It's fall ball time for the B.C. Lions — after they must show themselves

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4 instances since 2017, the B.C. Lions have confronted the Winnipeg Blue Bombers after a bye week. 4 instances, they’ve misplaced.

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They’re not alone in that statistic; the Bombers have been close to impregnable with per week to relaxation and put together, going 13-1 following byes over that span.

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As the traditional Chinese language army strategist Solar Tzu as soon as wrote: “Each battle is gained earlier than it’s fought” — a quote that hangs on the wall of Invoice Belichick, one of many nice minds in soccer. Perhaps Mike O’Shea has heard of this too.

The final post-bye assembly — and final recreation total — between the Lions and the Bombers got here in Week 9; the Leos had been 6-1 and had demolished Winnipeg 30-6 six weeks earlier than.

However these Bombers weren’t the Week 3 Bombers. They’d ready. They had been steely-eyed, motivated and prepared.

And very similar to Belichick’s modus operandi, they attacked the place the Lions had been strongest. The B.C. defence had been on a document tempo, giving up a CFL-low seven passes over 30 yards at that time, and hadn’t conceded a landing in 44 straight possessions.

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NEXT GAME

Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs. B.C. Lions

Friday, 7 p.m., B.C. Place

TV: TSN. Radio: AM730

On his first go try, from his personal five-yard line, Zach Collaros linked with Kenny Lawler for 34 yards regardless of being interfered with by T.J. Lee. The subsequent play, the following go, was a 71-yard landing to Dalton Schoen.

B.C., helmed by Dane Evans, turned it over on downs on their subsequent sequence. The subsequent play: Collaros to Lawler for 57 yards for a TD.

A defence that had been so good, was all of a sudden shredded and searching susceptible. Collaros had gone 3-for-3 for 162 yards and two TDs. It was 27-4 on the break, and the Bombers had been on their approach to hanging a 50-burger on the Lions.

“It occurred,” stated Lee. “And as soon as that’s occurred, I imply … victimhood will not be the neighbourhood we wish to reside in. We wish to reside in a solution-hood. Any time you turn into a sufferer to a scenario, it’s not going that will help you.

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“I like the ‘line it up issue’ in soccer. You’ve obtained to show your self each time, each week. We had been taking part in good soccer in June. We misplaced to them. Now, it’s fall ball. So who’re we within the fall? That’s what we’ve obtained to come back and present.”

That demonstration comes on Friday, when the Bombers (11-4) come to B.C. Place to face the Lions (11-4). It’s probably the most impactful recreation of the season for each groups, perhaps even throughout the CFL. The victor will get the within monitor to first place within the West, and the first-round bye that comes with it. After that, it’s one recreation — at residence — for a berth within the Gray Cup.

“Don’t pack our Gray Cup baggage too early. I believe one of many guys stated, ‘Give attention to what’s in entrance of you proper now,’ ” stated Lee.

Within the macro view, each single Lion would have taken this example if introduced to them earlier than the beginning of the season. A break up of the season sequence, together with a win at IG Discipline — the place they hadn’t gained since 2017 — organising the rubber match at B.C. Place? Ebook it.

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“Yeah, we did effectively the primary time. Didn’t achieve this effectively the second time. However on the finish of the day, we’re current ourselves with this chance now, and I believe we’re gonna seize the second,” stated Lions defensive coordinator Ryan Phillips. “Guys are simply flying round, guys wish to make performs and … we’re beginning to get again to the disciplines that we had been doing in the beginning of season.

“On the finish of the day, we wish to be a dictating defence. Once I say that, I imply that we’re gonna let you know what you possibly can and may’t do. And at that time, when you fall into our fingers, we’ve obtained to grab the chance.

“I believe the perfect continues to be but to come back for this defence regardless of how profitable we had been in the beginning of the yr.

“Any time alternative like this presents itself, you positively obtained to be hungry for it. Proper? I imply, that’s a part of being an expert athlete. You reside for the aggressive video games, you reside for these huge video games.

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“That is one thing that’s been marked on our calendar since Day 1, which means that we knew that this was going to be a big-stakes’ recreation, perhaps presumably for first place — and that’s the way it’s performed out.”

The duty at hand, if that final loss didn’t spell it out, is a tough one.

No different workforce has as many internet yards (409.1), offensive factors (30.8), touchdowns (53) or has a stingier defence (20.9 points-per-game total, 18 offensive factors) than Winnipeg. Collaros has his ordinary spot within the MOP dialog, whereas an argument may be made that his operating again, Brady Oliveira, might be in there too. The Bombers’ tailback is the CFL’s runaway dashing chief (1,359), pushing his workforce to the highest of the bottom achieve charts at 136.6 yards per recreation.

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The success the Lions had of their win over Winnipeg in Week 3 was by dominating the road of scrimmage, sacking Collaros seven instances whereas turning the Bombers right into a one-dimensional workforce on offence.

The second assembly additionally didn’t see Vernon Adams Jr., who was out with an injured knee. His backup, Evans, solely lasted till halftime earlier than a rib damage knocked him out of the sport, too, and placing all of the strain on third-stringer/short-yardage QB Dominique Davis to guide the offence.

“As many instances as you will get him on the bottom, the higher. Attempt to eradicate him getting in a rhythm early,” Phillips stated. “When he begins out going six-for-six, I imply, you’re gonna be in for a protracted day. So get him on the bottom early, eradicate the massive performs. Clearly, when he’s on the market making vertical throws, that presents an issue for everyone.

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“And Brady is unquestionably taking part in a number of the greatest soccer I’ve seen him play. The offensive line is obstructing for him; typically he’s not getting touched for the primary 5, six yards down the sphere. And when he’s taking part in like that, he’s a tough man to cease.

“We’ve simply obtained to deal with. It’s simply what it’s; you’ve obtained to have the ability to go and be onerous at that time of assault, deal with and at that time, go forward let the sport play itself.”

Very similar to they preached firstly of the yr, in the midst of the yr, and after each wins and losses, the Lions know one recreation doesn’t decide who’s consuming out of Earl Albert Henry George Gray’s hallowed chalice on the finish of the season.

The Bombers and the Toronto Argonauts are the groups most take into account favourites to win it at season’s finish, however Lee and Co. suppose they belong in that dialog, too, although it’s not the dialog itself that’s on Lee’s thoughts.

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“Being the perfect is in my thoughts,” he stated. “I don’t actually care concerning the antics and the politics and the way all the pieces strains up, win, lose. All I care about is profitable.

“In relation to nevertheless the playoffs match-up and rankings shape-up, we’ve nonetheless obtained to line it up and show ourselves. That’s how I attempt to simplify it to the blokes. Doesn’t matter, all of the standings and all that stuff. It’s about profitable within the tail finish of the season.”

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