The last game of the CFL season began tentatively, as
Winnipeg Blue Bombers visited BC Place, hungry for the chance to host a home
Playoff Game. They cam fast and hard at Dave Dickenson, sacking him twice on 1st
and 2nd down of the first series after Winnipeg’s kickoff, and Lions
fans held their collective breath. Lions hadn’t had anything to play for in a
couple of weeks, since clinching First Place, and it looked like a letdown was
in the cards for 32,000 at the Dome on False Creek.
Then Kevin Glenn suffered an ankle sprain all too familiar
to Lions fans, and left the game. With Ryan Dinwiddie calling signals, Lions
front four swarmed and kept coming, eventually driving Dinwiddie from the game
in favour of Brad Banks. Banks later threw a TD pass to make it interesting, but
not close. Had Glenn remained, it would have been a very different ball game.
Lions Defence proved why they are top rated in the CFL,
showing different looks, applying great pressure on Winnipeg Qbs, and picking
up 4 passes. They look ready for the Western Final, while the Offence under
Dickenson looked somewhat rusty. After Jarious Jackson took the helm in the
second half, Lions moved the ball fairly well, but stalled at crucial times,
emerging without points. This will no doubt be addressed after next Saturday,
as the Leos have this week off before beginning preparations for the Western
Final on November 12th.
For us here in BC, this week means watching Gainergate in
Calgary, as the Stampeders bar Roughrider mascot Gainer the Gopher from McMahon
Stadium, and the Banged up Bombers make a trip to the Rogers Centre to meet the
wildly inconsistent Argonauts. If you’re a BC fan, you hope for a good hard
game between the Stamps and Riders, and hope someone emerges battered and
bruised; home teams in Western Finals don’t exactly have a good record coming
into the tilt on the 12th.
Let’s hope that changes. For mow though, good luck,
Stampeders, Blue Bombers, Argonauts and Roughriders. But not too much.