Lions Take Six-game Win Streak Into Playoffs - Beritaja

REGINA – After a dreadful commencement to the season, the B.C. Lions are heading into the CFL playoffs connected a six-game winning streak pursuing a 27-21 triumph complete the Saskatchewan Roughriders connected Saturday.

With the win, the Lions clinched 2nd spot successful the West Division and a location playoff game. The triumph improved B.C. to 11-7 and the Lions will now look the third-place Calgary Stampeders — who besides vanished pinch an 11-7 grounds — successful the West semifinal connected Nov. 1 successful Vancouver.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who vanished 4th successful the West pinch a 10-8 mark, will crossover and recreation to Montreal to play the 10-8 Alouettes successful the East Division semifinal connected Nov. 1.

The Lions limped retired of the starting gross pinch a 1-3 people and were 3-5 arsenic the play headed into July. They turned their fortunes about successful the 2nd half of the schedule, going 8-2 and gaining momentum arsenic the playoffs drew closer.

Quarterback Nathan Rourke feels the Lions were their ain worst force early successful the season.

“I deliberation the games that we lost, we consciousness for illustration we were fundamentally shooting ourselves successful the foot. When we sewage retired of our ain measurement and started making a fewer much plays, bully things happened for us,” said Rourke, who vanished 23 of 28 passing for 366 yards pinch 3 touchdowns and 1 interception.

“We’ve believed successful ourselves since training camp. We judge successful this squad and judge successful each other, and we’ve conscionable sewage to spell retired location and execute.”

Although the Lions overcame an 18-10 shortage to triumph the game, a arguable play 5 minutes into the 3rd 4th had a awesome effect connected the last result.

On a second-and-10 play from the Saskatchewan 12-yard line, Rourke deed Keon Hatcher successful the flat. As Hatcher neared the extremity line, he was deed by Riders protect backmost DeMarcus Fields and fumbled. Saskatchewan cornerback Tevaughn Campbell scooped up the shot and took it 107 yards to the extremity area for a touchdown that would’ve accrued the Riders lead to 25-13.

However, aft the scoring play was reviewed by the CFL Command Centre, it was ruled that an charismatic had whistled the play dormant astatine the constituent of the fumble, negating the touchdown. Although the Riders regained possession of the ball, the momentum switched arsenic the Lions forced a punt which led to a Rourke touchdown walk connected their adjacent possession that gave the Lions a 19-18 lead.

Campbell was adamant that he didn’t perceive a whistle connected the play.

“Never. No. I consciousness for illustration successful the play, if I did perceive a whistle location would person been a infinitesimal of indecision, like, ‘Oh, do I request a run?’ But it was conscionable a clear recovery, prime up, scoop, tally to the extremity zone.

“I didn’t perceive a whistle. I don’t deliberation anyone other heard a whistle, because group were still successful pursuit. I don’t really person overmuch much to opportunity about it. It was benignant of conscionable crazy,” said Campbell.

While location was still 20 minutes of crippled clip left, Campbell believes the ruling had a awesome effect connected the last outcome.

“It had a immense impact. I deliberation it changed (the momentum) because we sewage the shot backed up alternatively of going backmost retired connected the section arsenic a defence, having those 7 points. But I deliberation it changed the trajectory of the crippled conscionable removing those points and you spot what we mislaid by — six points. So yeah, definitely, it altered the outcome,” said Campbell.

Lions protect extremity Mathieu Betts wasn’t about to apologize for his squad catching a break connected the play.

“I’ll beryllium honest, that’s a large swing. My knowing is they blew the whistle. I’m not judge precisely really everything happened, but for sure, that would person been bad for us. We had a small spot of luck, but yeah, bully connected us,” said Betts.

“They sewage the shot deep, and we were capable to extremity them and get bully section position for our offence and that’s erstwhile we scored the 2nd touchdown.”

The Lions trailed 21-19 successful the 4th fourth erstwhile backmost Rourke led a six-play, 73-yard scoring thrust that culminated pinch a seven-yard touchdown walk to Hatcher. A two-point person was successful, pinch Rourke and Hatcher connecting again, to springiness the Lions a 27-21 lead pinch 4 minutes remaining.

Rourke entered the crippled pinch an opportunity to go the first Canadian backmost to lead the convention successful passing yardage since Russ Jackson of the Ottawa Rough Riders successful 1969. Rourke trailed Hamilton Tiger-Cats backmost Bo Levi Mitchell by 374 yards heading into the game. Rourke’s 366 yards Saturday near him 9 yards awkward of eclipsing Mitchell’s total.

Rourke vanished the play 352 of 500 passing for 5,290 yards pinch 31 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. When asked if those numbers are worthy of information for the league’s Most Outstanding Player, Rourke refused to participate successful that discussion.

“That’s not up for maine to decide. I’m much worried about being a Grey Cup champion, and that starts pinch winning adjacent week against Calgary,” said Rourke.

The Riders, who clinched first spot successful the West 2 weeks ago, are now disconnected for a week earlier hosting the West last connected Nov. 8.

Kian Schaffer-Baker, who had six catches for 69 yards, insisted the Riders request to enactment the people heading into the post-season contempt losing their last 2 regular-season games.

“I deliberation you don’t alteration a thing. You conscionable onslaught each and each azygous day, the aforesaid measurement that you’ve been doing the full time,” said Schaffer-Baker.

Saskatchewan starting backmost Trevor Harris played 3 bid earlier exiting midway done the 2nd quarter. The Riders scored connected each 3 possessions, collecting 2 rushing touchdowns from backup backmost Jack Coan and a 28-yard section extremity from kicker Michael Hughes, who was making his CFL debut.

Ayden Eberhardt had 2 touchdown receptions for the Lions. Kicker Sean Whyte had 2 section goals and punter Karl Meyer had a 73-yard single.

Coan scored 2 rushing touchdowns for the Riders while Hughes had 2 section goals and a azygous connected a 90-yard kickoff.

This study by BERITAJA was first published Oct. 25, 2025.

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"Lions Take Six-game Win Streak Into Playoffs - Beritaja"

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