start the second quarter. Important passes from Nathan Rourke to James Butler and Dominic Rheims moved the ball into midfield before Willie Jefferson’s dismissal brought Stefan Flintoft down the field for the game’s first point. After a 45-yard field goal by Liegio late in the second, the Lions responded, rousing the home crowd. Rourke capped a two-play touchdown drive with a 66-yard bomb for Josh Pearson’s first career CFL reception. Winnipeg’s next drive was stalled by offensive penalties before Rourke hit Rimes in the end zone from 36 yards out. The Blue Bombers added a field goal and took a 27-14 lead into the locker room at halftime. Winnipeg added to their lead in the third. Lieggio split the uprights again from 46 yards out, then Kolaros hit Schoen in the end zone for a second time, pushing the lead to 37-14. Early in the fourth, Rourke connected with Rhimes for his second touchdown of the game, and Jevon Kotoi caught a pass in the end zone for a two-point conversion. Winnipeg scored its third touchdown when Collaros connected with Greg Ellingson from 15 yards out. NOTES: BC Linebacker Bo Lokombo left the game late in the first quarter with an elbow injury and did not return … Winnipeg will host the CFL’s only other undefeated team, the 4-0 Calgary Stampeders, next Friday at IG Field … The Lions have a bye week … Family Day festivities Saturday included a halftime mascot football game. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on July 9, 2022
