The B.C. Lions are currently grappling with the reality of life without their star quarterback, Vernon Adams Jr. After a promising start to the season, the Lions have faced a tough stretch, losing their third consecutive game, this time to the Edmonton Elks, with a score of 33-16.
With Adams sidelined due to a knee injury, backup quarterback Jake Dolegala took the reins, but the offense struggled to find its rhythm. The Lions, who had previously dominated the Saskatchewan Roughriders, have now stumbled against three teams with losing records. Their recent performances have left fans questioning the team’s ability to compete without Adams, who was on track for a remarkable season before his injury.
Dolegala’s first start of the year saw him complete 14 of 23 passes for 146 yards, but he couldn’t find the end zone. The Lions’ game plan relied heavily on running back Will Stanback, who had a solid outing, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Elks. Dolegala acknowledged the team’s lack of execution, emphasizing the need to convert on crucial downs and put points on the board.
The Lions’ defense also faced challenges, allowing the Elks to capitalize on their weaknesses. Injuries to key players further complicated matters, leaving the team scrambling for depth as they head into the next games.
As the Lions look to rebound, they must address their offensive struggles and find a way to adapt without Adams. With the pressure mounting, the team will need to rally and prove that they can still contend in the competitive landscape of the CFL. The coming weeks will be crucial as they navigate this challenging period and aim to regain their footing in the league.
It seems life without Vernon Adams Jr. at quarterback has been similar to the Lions’ recent struggles with him under center. With backup Jake Dolegala starting in place of the injured presumptive Most Outstanding Player, the offensively challenged Lions lost their third straight game, falling 33-16 to the Edmonton Elks at Commonwealth Stadium on Sunday night.
Since dominating the Saskatchewan Roughriders in a first-place showdown in mid-July, the Lions have faltered against three consecutive sub-.500 teams. The two-win Calgary Stampeders handed B.C. its first defeat in that skid on July 21. The following week, the two-win Winnipeg Blue Bombers embarrassed the Lions in a shutout blowout, setting the stage for Sunday’s loss to the Elks, who had not won at home since September of last year.
With their own backup quarterback leading the way, the Elks beat the Lions to pull themselves back into the West Division playoff picture, earning their second win of the season. The Lions, who were 5-1 before this slide, now find themselves looking up at the Roughriders (5-3-1) and having to fend off the Stampeders (4-5) and Blue Bombers (3-6) in the standings. B.C. has scored just three touchdowns in its last three games.
Adams had been on a torrid pace, putting himself in contention for a 6,000-yard season, before running into the Stampeders. He managed just 192 yards passing with two interceptions against Calgary, and had no answers for the Bombers, throwing for only 74 yards before leaving with a knee injury late in the game. He is now sidelined week-to-week.
Vernon Adams Jr. is now sidelined on a week-to-week basis, with no definitive timeline for his return from the knee injury he suffered against Winnipeg. The Lions are left to navigate this challenging stretch without their star quarterback.
However, it would be unfair to place the blame for this loss solely on Jake Dolegala’s shoulders. In his first start of the season, Dolegala completed 14 of 23 passes for 146 yards, without throwing any touchdowns or interceptions. These numbers were not entirely unexpected given that A) he had only one week of practice with the starters, and B) the Lions entered the game with a game plan centered around running back Will Stanback, which proved effective for the first three quarters. Stanback had season-highs of 87 yards on 13 carries.
Dolegala made both impressive and errant throws, but he was not helped by dropped passes from Alex Hollins and Stanley Berryhill on second down, which disrupted the Lions’ momentum. The offense struggled to find the end zone, relying on field goals from kicker Sean Whyte, who extended his streak of made field goals to 45.
The Lions’ defense also faced challenges, allowing the Elks to capitalize on their weaknesses. Injuries to key defensive players further complicated matters, forcing the team to rely on depth players. Edmonton’s running backs, Jevon Leake and Justin Rankin, had success on the ground, while quarterback Tre Ford and backup McLeod Bethel-Thompson also found success through the air.
The loss drops the Lions to 5-4 on the season and raises questions about their ability to compete without Adams. They now find themselves looking over their shoulders at Calgary and Winnipeg in the West Division standings. The Lions’ high-powered offense has scored just three touchdowns in their last three games.
The B.C. Lions converted 9 of 19 attempts on second down and once again relied on kicker Sean Whyte, who continued his impressive streak by making three field goals, extending his record to 45 consecutive successful kicks.
“It was a sloppy performance,” Dolegala commented. “We didn’t execute as we needed to. We have to stay on the field and support our defense. They can’t be out there all the time. We need to convert more of these second downs.”
He added, “When we get into scoring position, we have to find the end zone. Three points are nice, but seven is much more valuable.”
Regarding his own performance stepping in for the injured Adams, who is week-to-week with a knee injury, Dolegala dismissed questions about himself, stating, “It’s not about me. The team lost.”
The first injury blow came when safety Christophe Beaulieu left the game, followed by linebacker Ben Hladik and Bo Lokombo. Meanwhile, the Elks capitalized on the Lions’ struggles, utilizing their dynamic running back duo of Jevon Leake (21 carries, 97 yards) and Justin Rankin (7 carries, 77 yards), leaving B.C. to dig deep into their depth chart.
The Lions’ defense struggled significantly, both on the ground and through the air. Quarterback Tre Ford completed all six of his passes for 96 yards before being knocked out of the game just before halftime by B.C.’s Sione Teuhema. Backup McLeod Bethel-Thompson also went 6-for-6 before throwing an interception to Ciante Evans, finishing the game with 14 completions out of 18 attempts for 171 yards and a touchdown.
Special teams player Juliano Falaniko made headlines for the first time this season when he committed a penalty for contacting the kicker, giving the Elks a new set of downs late in the fourth quarter. This drive resulted in a touchdown, extending Edmonton’s lead to 30-16 after a successful two-point conversion.
Head Coach Rick Campbell had his moments too, opting to go for it on a third-and-five from the Edmonton 40-yard line in the second quarter instead of attempting a field goal with Whyte. Unfortunately, Dolegala’s long pass attempt sailed over the head of a double-covered Keon Hatcher.
“As a whole team, we’re just not making the plays we need to win games,” Campbell said. “It’s a long season, and there’s still a lot of important football ahead. We’ve hit a rough patch. I believe in our coaches and players, but we’re not performing well as a team right now.”
He added, “We’re not executing those crucial plays. I’ve seen us do it before, so I’m hopeful we’ll get back to that, but we need to ensure our players fully understand their roles so they can play quickly and make plays.”
When the Lions faced the Blue Bombers back in June, during Winnipeg’s rough start to the season at 0-2 and eventually 0-4, they emphasized that their West rivals were a solid team that just needed to connect on the crucial plays.
Now, however, the Lions find themselves in a similar position, struggling to win those critical intra-game battles and suffering losses as a result.
Their opportunity to turn things around comes next Sunday when they host the same Bombers in a vital tiebreaker match. The upper bowl will be open for this game, likely to accommodate fans eager to see Winnipeg native and Canadian icon Fred Penner.
Interestingly, Penner’s famous song could serve as a fitting metaphor for the Lions’ situation: “The cat came back, they thought he was a goner … But the cat came back, it just couldn’t stay away …”
And no, we’re not referring to Nathan Rourke—he’s off in the NFL for the foreseeable future.
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