Lions roar back in fourth to win wild game

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This article was published 22/07/2017 (2981 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

VANCOUVER — In a game that had so many ridiculous plays, it was the one that got the green light from Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea midway through the fourth quarter that had everyone talking — and scratching their heads — following a wild 45-42 loss to the B.C. Lions Friday night at BC Place.

With the Bombers clinging to a 42-34 lead and facing third-and-15 from their own 26-yard line, instead of punting the ball, Winnipeg reached into its bag of tricks. What they pulled out was a Justin Medlock pass attempt — his first in a Bombers uniform — that wouldn’t fool anyone on the Lions defence.

The ball sailed up the middle of the field, aimed at an unsuspecting Derek Jones, whose back faced the play long enough for it to hit the turf. The Lions would take over possession and two plays later Travis Lulay runs the ball in from the 12-yard line and then connects with Emmanuel Arceneaux on a two-point convert to tie the game at 42-42 tie.

“That’s a called play. We have that written up,” O’Shea would say after the game. “B.C. doesn’t honour the receivers, the cover guys out there; and they bring an extra rusher, try to get a rusher involved and they just don’t cover guys.

“When we have the ball it’s offensive football, and if you’re not going to cover a guy on offence, you throw him the ball and we saw that tonight. Our offence threw a couple balls to guys that were uncovered and it’s the same thing in special teams.

“Really, it got well covered. They spotted it late and moved a guy on over and we just didn’t make that play.”

A Matt Nichols’ interception with 90 seconds left on the clock made way for the final dagger. Lions kicker Ty Long, who was three for four on the night, made good on a 34-yard field goal shortly after the Medlock turnover and the Lions took the lead for good.

“We found a way to lose. We were up 42-27 and have got to find a way to close that football game,” said Nichols. “It came down to probably 10 pretty decent mistakes that equal to losing a football game. We all took turns doing it… I had one, too. Everyone just has to look themselves in the mirror and make sure they don’t continue to make those plays down the stretch.”

Medlock, in an eerily similar situation to the Bombers’ West semifinal loss here last season when the game rested and then failed on a 61-yard field-goal attempt in the dying seconds, had yet another chance to save his club. Only this time around, the kick — a 50-yarder — was certainly in his wheelhouse. But his boot fell short and the Lions, seemingly looking to add insult to injury, returned it back deep into Bombers territory.

“It happens and then you move on,” said Medlock, who, with the kick, snapped his streak of 28 straight regular-season field goals dating back to last year. “I’ll take the blame for whatever comes with it. I’m not going to sit here and point fingers…you could sit here and do whatever, but that’s not who I am.”

He added: “I just didn’t play well in the fourth quarter and it hurt the team.”

Medlock wasn’t alone in struggling down the stretch, even if the Bombers showed their best work in the second half.

The Bombers retreated to the locker room at halftime trailing 27-21 — an effort highlighted by a strong showing by the Bombers special teams and a tough outing by an injury-riddled defence.

Jones blocked a punt to set up a Dan LeFevour for a one-yard touchdown run and then a fake field goal that led to a Darvin Adams touchdown.

But with adjustments made at the break came out a different team in the third quarter. Winnipeg scored 21 straight points in the frame to take what looked to be a commanding lead, 42-27.

Nichols, who put up decent numbers, completing 28 of his 36 for 254 yards and three touchdowns, got the Bombers going with a 20-yard rushing touchdown that capped off a 69-yard drive. He then hit Adams for his second touchdown of the game —a nice one-handed grab — before the defence chipped in with a score that began with a Jake Thomas interception and ended with a lateral pass to Kyle Knox for a 34 run to the end zone.

But then the fourth quarter happened and the Bombers, who had combined for just nine points in the final frame through the first three games, put up a goose egg, while the Lions regrouped to score 18 points for the comeback.

“I thought both offences did a great job of putting up yards. That’s the bottom line: I don’t know what the final tally was yardage-wise, but I bet both of them did real well,” said O’Shea.

The Bombers ended the game with 378 yards of total offence, while B.C. capped their night with a balanced attack on the ground and through the air that equalled 480.

Lulay followed up his breakout performance from last week when he came in on the team’s second play on offence for an injured Jonathon Jennings to throw for a career-high 436 yards — a CFL record for a bench player. He ended Friday throwing 28-for-43 for 404 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed for one of the Lions three TDs on the ground, with Jeremiah Johnson and Chris Rainey also getting one each.

It was a tough night for the Bombers defence, who continue to reel with injuries. Maurice Leggett was forced to pull out late in the week, joining the list of walking wounded in linebacker Ian Wild, defensive back Bruce Johnson and defensive end Tristan Okpalaugo.

“And the thing is we didn’t play too bad,” said halfback T.J. Heath. “We had a few things early, but when you’re missing a few key guys you can definitely see it in the defence.

“We got guys that are down that we’re going to need down the road. It’s good that these young guys right now are learning the game because who knows, it’s a long season and we might need them again.”

With the loss, the Bombers fall back to .500 at 2-2 and return home next week to take on the Montreal Alouettes at Investors Group Field Thursday night. As for the Lions, they continue their run through the CFL, extending their winning streak to four games to put them at 4-1 on the year and a tie for first place in the West.

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.catwitter: @jeffkhamilton