The BC Lions (10-4-0) have locked up a berth in the Grey Cup playoffs after prevailing 37-29 over the Edmonton Elks (4-11-0) on Friday night at Commonwealth Stadium. The visitors got some major execution on the ground and from their stout defence which, ironically, is the type of effort that will be required when November comes around. This win also moves the Lions into a first-place tie with idle Winnipeg atop the Western Division with a massive showdown at BC Place set for two weeks from now.
Now for some game takes.
Offence Prevails On Strength Of Smoke
Vernon Adams Jr. and the offence came out on fire with a seven-play, 79-yard scoring drive capped by another touchdown reception from Justin McInnis, his third in the last two games. Adams Jr. completed all five of his passes for 60 yards on that opening series. He would then throw a pick-six to Edmonton’s Kai Gray that evened the score. It was the first points of any kind the Elks mustered in three meetings against the Lions this season.
The Lions’ pivot then settled down and engineered two more touchdown drives before the opening quarter clock ran out: one culminating with a 57-yard catch and run by Jevon Cottoy and a 13-yard scamper by Taquan Mizzell. It looked like the visitors were in cruise control before Edmonton capitalized on a Mizzell fumble to score their first offensive touchdown in the season-series, one which helped them get to within seven points at halftime.
The big play that changed the course in this contest was Mizzell’s second major of the night, a 47-yard run to put them back up by ten after the offence had stalled in their opening two drives of the half. That was clearly the spark they needed.
“It’s always a blessing to get two touchdowns, but even better to clinch a playoff spot,” said the running back outside a joyous Lions’ locker room.
As for his second score of the night, it served as poetic justice for him and the entire offence after they had allowed the home side a chance to stay in the game.
“I was trying to wrap my around how I was going to make up for it,” Mizzell said of the fumble.
“The offensive line did a great job of creasing it and I just made a play.”
Overcoming adversity has certainly been a theme of their last three victories, dating back to the beginning of the month in Montreal. It’s surely a sign of how well the 2023 squad has come together.
“It wasn’t pretty, but we got it done,” Adams Jr. said.
“I’ve got to be better for my team moving forward. It started off hot and I was kind of up and down, more down. I just want to be better for the team but it’s a great win. We’ve got fight in us, man. Ever since those two losses, back-to-back (Saskatchewan and Hamilton), our energy has been different. We’ve got each other’s backs and these guys got my back, so I appreciate it.”
“He always bounces back. That’s our leader. He’s Big Play VA for a reason,” Mizzell added.
“We’re going to make mistakes but the way we overcome adversity shows how great of a team we are.”
Adams Jr. finished his night 16/26 for 265 yards, the two touchdowns and two interceptions. It’s the first time in six outings where he did not hit the 300-yard passing mark but the win is all that matters.
Defence Lays Hammer Down
Canadian quarterback Tre Ford has been a nice story for the Elks and tonight he ran into a Lions defensive buzzsaw. He was sacked seven times and limited to just 20 completions for 187 yards while adding 43 yards on five carries. The recipe to make him uncomfortable in the pocket paid off for Sione Teuhema and company.
“The whole week our mentality was to just keep him in the pocket. Keep rushing, keep doing our thing, stop the run and today we did our job,” Teuhema explained.
“It was up and down on the sideline but you had VA and other guys make sure the energy stayed up and that’s what we did.”
The defence had to withstand a late Elk charge after Ford hit Dillon Mitchell for a major to cut the lead to 34-28 with just under three minutes to play.
Mathieu Betts was given credit for two of the sacks to bring his season total to 14 and three shy of the Canadian record shared by Brent Johnson and Jamaal Westermann.
The Last Word
“Edmonton’s a team that’s won four or five games, they’re fighting for their playoff lives and I’m just super proud of our group to come in here and beat these guys three times and beat them twice in their house. It’s not easy to do.”
Rick Campbell
Key Numbers
112- a season-high in rushing yards for Mizzell on 16 carries.
423- The Lions’ net offence total in this victory.
91- game-high receiving yards total for Keon Hatcher which was nice to see after a quiet outing last week.
7– quarterback sacks for a Lion defence that certainly has it’s swagger back.
7– the number of Lions with at least one reception in this win.
Next Up
The playoff-bound Lions are back home to battle the Saskatchewan Roughriders next Friday, September 29th. A win for the Lions would lock up a home playoff date for the second straight season. The 6-8-8 Roughriders dropped a 36-28 decision at Ottawa earlier on Friday. Kickoff at Save-On-Foods Field at BC Place is 7:30 PM. Join us for our third annual Orange Shirt Day game as we honour Canada’s National Day For Truth and Reconciliation. Tickets start at just $25 and can be purchased HERE.