B.C. Lions 41, Stampeders 30: Vernon Adams Jr. slices the Stamps aside

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With superb sunshine making it a balmy 20 levels round B.C. Place, it was as if summer time felt like sticking round a bit longer on  Saturday.

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Vernon Adams Jr. and the B.C. Lions will likely be sticking across the CFL playoffs a bit longer, too.

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The Leos absorbed a three-play landing drive from the Calgary Stampeders within the opening minutes of the Western semifinals to roll to a 41-30 victory, incomes a berth within the division finals, the place the climate is assuredly going to be far more frigid.

After a two-and-out on their first sequence, Adams led 4 straight prolonged landing drives, throwing two majors and speeding for 2 others within the first half. He completed the sport with 413 yards and two touchdowns on 28-of-39 passing, whereas speeding for 3 extra.

B.C. wideout Keon Hatcher, who sat out the Week 20 assembly, had 9 catches for 195 yards and a landing, bettering his Week 7 efficiency towards the Stamps (170 yards, TD).

The Stampeders tried a few of the standard methods they used of their Week 20 win over B.C., speeding three and dropping gamers into protection to try to confuse Adams, but it surely didn’t matter. He was surgical and decisive along with his throws, and when he did tuck it and run, he was explosive and environment friendly. He had two scrambles for touchdowns within the first half, and a 24-yard scamper within the third quarter to get out of a 1st-and-20 jam.

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The B.C. defence seemed susceptible on B.C.’s first possession, with QB Jake Maier connecting on a 41-yard cross to Reggie Begelton, then a 32-yard strike to Marken Michel to cap a three-play 81-yard drive. However the Lions returned to their bend-but-don’t-break methods after that, conserving the Stamps out of the tip zone till their closing drive of the sport.

Calgary was 0-for-2 within the pink zone, and had a mean drive size of 21 yards — with none longer than 51 — as they may solely handle 5 area Rene Parades objectives till Reggie Begelton caught an 11-yard landing with 1:11 remaining.

The Stampeders have been 6-16 on second down conversions at one level — they completed 9-of-19 — however have been stifled for a lot of the sport.

And the Lions did it with out linebacker Ben Hladik, who injured his knee when colliding with teammate Garry Peters within the first quarter. Peters acquired the choose on the play, however Hladik paid the value, as he missed the remainder of the sport.

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Maier’s 304 yards passing (23-of-33, two touchdowns) have been very a lot empty energy, along with his two scores bookmarking an ineffective sport. Calgary had 371 yards in web offence, with Begelton main the way in which with 112 yards receiving. Working again Ka’Deem Carey had 75 yards on 14 carries.

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