Lions eye first win of season versus unbeaten Elks - BERITAJA

KELOWNA – The B.C. Lions person done a batch of things right, but it’s what they’ve done incorrect that has resulted successful them starting the CFL play 0-3.

Take their 41-33 nonaccomplishment to the Calgary Stampeders past weekend.

A fumble connected a kickoff return precocious successful the 2nd 4th resulted successful the Stampeders scoring 2 touchdowns successful conscionable complete a infinitesimal for a 10-point halftime lead. The Lions besides gave up a 90-yard punt return successful the 4th quarter.

B.C. caput coach and violative coordinator Buck Pierce knows the Lions person to trim the mistakes to extremity their losing skid erstwhile they look the 3-0 Edmonton Elks Saturday successful Kelowna, B.C.

“We request to cleanable up immoderate things,” Pierce said aft his squad practised this week astatine Kelowna Secondary School. “We’ve had a batch of self-inflicted mistakes and execution errors. Those get you beat.

“You could do a batch of things well, but you person those 3 aliases 4 plays a crippled that you can’t have.”

With BC Place Stadium being utilized for the FIFA World Cup, the crippled will beryllium played astatine the Apple Bowl successful Kelowna, which drew complete 19,000 fans against Calgary.

The Lions haven’t started a play 0-3 since 2019.

The consequences of a mediocre commencement first took their toll connected Sunday erstwhile typical teams coordinator Cory McDiarmid was fired. Pierce said the Lions typical teams will beryllium coached by committee against Edmonton.

“When you look astatine typical teams, we person guys connected unit that person done those type of things successful the past,” he said. “We person a seasoned group.

“We’re going to thin connected each other.”

The Lions person been moving the ball. Their mean of 447 nett yards per crippled is 4th successful the convention and they are 2nd wide pinch 83 first downs.

Quarterback Nathan Rourke, past year’s Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian, threw for 462 yards against Calgary for the sixth 400-plus gait crippled of his career. On the season, he’s thrown for 1,083 yards, 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.

Rourke has ne'er mislaid 4 consecutive games successful his CFL career.

A problem for the Lions is mediocre section position to unfastened drives. On average, teams this play person started connected their ain 38-yard line. For B.C., it’s been their ain 32, the poorest by immoderate nine successful the past 10 seasons. That six-yard quality adds up to 210 other yards to cover.

The Lions are sixth successful the convention successful scoring, averaging 29 points a game. B.C.’s rushing crippled is eighth successful the convention astatine 70 yards a game, pinch moving backmost James Butler averaging conscionable 3.9 yards per carry.

The Lions defence has besides struggled, giving up a league-high 37.7 points per game. B.C. is tied for past pinch Ottawa pinch conscionable 3 sacks, and hasn’t forced a turnover each year.

“We cognize we haven’t played our champion shot this play yet,” said linebacker Darnell Sankey, who the Lions signed arsenic a free supplier successful the off-season. “We understand we’re a awesome team. We’ve conscionable sewage to travel together and conscionable person fun.”

Injuries person taken their toll connected defence. Defensive lineman Levi Bell, linebacker Ben Hladik and protect backmost T. J. Lee are each questionable for Saturday.

But Elks backmost Cody Fajardo knows the statistic don’t matter erstwhile the crippled starts.

“They’ve had a batch of injuries connected the protect side, particularly successful the backmost end,” said Fajardo, who has 764 passing yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception this year. “It’s a batch of shuffling.

“They’re a formidable opponent. We are going to person our hands afloat pinch a really bully team.”

The Elks are disconnected to their champion commencement since going 7-0 successful 2017. Edmonton is seventh successful points scored (28 per game) but the defence has allowed a league-low 22.7 points a game.

All 3 of Edmonton’s wins person been decided successful the last 3 minutes. Two of the games person been by 4 points aliases less.

“It’s a testament to the characteristic we person successful this locker room,” said Fajardo. “It goes to show the perseverance of this team. We cognize we’re ne'er retired of it.”

The Lions person history connected their side. They person won 12 of their past 13 against Edmonton. BC won each 3 games past twelvemonth by a mixed people of 100-52.

Pierce believes the squad could still move things around.

“We’re focusing connected wherever we could improve,” he said. “We’re a resilient group. At immoderate constituent done the people of the season, you spell done stretches for illustration this.

“We’ve seen betterment successful immoderate areas. The guys are knowing much and much each week what winning needs to look like.”

This study by BERITAJA was first published July 3, 2026.