The spotlight is sure to shine a bit more brightly on Lucky Whitehead this week.
The 29-year-old B.C. Lions wide receiver has used his speed and agility to pull together an impressive campaign this year, leading the CFL with 665 receiving yards and scoring at least one touchdown in each of his last three games.
HeB次元官网网址檒l look to put up another dominant performance Friday when the Lions (4-3) host his former team, the No. 1 Winnipeg Blue Bombers (6-1).
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 going to be fun, itB次元官网网址檚 going to be emotional,B次元官网网址� Whitehead said. B次元官网网址淚 know a lot of the guys that are still over there on the defensive side, the offensive side. ItB次元官网网址檚 going to be exciting. I just canB次元官网网址檛 wait to get out there.B次元官网网址�
The Florida Atlantic product saw action in 15 games with the Grey Cup-winning Bombers in 2019, slotting in as both a receiver and returner. But toward the end of the season, he slipped down the depth chart and was a healthy scratch for the playoffs.
Whitehead signed as a free agent with B.C. in February and said he came into training camp wanting to prove he can do more than just return.
B次元官网网址淚 wanted that respect. B次元官网网址� I wanted to prove the receiver side a lot,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淢entally and physically, IB次元官网网址檓 just overall in a better place.B次元官网网址�
Whitehead was named as one the CFLB次元官网网址檚 top performers in September, a recognition that Lions quarterback Michael Reilly called well deserved.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 worked his tail off to be in the position heB次元官网网址檚 in, to help us to win games and things like that,B次元官网网址� said Reilly, who also got a performer of the month nod.
B次元官网网址淚 think heB次元官网网址檚 a guy thatB次元官网网址檚 playing with a lot of confidence and each week that confidence goes up because of the success heB次元官网网址檚 having individually on the field but also the position itB次元官网网址檚 putting our team in to have a chance to win.B次元官网网址�
Reilly, too, has been giving B.C. a chance to win. He leads the league in passing with 1,870 yards and 10 touchdowns in seven games. HeB次元官网网址檚 connected on 148-of-199 attempts and thrown just one interception.
Adding to his tally against Winnipeg will be difficult. The Bombers have the CFLB次元官网网址檚 stingiest defence so far this season, giving up just 98 points in seven games.
B次元官网网址淭hey make things challenging. They give you some different looks, a little bit of man, a little bit of zone, a little bit of pressure. But itB次元官网网址檚 nothing too crazy or exotic,B次元官网网址� Reilly said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just about them believing that their guys up front are going to beat your guys up front and youB次元官网网址檙e not going to have enough time to get to the holes in their zones or take advantage of different things.B次元官网网址�
The Bombers head to Vancouver rested after a bye week and riding a four-game winning streak. The Lions, meanwhile, are looking to rebound from a tough 31-24 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders last week.
B.C. was up 24-18 with just seconds left on the clock when Riders QB Cody Fajardo muscled his way across the goal line for a touchdown. Saskatchewan then poured salt in the wound with another touchdown off a fumbled kick return.
The game showed that B次元官网网址渋t all matters,B次元官网网址� said Lions head coach Rick Campbell.
B次元官网网址淚 think we already knew that, but itB次元官网网址檚 a great example that a lot of these games, 99 per cent of these games, are going to come down to the fourth quarter and a lot of them come down to the last couple minutes of the game,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淵ou need to embrace the tough moments when the gameB次元官网网址檚 on the line and not be surprised by being put in those situations.B次元官网网址�
ItB次元官网网址檚 a lesson the Lions are taking to heart as they prepare for FridayB次元官网网址檚 matchup, their last game before the second bye week of the season.
B.C. knows where Winnipeg sits in the standings, Campbell said.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a bit of excitement to it because we get to go play against the team with the best record. And we think weB次元官网网址檙e a good football team, too,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e know itB次元官网网址檚 going to be a tough game, we expect it to be a close game, but we want to go out there and prove that we can play with anybody.B次元官网网址�
WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS (6-1) AT B.C. LIONS (4-3)
Friday, B.C. Place
INJURY REPORT: The Lions will be without defensive backs KiAnte Hardin (hamstring) and Marcus Sayles (calf). Winnipeg has added defensive back Noah Hallett (knee) and linebacker Kevin Brown (shoulder) to the injured list.
STREAKING: B.C.B次元官网网址檚 Bryan Burnham had four catches against Saskatchewan and has made at least one catch in each of his last 89 regular-season games. On the other side of the field, WinnipegB次元官网网址檚 Sean McGuire has touchdowns in his last three outings. The American quarterback leads the CFL with six rushing TDs B次元官网网址� all of which came in the last three games.
HISTORY BOOKS: FridayB次元官网网址檚 tilt will be the 175th regular-season matchup between the Lions and Bombers, dating back to 1954. Winnipeg won both meetings in 2019 and have taken eight of the last 11 games dating back to 2015.
B次元官网网址擥emma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
