VICTORIA — The B.C. Lions were fed up.
With the spotlight of a marquee CFL event shining bright, the Lions snapped their five-game losing skid in an impressive fashion Saturday night, blitzing the Ottawa Redblacks 38-12 at the CFL's first-ever game in Victoria, B.C.
“Our guys, I think they were sick and tired of losing," head coach and co-general manager Rick Campbell said of the performance. "We made each other right tonight. When something bad happened, we fixed it. And that's what you got to do.”
B.C. was dominant from the outset, with Victoria-born quarterback Nathan Rourke muscling a ball over the line for a touchdown less than five minutes into the opening quarter. The Lions (6-6) never relinquished the lead.
The victory came less than a week after B.C. dropped a 34-27 decision to the Redblacks in Ottawa.
The difference, Rourke said, simply came down to execution.
"We didn't change much. We just did a better job of, personally, going through the reads and not getting in our own way," he said. "And I think that's what it comes down to against good teams. It just becomes who wins their one on ones, who executes better. And we did a better job today. They did a better job last week."
Quarterback Dru Brown was 21-for-33 on the night, putting up 206 passing yards and a touchdown for the Redblacks (7-3-1). He was sacked four times.
Kicker Sean Whyte added a 12-yard field goal and five converts for the Lions. Ottawa's Lewis Ward contributed a pair of field goals, including one from 53 yards out.
A crowd of 14,727 at Royal Athletic Park — home of the West Coast League baseball team the Victoria HarbourCats — showed their appreciation by chanting, cheering, drumming and singing for more than three straight hours. The event, dubbed Touchdown Pacific by the league, was the furthest west a CFL game has ever been played.
“You usually don't really notice the crowd, but with the bench being so close to the bleachers, it was really, really fun," said defensive lineman Mathieu Betts. "I feel fortunate to be part of that. The fans all around B.C., you really see how special it is.”
In addition to his rushing major, Rourke connected on 21-of-30 passing attempts for 325 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. It was his best performance since returning to the Lions earlier this month following two years in the NFL.
“He’s never going to back down from a challenge," Campbell said. "And you’re just going to see him figure stuff out as the games go by, the weeks go by. He’s just going to keep getting better and better as he adjusts to the CFL game again.”
Rourke's family was in the stands, including his great grandmother, Evelyn.
"It's fun to play in front of family any time," the quarterback said. "I'm glad that they were able to make the effort to come out and we were able to play here in Victoria.”
The Redblacks were undefeated in six outings heading into Saturday's matchup, but it was B.C.'s offence that got started early.
After opening the game with a rushing TD, Rourke and his teammates steadily worked their way up the field early in the second quarter. The QB then dished off to Alexander Hollins in the end zone for his first touchdown pass since returning to the CFL.
The Redblacks struggled to string together passes across the first half. Ottawa settled for a 53-yard field goal from Ward to get on the scoreboard, making it 17-3.
By halftime, the Lions had built a 31-6 advantage.
The Redblacks got some life early in the third quarter when defensive back Damon Webb picked off Rourke's pass. Ottawa capitalized, with Brown connecting with former Lion Dominique Rhymes in the end zone. But the Redblacks' two-point conversion attempt was interrupted by B.C. defensive back Emmanuel Rugamba, leaving Ottawa trailing 31-12.
“(The Redblacks) are well coached. They play hard, physical. We knew that at halftime they weren't just going to roll over and take it," Rourke said.
The visitors got another prime opportunity midway through the third when Whyte missed a 51-yard field goal. Running back DeVonte Dedmon collected the ball and sprinted 73 yards up the field, but Ottawa couldn't finish the scoring drive.
Three minutes into the fourth quarter, the Lions' QB sent a 10-yard bomb to Justin McInnis deep in Redblacks' territory. The Canadian receiver broke a pair of tackles and stepped over the goal line to give B.C. a 37-12 lead. Whyte then added an extra point to seal the score.
Despite the victory, Rourke sees room for improvement as the Lions look to climb the congested West Division standings.
“We left a lot out there, too. There's a lot to build on," he said. "I think that it's a good thing, though. I don't think it's good to peak at this part of the season. We still need to continue to get better, play four full quarters.”
NOTES
Lions receiver Ayden Eberhardt reeled in a 33-yard pass for his first CFL touchdown. … McInnis amassed 72 receiving yards, giving him a career-high 1,026 on the season.
UP NEXT
Lions: Visit the league-leading Montreal Alouettes (10-1) on Friday.
Redblacks: Host the Toronto Argonauts (6-4) next Saturday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 31, 2024.
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press