Despite a tough start to the season, Bryan Burnham says the B.C. Lions are still in good spirits B次元官网网址� albeit with a bit of an edge.
The Lions (1-8) have yet to win a game in Vancouver this season, but the mood in the locker room is still B次元官网网址渓oose and funB次元官网网址� with a serious over tone, the wide receiver said.
B次元官网网址淎t the end of the day, you wake up and youB次元官网网址檙e playing a game for a living that pays the bills. So I wake up with a smile on my face and IB次元官网网址檓 excited to come to work every day,B次元官网网址� Burnham said Friday.
B次元官网网址淏ut at the same time, weB次元官网网址檙e 1-8. If we continue this trend, some of us arenB次元官网网址檛 going to be waking up with jobs.B次元官网网址�
The LionsB次元官网网址� next opportunity to change their fortune comes Saturday when they host the East Division-leading Hamilton Tiger-Cats (7-2).
The two teams faced off just two weeks ago, with the Lions giving up a 15-point fourth-quarter lead en route to the TicatsB次元官网网址� 35-34 win.
Finishing strong has been an issue for B.C. all season and quarterback Mike Reilly said he simply wants his squad to consistently play good football.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not going to be the whole 60 minutes that youB次元官网网址檙e going to play a perfect game,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淏ut when things start to go bad, they canB次元官网网址檛 be catastrophic. And youB次元官网网址檝e got to find a way to flip the momentum quickly,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淣one of the first 57 minutes matter if you canB次元官网网址檛 finish it in the last three.B次元官网网址�
While B.C. has repeatedly held leads heading into the final frame, the team will go into SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 contest on a five-game losing skid.
Part of the issue has been that players are trying to do too much in the final moments, said head coach DeVone Claybrooks, adding that the problem was particularly acute during the game in Hamilton.
B次元官网网址淚 mean, they didnB次元官网网址檛 do anything different in the fourth quarter than they did in the first,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址滻tB次元官网网址檚 just that we were trying to press to make the game changing, winning play thatB次元官网网址檚 going to be on (TV), that type of thing instead of just making the tackles and moving methodically.B次元官网网址�
The Ticats come into SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 game after posting a convincing 21-7 victory over the Ottawa Redblacks last weekend.
Coach Orlondo Steinauer said he liked the way HamiltonB次元官网网址檚 defence was flexible in the win.
B次元官网网址淭he game plan is one thing, but then thereB次元官网网址檚 the game within the game, making adjustments along the way and then the players executing,B次元官网网址� he told reporters this week. B次元官网网址滱nd I thought all three of those things we did at a high level.B次元官网网址�
Strong defence has been a challenge for B.C. all year. The team leads the CFL in sacks allowed with Reilly having been brought down 36 times in the first nine games.
Despite the hits heB次元官网网址檚 suffered this season, the 34 year old remains one of just two starting quarterbacks in the league to not have been brought down by an injury so far this year. The other is EdmontonB次元官网网址檚 Trevor Harris.
Reilly suffered an ankle injury when the Lions played the Ticats back on Aug. 10, but returned to practice two days later.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e gone nine more regular season games to go and I donB次元官网网址檛 think anyone in the league feels physically great,B次元官网网址� he said on Friday. B次元官网网址滲ut thatB次元官网网址檚 just part of your job, to come out and play regardless of how physically beat up you feel or donB次元官网网址檛 feel.B次元官网网址�
ReillyB次元官网网址檚 mentality has provided a strong example for the rest of the Lions, Claybrooks said.
B次元官网网址淭he toughness definitely trickles down and it definitely holds other guys accountable when they have little knicks and bruises,B次元官网网址� the coach said.
B次元官网网址淭his guy can come and weB次元官网网址檝e seen some of the hits that heB次元官网网址檚 taken and the ankle injury and those type of things and heB次元官网网址檚 out there the next day. It definitely makes the other guys say B次元官网网址榃ell, if MikeB次元官网网址檚 out there, IB次元官网网址檝e definitely got to be out there.B次元官网网址� So it brings some more toughness to the whole group, for sure.B次元官网网址�
HAMILTON TIGER-CATS (7-2) AT B.C. LIONS (1-8)
Saturday, B.C. Place
ROSTER MOVES: HamiltonB次元官网网址檚 Luke Tasker will miss SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 contest after being placed on the one-game injured list. The veteran receiver has 292 receiving yards on 26 catches through seven games this season. Jalin Marshall will take over TaskerB次元官网网址檚 spot in the starting lineup.
HISTORY BOOKS: This season marks B.C.B次元官网网址檚 worst start since 1996. The last time the Lions began the year 1-9 was 1969, when they finished with a 5-11 record.
MILESTONE WATCH: Reilly is just 224 passing yards short of 30,000 in his CFL career.
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
Like us on and follow us on .
