Lions 25, Stamps 22: Burnham (no, not that one) saves the day

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Don’t name it a comeback. The B.C. Lions had been at all times right here.

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However a headline-grabbing reminder at all times helps, like asserting hip hop legend LL Cool J as their opening evening pre-game live performance headliner. An artist with common enchantment and identify recognition, he may eclipse the thrill OneRepublic created final yr, once they had 30,000 plus followers in BC Place.

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Few followers within the stadium Thursday evening realized it when the information was flashed on the JumboTron through the halftime intermission, however they had been nonetheless having fun with the opposite vital piece of the Lions’ resurgence puzzle: an excellent crew.

The Lions outlasted a rookie-heavy Calgary Stampeders crew 25-22 of their preseason finale, trying slick and polished in leaping out to a 22-3 halftime lead. However the manufacturing fell off drastically with the second unit, as they failed to attain a single level the remainder of the sport till Kieran Burnham pumped by means of 31-yard area aim as time expired.

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Right here’s what we realized …

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MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT

The operating joke within the press field was that soccer author JC Abbott was attempting to get again into Vernon Adams’ good graces with a tweet through the recreation saying “… it is likely to be the perfect I’ve ever seen him play” however he was proper. The Lions QB was deadly within the three drives he quarterbacked within the first half.

Three drives, three touchdowns, no incompletions, and never even a sniff of a possible interception. Adams was 12-for-12 for 213 yards and three touchdowns, and regarded as relaxed as could be — virtually prefer it was a preseason recreation.

The sport, he mentioned post-game, had by no means regarded as gradual.

“That was most likely the primary time in my CFL profession, for actual,” he mentioned. “Jordan (Maksymic, offensive co-ordinator) has achieved such an excellent job simply teaching us up all through the week and telling us what we have to search for and issues like that. Clearly … they left some guys residence, however Calgary’s defence, they go by their system. I simply need to do that very same factor subsequent week when it when it actually counts.”

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When the Stamps despatched stress, Adams both scrambled for a primary down, or purchased himself sufficient time to search out the open receiver. He did that twice with Dominique Rhymes within the first half, as soon as on a 41-yard streak down the sideline, after which on a five-yard landing, when he rolled proper earlier than throwing again throughout his physique to his wide-open receiver.

Making fast choices and being extra cellular, just like the Adams of outdated, had been his focus this week in camp.

“All through coaching camp, I needed to work on my accuracy and anticipation, and I simply felt like I used to be seeing every thing very clear tonight,” mentioned Adams, who had 26 rush yards for 2 first downs.

“I simply need to dial in and simply attempt to be a constant quarterback. Granted, it’s simply the primary preseason recreation. I received much more to do, to indicate, to show to myself and I plan on doing that. However it’s received to take one recreation at a time.”

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Head coach Rick Campbell had deliberate to provide him a half or so, however after the primary three drives, informed Adams he’d seen sufficient, and his QB concurred.

The offseason work Adams had put in with Maksymic and his receivers had clearly had an enormous steadying impact on the QB’s frame of mind, mentioned Campbell.

“He regarded sharp. He made some actually good throws, after which it was spectacular that he made some off-script performs, shopping for time along with his ft, operating for a primary down or shopping for time and, discovering an open man. It was good to see him in a rhythm and feeling good about issues,” he mentioned. “I feel he simply has a lot extra of a command of terminology within the huddle and realizing our guys.”

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Dane Evans was 5-of-7 for 34 yards earlier than giving technique to Dom Davis.

On his first cross try, Davis put the ball proper within the palms of Bryson Daughtry, however the rookie receiver dropped what would have been a 30-yard reception. Davis was 3-of-7 for 31 yards, with a protracted of 12.

Campbell wasn’t nervous in regards to the extreme drop in offensive manufacturing behind Adams on this recreation, even taking in to account the actual fact it was preseason and a half-strength Calgary crew.

“As coaches, we’re at all times involved about every thing. However I wouldn’t learn an excessive amount of into this recreation,” he mentioned. “The factor we’re wanting to verify is that we don’t miss out on somebody; the analysis piece was extra essential than successful the sport. I needed to see them compete.”

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AROUND THE WAY GUYS

One space he needed to see the competitors: the battle for tailback.

With the discharge of Buddy Howell final week, the Lions have settled on Antonio Williams and Taquan Mizzell as their function backs. It’s been an underwhelming output thus far in two preseason video games, one glossed over by the Lions sturdy quarterback play.

Williams was held in test within the first half, with six carries for 25 yards. Take out the 11 yard run he had simply earlier than the halftime whistle, and it was a 2.8 yards per carry common.  He completed the sport with 11 carries for 46 yards, and had an eight-yard scamper to arrange the successful factors.

‘Smoke’ had three first half carries for 19 yards, ripping one for 16, and regarded the stronger of the 2, however the query is that if the 5-foot-11, 185 pound speedster can deal with cross safety duties the function again must have.

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“That’s gonna be that’s gonna be on we have to do our (homework on),” Campbell mentioned. “I informed the coaches that we’re going to be missing sleep the following few days, with us taking part in the primary recreation of the yr on Thursday. 

“We don’t technically should make our cuts till Saturday, however we need to get as a lot homework achieved and make our strikes tomorrow as a lot as attainable. We’re going to return in on Saturday and meet with the gamers concerning game-planning in Calgary, so it’s all going to occur actually quick. However on the similar time, when it’s taking place quick, we want to verify we did do an excellent job, No. 1, to be sure that B.C. Lions are holding the perfect gamers round, and two, to provide a good evaluation to these guys as people.”

NCIS: VANCOUVER

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It took till the third quarter was properly underway earlier than the Stampeders managed to attain a landing, and even that took a reasonably flimsy defensive cross interference name on TJ Lee to set Calgary up on the two-yard line. Three runs up the gullet, and operating again Dedrick Mills lastly punched it in.

However it was a showcase of a — and this may stick within the craw of defensive coordinator Ryan Phillips — a bend however don’t break defence. Even with the veteran-heavy beginning unit, the Lions had been gashed a pair occasions on the bottom, and had a pair deep completions given up, however nonetheless saved Calgary out of the top zone.

DB Josh Flowers was crushed for a 28-yard landing by Luther Hakunavanhu within the third quarter, biting on a stop-and-go to tug Calgary inside 5.

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“Deep balls are an enormous a part of the CFL and we want to verify we’re teaching the fellows which can be going to be taking part in for us and concentrate on that,” mentioned Campbel. “And ensure these guys which can be taking part in for us subsequent week are making as a lot of these performs we are able to make.”

Chris Reynolds had a tidy evening at QB for Calgary, going 12-of-13 for 122 yards and a landing, whereas Tommy Stevens was 8-13 for 108 yards. AS a crew, Calgary had 279 yards web offence to B.C.’s 380, regardless of operating 5 extra performs.

The Lions defensive position, an enormous energy popping out of camp, was satisfactory, lastly received a preseason sack courtesy of Mathieu Betts.

Woody Baron was the one different participant to have a sort out for a loss till Amir Siddiq managed to chase down Stamps QB Chris Reynolds to snuff out a Stamps third-quarter drive that encroached on BC territory. Marcus Moore continued his sturdy preseason when he splashed on prime of Stamps Tommy Stevens within the fourth.

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NEVER IN TOO DEEP

Rhymes caught all 5 balls thrown his manner for 81 yards and a landing, however for the second straight recreation, an unheralded rookie caught followers’ eyes. Justin McInnis figured prominently on the primary drive, catching a 15-yard cross to maneuver the sticks, then pulling in a contested 31-yard rating. He completed with 60 yards.

Terry Williams, the Lions’ No. 1 kick returner, additionally pulled in two Bryan Burnham-esque diving catches on the sideline within the third quarter.

He additionally additionally had a second-down spinorama late within the fourth quarter to maintain the Lions drive alive, and completed the sport with 23 yards in complete.

“He’s a man that you really want in your soccer crew for quite a lot of causes,” mentioned Campbell. “He must be on the sector, getting touches. There’s been another guys which have been missed due to their top, returners on this league up to now, and I feel that’s a mistake. Williams can persistently does it (make circus catches) in observe and he does it in video games.”

GOING BACK TO CAL-GARY

The Lions open the common season on the street subsequent week, once they journey to McMahon Stadium to face the exact same Stampeders on Thursday, June 8 at 6 p.m. PT (TSN, AM730).

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