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It was the Master-Blaster combination of Vernon Adams Jr. and Justin McInnis that pushed the Lions to the top of the West Division
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Published Jul 13, 2024 • Last updated 4 hours ago • 6 minute read
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B.C. Lions’ Justin McInnis makes a touchdown reception as Saskatchewan Roughriders’ Rolan Milligan Jr. defends during CFL game in Vancouver July 13, 2024. Photo by DARRYL DYCK /THE CANADIAN PRESS
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Two teams entered the B.C. Place ThunderDome on Saturday.
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Only one was going to emerge as the undisputed first place team in the West.
And it was the Master-Blaster combination of Vernon Adams Jr. and Justin McInnis that pushed the Lions to the top of the West Division with a 35-20 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Adams was 26-of-42 for 451 yards, his 22nd career 300-yard game, with scoring once in the air and once on the ground. McInnis, the former Saskatchewan receiver, had another career night with 243 yards, catching all 14 passes thrown his way. Cramps in his calves temporarily forced him from the game several times but he still set his career high for the second straight week.
The Lions (5-1) now top the division by toppling the last undefeated team in the league, with the Riders (4-1) dropping to second place. B.C. visits the 2-3 Calgary Stampeders next weekend before heading into a bye.
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“Winning in the West is tough. And so when the wins we get in this division are huge,” said coach Rick Campbell. “We’re going through another thing of playing Saskatchewan and then we play Calgary and then we play Winnipeg, and it’s like an endless thing. I think what we’re doing a good job right now of trying to do just one thing at a time, not looking way down the road
“I think what it comes down to is energy, which teams have the juice, have the energy, and staying as healthy as possible. It’s a long grind. I know this. I say this to all the coaches we play against, this is just one of those years where there’s no bad team. You have to line up and play really well to beat anyone.”
Two plays after McInnis went out in the third quarter, Adams threw his first interception since Week 1, a span of 200 straight passes. The big-bodied receiver came back to make another 28-yard completion before leaving the game again, after which Adams tossed his second pick of the game.
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Both of McInnis’ calves were cramping heavily in the third quarter, forcing him in and out of the game. But he came back to take down the team that let him walk away after four years together.
“We say a lot of things in the locker room; ‘By any means’ is kind of one of the things that we say — by any means necessary — so when the ball is thrown, I gotta go make a play,” he said.
It wasn’t added motivation for McInnis, but it did feel good. “I just like it more after the fact that I get to see the guys I do know and just kind of rub it in their face a little bit,” he said, grinning.
The normally sure-handed Alex Hollins had a rough start to the game, dropping two touchdown passes and a first-down pass with the Lions backed up on their own goal line. Adams’ second pick came on the next play. He was targeted 14 times but made just five catches for 83 yards.
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But Hollins made up for it with a 47-yard bomb on his second catch, putting B.C. into the red zone where Adams scrambled in from 12 yards out two plays later to make it 29-20 midway through the fourth quarter. He also had a key first-down catch with 2:43 left, paying the price by bouncing his head off the turf and being forced from the game.
B.C. Lions quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. passes during CFL game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, in Vancouver July 13, 2024. Photo by DARRYL DYCK /THE CANADIAN PRESS
BANG THE DRUM
The CFL regular season is now officially one-third over for the Lions, and it’s time to start banging the drum: V.A. for Most Outstanding Player.
The QB was close to 300 yards passing by halftime, continuing his run toward the rarefied air of 6,000 yards passing. And he wasn’t even close to his best.
He missed on some easy outs to Hollins, both under- and overthrowing him, but followed up those errant throws with the football equivalent of a logo three. He made some throws where he fit the ball into windows smaller than a Cybertruck’s towing range, and those that weren’t were close were snagged out of the stratosphere by McInnis, who hit 148 after two quarters. Adams would have had even more in the first half had Hollins not dropped a 49-yard touchdown bomb. He also dropped a 25-yard pass in the third quarter in the end zone.
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At his current pace, Adams could post the most yards since Doug Flutie put up a CFL record 6,619 for the Lions in 1991.
It isn’t a stretch to say Adams could have been MOP last year. He led the league in passing yards and was two behind Zach Collaros for the lead in touchdowns (33-31), but it was Toronto Argonauts pivot Chad Kelly getting the George Reed award despite having 650 yards and eight fewer touchdowns. Kelly also had the benefit of working with the shortest fields, with an average starting position of the 41.6 yard line.
WHYTE HOT
For all of Adams’ passing yardage, B.C. only put two majors on the board Saturday — going 2-for-4 in the red zone — and needed seven field goals from Sean Whyte — who extended his team and personal record streak to 38 straight.
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“I always tell him he’s the greatest kicker to come through here,” said Adams. I’m so happy for him. Guys, they be hating on him sometimes. I’ll be watching other games and they’ll be saying some stuff about him. But he’s just a dude, man. He’s so funny too … and a great teammate. So I’m just so happy for Sean. I don’t want it to be that many field goals again, but he’s just doing what he’s supposed to do.”
He tied second-longest streak in CFL history (39, Rene Parades), and became the 11th CFL player to score more than 2,000 points. The high-water mark in pro football is held by Lewis Ward, who connected on 69 straight with the Ottawa Redblacks, setting the record under Campbell’s tenure as coach.
His seven kicks set a new team record, breaking Ty Long’s six set in 2018 against the Argonauts. It was so many, Campbell had even lost count.
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“I didn’t realize he kicked seven. Good for him. So awesome,” he said. “When you’re coaching and you’re making decisions, a lot of times you’re thinking OK, they got a fast returner back there should we be trying this? There’s just such a comfort level with that.”
His last field goal of the game came with zeros on the clock after the Lions called time out. It wasn’t to pour salt in the wound, but strictly for points in a tiebreaker, as they only play Saskatchewan twice in the regular season.
GROUNDED UP
Lions running back Will Stanback knew it was going to be a challenge going up against the Riders’ front, which was averaging a CFL-low 46 rushing yards against coming into the game.
And it was indeed tough sledding: just 14 yards on 12 carries, and 14 yards receiving on two catches.
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But the Lions had 457 yards in net offence, and it was enough to outlast Saskatchewan, who had 340.
Shea Patterson, starting for injured Riders QB Trevor Harris, was 17-of-25 for 278 yards, no touchdowns and one interception.
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Courtesy : https://theprovince.com/sports/lions-35-roughriders-20-heavyweight-slugfest-bc-passing-game